To Hell and Back (Eternally Blooded) (8 page)

CHAPTER THRITEEN

E
very inch of James screamed to go after the person responsible for wounding Valerie. Thank the Gods Bartholomew was there to help. James sliced his wrist open with his fang and forced Valerie’s lips open. She was still unconscious and had lost a lot of blood. He healed the outside wound but she needed more of his blood to heal the internal injuries. Even in her perilous state her body was resisting the urge to swallow this foreign liquid.

“Drink Valerie, please you must drink. I can’t lose you now.” James whispered, desperate to heal her.

James was disgusted with himself for letting his guard down. He knew better, but being around Valerie, even here in Hell, made him feel at ease. He should have sensed the immortal long before the scoundrel even had a chance to fire an arrow. Clearly someone wanted Valerie dead, but James couldn’t think of who or why. Between Marion’s visions and what Karma had told them he could only suspect that Valerie was far more important to the future than he had originally assumed.

He watched as the color returned to Valerie’s face, as her chest began to move in normal breathing movements. Enough of his blood had trickled down her throat to complete the healing process. Closing the wound on his wrist he cradled her in his arms, waiting for her to wake up.

They were in Bartholomew’s cave. Bart had always been a good friend to James and offered to hunt down the immortal who did this while James tended to Valerie. Growing impatient for Bart’s return James tucked Valerie into bed in the back bedroom and began to pace.

He wanted two minutes alone with the sod. To mortally wound another’s blood mate was punishable by death, but James wanted to know who ordered the hit. He wasn’t stupid enough to believe this was a random act.

“Look what the cat dragged in!” Bart bellowed as he entered the cave.

James stopped pacing and turned a rage filled gaze on the immortal Bart was dragging behind him. James could tell by the energy coming off the would be assassin that he was young, no more than thirty in immortal years. Judging by the red glint in his eyes he was turned illegally and probably against his will.

“He is a rogue?” James asked.

“Aye yup. A pos rogue. I caught him trying to hide in with the hoarders in the next circle down.” Bart replied with disgust. “I hate visiting those fools, more concerned with their belongings than what is happening around them. I swear some of them don’t even realize they are in Hell.”

“Many thanks Barty, Valerie is in the back room resting.”

“She healed alright?” Barty asked, keeping a firm hold on the rogue.

“Yes, thankfully I got her to drink from me. Her injuries should be healed and she will live. Although I can’t say the same for you.” James growled turning his focus to the rogue.

Bart knew where this scenario was headed and nodded to the armoire on the side wall. James took the hint and opened it revealing dozens of knives and chains. James carefully selected a set of silver manacles and a few knives.

Silver was an immortals kryptonite, they couldn’t break out of it easily and their bodies could not heal quickly from wounds inflicted by silver. As long as the heart wasn’t pierced they wouldn’t die from it, but they would be in a world of pain.

Bart dragged the rogue over to a chair and plopped him in it.

“Please don’t kill me, please.” The rogue blubbered. James and Bart could both feel the terror seeping off the rogue.

James sauntered over to the rogue, a look of pure rage on his face.

“I have a few questions for you. Every time you don’t answer one correctly I stick you with one of these.” He said waving the silver knives in the air.

“I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you everything. Please don’t kill me, I don’t want to die.” Tears were pouring down the rogue’s face.

“What’s your name?” James asked.

“Zipper, my master named me Zipper.”

“Zipper huh? Who’s your master?”

“Marcus. Marcus is my master. Oh god he is going to kill me when he finds out.”

The name Marcus didn’t ring a bell with James. He glanced at Bart, who shrugged his shoulders indicating he had no idea either. James plunged an elongated silver knife into the rogue’s thigh.

The rogue screamed as the silver burned inside.

“You said you wouldn’t stab me if I answered you!”

James merely shrugged. “I was bored.”

Bart laughed. “Good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor mate.”

“Did Marcus order the hit on Valerie?” James asked.

“Yes.” The rogue panted through the pain.

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Wrong answer.” James said, plunging another knife through the Rogue’s other thigh. Zipper howled from the searing pain. James knew how it felt; he had been in this position a time or two himself.

“I am going to ask you again and this time if you answer wrong I am going to start cutting things off. Do you understand?”

Zipper nodded at James in understanding. Immortals can re-grow parts, but it is a slow and extremely painful process.

“Why did Marcus order the hit on Valerie?”

Zipper took a deep breath in before responding. “He never told me, but please let me explain before you hurt me again. Erra was visiting Marcus the night he ordered the hit. Marcus had no interest in you or your new mortal blood mate until Erra came. I don’t know what was said, the
y met in private. I do know that Marcus said if I fucked this up Erra would bring a world of hurt down on me. I was given the arrow and told to shoot her with it, that is all I know I swear.”

James couldn’t imagine what Erra, one of the gods of war, would gain by killing his blood mate.

“Are you going to release me now?” Zipper asked.

Bart laughed as James plunged a knife into Zipper’s heart. “Yup, he released you. Enjoy the underworld mate.”

.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

V
alerie was gagging as she crawled out of her haze. She could feel soft satin sheets covering her and the memory of copper tainted liquid filling her mouth made her panic. She sat up, spitting onto the floor. Looking around she didn’t know where she was. The walls were a green-blue stone; a small lamp cast shadowy light throughout the room. She was on a large bed and most definitely alone.

Instinctively her hands grabbed her stomach. Memories of the pain came flooding back. She had been shot with an arrow of all things. She hadn’t realized people still used those things. The wound was gone, in fact she felt great. Evidence of the attack was all over the front of her. Probing her shirt with her fingers she found the hole the arrow made when it pierced her. Blood was dried down her shirt, and throwing back the covers she found it on her pants as well.

Have I been kidnapped?
She wondered, quietly climbing out of bed. Her shoes were nowhere to be seen and she realized her bladder was screaming in protest as she crept across the room. There was mahogany furniture and red velvet rugs spread throughout. A fluorescent light shone brightly from a doorway across the room. Creeping quietly over Valerie was thankful to find a washroom.

After emptying her bladder she splashed some cool water on her face. Staring at her reflection in the mirror she realized how rough hell and almost dying had been on her. Her hair,
naturally soft and shiny, was limp and dull. She could smell the stench on her from the dump and wanted nothing more than a shower and maybe some food. She noted her stomach growling at the thought of a meal. Her initial fear of being kidnapped was starting to wear off; she figured if someone was trying to detain her they probably would have at least tied her up or something.

A scream broke her thoughts. It was ear splitting and she knew it was the sound of someone in pain. Her first thought was James, but then she heard his muffled voice.

Leaving the washroom Valerie found a doorway that opened into a warm, inviting, living space. There was an immortal with dark hair and grey eyes standing behind a chair that had another immortal in it.

The immortal in the chair had two knives sticking out of his thighs. She realized he had been doing the screaming. To her horror James was standing in front of the chair, apparently he was the one wielding the knives.

Just as Valerie was about to step into the room James sliced the immortals head off. Valerie muffled a groan as she watched the lifeless head roll across the floor. The dark haired immortal was laughing as James wiped the bloodied blade off on his pant leg.

“J…James?” Valerie croaked from the doorway.

“Oh good you’re awake. How are you feeling?” He asked her even as she started backing away.

“Uh oh, looks like someone got caught being naughty.” The dark haired immortal was chuckling.

James looked confused at first, then he realized how shocking it probably was for Valerie to see a man’s head severed from the body.

James flashed to Valerie, wrapping her in his arms. “It had to be done love; it is by our laws that I have condemned him. He tried to kill you.”

Valerie turned her eyes up to meet his gaze. Deep inside she understood, but it felt wrong to her. This whole place felt wrong. She wanted it to be over, she wanted to complete the ritual and be James’s blood mate without any more violence. She wanted to live happily ever after, but she was also a big enough girl to realize that an immortal was not your typical prince charming.

James tried to kiss her, but Valerie flinched away. “Please don’t be afraid, you have to know I would never hurt you.” He whispered.

“I’m not worried about you hurting me; it’s just that you looked like you enjoyed that.”

James sighed. “I won’t lie to you and say I took no pleasure
in the task. He tried to kill you. Of course I took pleasure in eliminating someone who poses a threat to my mate. I love you Valerie, please try to understand.”

Valerie thought about
it for a moment and tried to imagine how she would react if someone harmed James. She realized she would have acted the same if not worse. The thought of losing him was physically painful and she would kill anyone who threatened his safety. After all, hadn’t she killed her own father under the same logic?

“I understand. It has been a long and tiring day.” She replied before turning her mouth up to cover his in a kiss.

Bartholomew cleared his throat, interrupting the love scene unfolding before him. “I’m Bart, the elephant in the room. Remember me?” He asked.

James pulled away from Valerie’s kiss. “Right then. Valerie this is Bart, Bart this is Valerie.”

Valerie walked across the room, hand extended. “It is nice to meet you Bart. Thank you for allowing me to rest in your bed.”

Bart took her out stretched hand and bent to kiss it. “The pleasure is all mine I assure you.”

Valerie blushed as James growled a warning in Bart’s direction. “Don’t let him fool you babe, trust me Bart is a dog if I ever saw one.

“Oh come now James, I am appalled by that remark.” Bart feigned innocence.

“Wasn’t it you last month that caused a family war amongst the sirens, sleeping with each behind the others back?”

“Not my bloody fault they all look the same, really should have told me they were triplets beforehand don’t you think?”

Valerie’s stomach growled interrupting the reminiscing. “Please tell me you have something to eat in this place.”

“Actually I was just about to heat up my famous chili. Why don’t you go get cleaned up while I work on supper. There are towels and fresh clothes for the two of you in the washroom. I am sure there should be something in your sizes there. A fair amount of people have left their clothes behind here” Bart winked at Valerie making her blush even darker crimson.

“Okay, okay, you are going to scar her for life Barty. She really doesn’t need to hear about your repugnant affairs.” James smirked.

“Being that you are a guest here, one would think you would have better manner James.” Bart scolded.

Valerie could still hear him laughing as James accompanied her to the shower.