To Hell and Back (Eternally Blooded) (3 page)

James was stroking her hair; Valerie allowed his arms to fold her into him as her cries turned to sobs. She could feel his heart beating through his shirt.

“You can’t be a vampire, vampires don’t have hearts.” She sniffled into his chest.

“You brought mine back. I had lost my heart for a long time, but you gave it back to me. That is why I would never hurt you. Without you my heart would break and I would die.”

Valerie could feel some unseen force connecting them and his declaration rang true in her heart and mind. She knew she needed this man, body and soul, forever. Valerie tilted her head up willing him to kiss her. James saw the look in her eyes and it was his undoing.

Their kisses started soft and sweet, their lips melting together as if they were two pieces of a puzzle that had finally been placed with one another. James tried to be slow but the fire burning inside frenzied him. He had waited centuries to find his blood mate and now that he had her his body was urging him to claim her. Clothes hit the floor as they explored each other’s bodies. James’s hand moved down Valerie’s naked back and over the swell of her butt. She gasped as he picked her up effortlessly and carried her to the bed.

James could see her body trembling, but he could also smell her excitement. The scent of her was driving him wild. He climbed in between her legs and breathed “Are you sure? There is no turning back after this.”

“Yes. Yes.” Valerie panted.

Even as he entered her a voice in the back of his head reminded him he had yet to tell her of the blood mate ritual. His animalistic lust was too strong to head the warning and he lost himself in her. She was liquid heat, gripping him, urging him on. He let a low growl grow from his stomach up through his throat.

“Gods forgive me!” James yelled before lowering his mouth to Valerie’s breast. He felt his fangs dropping down for the blood he was about to take, he heard her gasp as they pierced her soft skin, and as he felt her hands pull his head closer to her breast he knew in that instant that she was his blood mate for life. He had marked her and now she would walk through the bellows of hell with him to perform the ritual and bond their souls forever.

chapter four

“
Y
ou didn’t tell her first?” Linda hissed. “How could you not tell the poor girl?” She couldn’t believe James didn’t tell Valerie about the ritual.

Before either of them could say anything else they both heard tires crunching over gravel in the drive.

“Looks like Mathius is home.” James said staring at the table, trying to avoid eye contact with Linda. Valerie was upstairs sleeping; their lovemaking session had exhausted her. Once his needs had been sated the guilt took over and he found Linda in the kitchen so he could confess his deed.

“Mathius is going to ream you a new one, you know that don’t you?” Linda asked with a smug smile on her face.

Mathius was their leader and Linda’s blood mate. He was fierce and unrelenting; they all feared and respected him. James hoped being in the presence of Linda would ease some of the anger he knew Mathius would have. Most men were big softies in front of their blood mates, they couldn’t stop themselves, it was ingrained in their nature.

“You did what?!” Mathius bellowed as he threw open the kitchen door.

James detested his skill to read people’s minds. As their leader Mathius had a few extra powers. He was also one of the oldest living immortals so his powers had near full development. Standing over six
feet tall Mathius was a vision of rippling muscle and power.

“I did ask her. She knows we are to be together, she knows what I am.” James mumbled.

“You didn’t ask her for her consent to complete the ritual. What if she chooses not to? Without her you will die or turn to the other side. For frick sake, she may turn to the other side anyway. Not asking could be perceived as being turned against her will. What the hell were you thinking?!” Mathius screamed as he walked over to Linda to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“Hi darling, welcome home. He wasn’t thinking, or should I say the wrong head was doing the thinking.” Linda chuckled as she hugged Mathius. “Valerie is a strong girl and I am sure this will turn out okay in the end.”

As Linda spoke James could see Mathius physically calming down. Thank the gods for that.

“Valerie is sleeping right
now; when she wakes up I will tell her.” James said. “I am going to go take a shower and let you guys have some privacy.”

Mathius had been gone for a few days, hunting the vampires who took Valerie. James knew that the couple would need some privacy to make up for lost time. As immortals, once blooded they were very sexual creatures, needing to feel the bond of body and soul frequently with their mates to keep them grounded. Neither one of them responded to him as he left the room, they were too busy locked in an embrace that would surely lead them to their bedroom. Just in case they didn’t make it that far James made a mental note to avoid the kitchen for at least an hour.

He climbed the stairs slowly, listening to Valerie’s breathing, letting it wash over him and calm him. James hoped that a shower would clear his head enough to let him figure out how to break it to Valerie when she woke.

Valerie woke up in a daze but feeling elated. As she stretched she felt soreness in her body that told her James wasn’t a dream. The love making had been wild and tender all at the same time. She smiled to herself as she recalled the places his mouth had explored. Her breast throbbed where he had tasted her. Who would have thought she had saved her virginity all this time to give it a vampire. A sexy vampire, but a vampire none the less.  She climbed out of the bed and headed for the bathroom. She wanted the warm water on her body to wash away the soreness in her limbs. Before she could grab the knob to open the door it swung open and James was standing there in a towel. Valerie blushed realizing she was naked and he was clad in only a towel that hung low on hips. She watched as his bulge in the front grew at the sight of her.

“Well hi there.” She said sheepishly.

“Hi yourself. How are you feeling?” James asked. The bulge told her he was happy to see her, but his eyes looked worried.

“I’m okay, a bit sore, but okay. I was just going to get in the shower.”

“It is all yours. There should be plenty of hot water. When you’re done would you mind going for a walk with me?” James asked in a strained voice. His brow was furrowed with worry lines.

“Of course.” Valerie responded before a thought came to her. “Wait a walk? Its daylight out. Won’t you burn or something?”

James laughed. “Not all myths are true. No I won’t burn. I rather enjoy the sunlight.”

“Well then great, give me ten minutes, unless you want to join me?”

Valerie had no way of knowing how hard it was for James to resist the temptation. He wanted to see her with water pouring over her body, he wanted to wash every inch of her and claim her again, but he wouldn’t. Not until she knew.

“I need to get
dressed; I will meet you back here in a bit.” James replied before walking right by her without a kiss or tender touch. Valerie was concerned that she had done something wrong. She didn’t understand how he could act like she wasn’t standing stark naked in front of him. Embarrassment swept over her as she realized he had turned down her offer without the least bit of an explanation. Was the lovemaking that bad? It had been wonderful for her. More than wonderful, it had been pure ecstasy.

When Valerie was all showered and dressed she found James waiting for her as promised, He gently took her hand in his and without a word led her downstairs. She knew something was deeply troubling him and had a feeling it had to do with her.

chapter five

B
ehind Mathius and Linda’s house were wooded trails that offered the privacy and serenity James wanted. He was still holding Valerie’s hand but couldn’t quite find the words to begin the conversation. He could tell Valerie was getting antsy because she had sighed a few times and glanced at him in anticipation.

Sighing again, loud enough to make
a point Valerie spoke first, “Okay, something is up and you need to spill the beans. I mean it can’t possibly be any more shocking or unbelievable then you being a vampire.”

“Immortal.” James corrected.

“Okay, touchy much? Immortal.”

James was listening to the robins and the blue jays playfully calling to one another in the trees. The day was warm and the breeze smelled like fresh cut grass. He wished he could freeze time and that Valerie could just exist in that moment with him for eternity, but unfortunately manipulating time was something not even Mathius had mastered.

James took a deep breath and began. “Valerie I need to know if you consent to being my blood mate. Not my girlfriend, not my wife, my blood mate. There are no divorces, you could never leave me. You would live for eternity at my side.”

Valerie had already thought about this and although she was scared out of her wits she knew that during their lovemaking she had already bound herself to him.

“Yes James. I consent. I am also assuming that by being with you for eternity I must be changed.”

“Changed. That is one way of putting it. To be changed Valerie, I will need you to participate in the blood mate ritual with me. That is what I need you to consent to. Without your consent if we attempt it you could end up a vampire like the ones that took you. Deranged and evil to the core. They will never have the opportunity to have their soul and beating heart back.”

Valerie stopped abruptly and grasped his other hand. Standing on her toes she leaned up and brushed her lips over his, tracing his jaw with her mouth and leaving little kisses around to his earlobe. James felt himself shiver as his arms encircled her. Her mouth was driving him crazy.

“Kiss me.” Valerie whispered in his ear before planting her lips firmly on his. Their mouths parted in a frenzy of tongues probing, searching,
and connecting. Valerie felt him grow hard against her and moaned into his mouth. She felt her own sex grow moist and hot. She wanted this man inside her, needed him. She began stripping off her clothes only breaking the kiss long enough to maneuver a piece of clothing, a button, a zipper. James couldn’t stop himself, seeing her frenzy he quickly stripped the clothes from his body to.

Valerie moved her mouth back down his jaw, hot kisses fluttering over his skin, down his neck and onto his chest. James felt her tongue flick out here and there, making a trail down past his bellybutton. He was ready to explode. When her breath, warm and panting, hit his growing bulge he growled and grabbed the back of her head.

“Yes, oh gods yes!” He moaned as he gently guided her mouth to him. He was lost in a moment of pure ecstasy as she guided her lips over him, tasting him with her tongue, and moaning around him. He couldn’t stand it anymore, he needed her. James leaned down and grasped her around the waist, lifting her up and slowly sliding her onto him.

“James, no, it’s too much like this.” She moaned as
she wiggled around trying to accommodate him.

“Relax darling.” He whispered in her ear. “You were meant for me, just hang on and enjoy it.”

As he began to rock her slowly on him Valerie felt herself relax, felt him slide further in with ease. When he realized she was ready he sped up his movements. Bringing her up and down, sliding, and stroking her velvet core. Valerie’s moans grew louder and he knew when she was ready to climax. James began thrusting harder, letting himself get swept away until they were both satisfied and crumpled in a heap of naked flesh and sweat on the ground.

Still panting James began gathering his clothes as he pulled himself away from Valerie. “Have you read Dante?” He asked.

“Dante? You mean Dante’s Inferno? Yeah, in school I did.” Valerie replied. “Why?”

“Well to put it as bluntly as I can, and to
be fair to you, the ritual includes visiting all nine circles of hell.”

Valerie was just pulling her shirt over her head when he made the confession.

“What? Wait, you’re telling me that Dante was actually there and that hell is real?” She asked completely taken aback.

“You believe in immortals without a problem, yet Dante stumps you? Yes all nine circles are there. We must make an oath at the river Styx to the goddess Styx who watches over the river.”

Valerie struggled to remember. “I thought Charon ferried souls on that river.”

“A common misconception. People think that hell is distinct to one religion when in fact it is not. Charon ferries people from the gates and the vestibule across the river Acheron. Styx is a Greek goddess in charge of the River Styx, which quite literally means the river of pain. In fact originally it was called the river of pain, but in her arrogance she wanted it named after her. I guess she got sick of people confusing her with Charon.”

“So immortals have been doing this for like ever, right? That means it can’t be too bad. I mean after all, it’s not like I am dead and being condemned to hell.” Valerie tried to rationalize the situation out loud to make herself feel better.

“As Dante said, do not be afraid; our fate cannot be taken from us; it is a gift. Make no mistake, I will not lie to you, the trip is not without risks. Above all you must remember not to give into temptation or impulses. The demons there will seek to lead you astray so that they may claim you for their circle. I would never let this happen. They would have to take me first. We will meet the goddess Styx and make out pledge to her and the river before travelling downward to the very bowels of hell where Satan himself resides. He holds a part of my soul, the part that will be transferred to you. It is the price we pay for immortality. Always walking with one foot in the light and one in the darkness. But you, my blood mate, will pull me out of the darkness.”

Valerie could not believe that she was meant for such an important task. The fact that this man needed her to be whole again, to save his soul in the most literal sense, was almost more then she could bear. She felt her heart breaking for him and her love for him welling up inside her. She knew she couldn’t leave him now, not when he needed her so desperately. She needed him as well.

“Of course I will consent. For you my love I will walk through the circles of hell.” She replied as a tear trickled down her cheek.