Page 16 of Blood Sings (Beyond the Gloom #1)

Fangs sank into the iele’s flesh, and my middle twisted like I’d been fucking sucker-punched. Couldn’t look away if I tried, and I tried. What kind of twisted game was this turning into?

Hummingbird, the brat, was putting on a show that would make the characters in Pearl’s trashy romance novels blush. Head thrown back, curls bouncing, moaning like the Goddess herself had touched him.

My fists clenched at my sides. A growl ripped from my throat, urging me to yank her away and end this whole fucked-up Initiation. I wanted to punch myself in the face for even caring, but I didn’t want them to share what she and I had. Not that we had anything. By the Moon, was I envious of the kid?

Seconds. That’s all it took until the projector pulled back. But watching it stretched into an eternity in hell. The kid was floating on cloud nine while I felt like… what? Cheated? Hollow?

Zalmoxis, I needed to get laid.

It’d been too long since we hit up the lower ward guilds. Maybe that’s exactly what we all needed—a good old-fashioned stress release. But even as the thought crossed my mind, I knew it was bullshit. The princess had royally fucked that up for me. Comparing what I’d felt when she drank from me to some quick tumble was like putting a candle next to the damn sun.

She’d slipped past my defenses, eroding at the cracks like invasive roots, and messed with my head. I hated her for it. Hated how she dredged up things I’d buried so deep I thought they were fossilized. It wasn’t loneliness—I had my team, my family. This was… different. Unsettling. But I couldn’t bring myself to take it back either.

She’d shown me a glimpse of something I’d convinced myself I didn’t need. Now I was itching for another hit of whatever the hell had happened between us. Pissed me off that I even gave a damn. I was doing fine before her, never wasted a thought on living any other way. She had to come and stir up this shit, didn’t she?

It gnawed at me, made me feel deprived and furious. Deprived because a fragment of me craved to feel that rush again, and furious because she was a goddamn immortal. I shouldn’t want anything from her. Shouldn’t need it.

This clusterfuck of desire and rage simmered in my chest. No way was I letting her throw me off balance, electric connection or not.

Gale stepped up next, brushing her chocolate hair aside like it was no big deal.

The original cupped her neck and sank her teeth into her vein, drawing a gasp out of Gale that sent my blood rushing south. Fuck me, the image my twisted brain cooked up of them together was going to haunt my dreams for weeks.

I really did need to get laid. Soon.

Scrubbing a hand over my face, I ground my teeth together and stalked back to the fountain, the old mansion lurking in the shadows. I couldn’t watch anymore. Had to remind myself that Gale was my friend and the immortal was the enemy. They weren’t just any women I could fantasize about. But try telling that to my backstabbing body. Might as well try to reason with a Stalker.

The house was a classic Victorian relic with a sandstone veranda, slightly crooked from Quakelord’s last temper tantrum. A gale breezed past, carrying the scent of damp pine and wildflowers and drowning out the voices in my head. Small mercies.

I snatched up my book and planted my ass on the concrete edge as moss squelched beneath me. The shower curtain Rosebud had tied against the rusty latticework flapped in the wind, his message still clear as day: ‘TWENTY DOWN, TEN MORE TO GO. GLORY TO THE FUCKIN’ REPUBLIC!’

My insides clenched. Rosebud had been dead three months now, Terraknight taking up the upkeep of the tally. Our most recent loss happened last week—Mandrake, a balaur with only five years left on his conscription. Two lines crossed out the words ‘twenty’ and ‘ten,’ the new numbers were partially visible, but we all knew what they meant.

I white-knuckled the book, trying to focus on the title instead of the red haze edging into my vision. Reading usually helped, but right now all I wanted was to rip the Republic apart with my bare hands and piss on the ashes.

“What was that bull about?” Gale landed in front of me, her raspy voice drowned out by the rustle of feathers. Her scent—citrus and honey—clung to her like a hot cup of tea by the fire.

I took a big sniff. She was my comfort smell.

“Any idea why the lieutenant freaked out like we kicked her puppy?” she asked.

“Hell, if I know. You never know with them ,” I grunted.

Living for too long wasn’t healthy. Immortals were too bored for their own good. They’d make up shit just to keep themselves entertained.

Gale flared her copper-brown wings to her side, momentarily eclipsing the moon and casting me in shadow. She folded them close to her back with a quiet swish. Her look said she knew exactly what I meant. “Ever heard of the Red Moon?” she asked.

“Nope, but Miss Psycho dropped something about a Blood Pact.” I pinched my nose, the projector’s fruity scent still clinging to me like a bad hangover. “Got a pretty good idea what that means now.”

Her eyes widened, the amber flecks in them catching the moonlight. “Oh shit, you don’t mean—”

“Yep.” I arched an eyebrow at the blush spreading across her neck. “Since when did you turn into a blushing schoolgirl?”

“Shut up,” she mumbled, hitting my arm as the blush spread to her cheeks. The impact almost sent me flying on my back—damn, she packed a hell of a punch.

A hiss from Ember caught our attention. We both turned to watch just as the original sank her fangs into her neck. Fire lit up her veins, casting a golden glow across the yard.

Gale’s tentative smile bloomed into a cheeky grin. “So, they feed and fuck like the rest of us. Big whoop.”

“Ever seen fireworks, Gale?”

“Yeah, but what’s that got to—”

“It’s like that. Times a thousand.”

She snorted, slapping my shoulder. “Fireworks? Seriously?”

I nodded, grateful my hood hid my burning ears. “Honest to God.”

“Holy shit, you actually enjoyed it!” Gale’s giggles turned into full-blown laughter. “Boy, you’re in big shit.”

No point lying. She could read me like a damn book. “Didn’t even touch her. Still better than any sex I’ve had.”

She crossed her arms, giving the projector a once-over. I forced myself not to look. “Must be your special blood or something. For me, it was just like a feed. Bit tingly, if that.”

“That’s not what’s got me worried. This Red Moon thing… I’d bet my ass it’s tied to the Blood Pact somehow.” I leaned back, staring at the sky like it might actually give me answers.

Fat chance. The Great White was a god of few words. With a heavy sigh, I focused back on Gale.

“She said ‘it takes two to seal the bond.’ There’s more to it, and now we’re all neck-deep in it, so I’m gonna find out what.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Commotion sparked on the driveway. The original had wrapped up the Initiation. I turned at the sound of boots on gravel, scanning the approaching crowd for our ‘guests.’ The air felt charged, like the moment before a lightning strike, setting my teeth on edge.

“For now, we wait,” I said, eyes narrowing on the lieutenant as she fell behind. “That one’s up to something. I can smell it.”

No sooner had the words left my mouth than the pureblood frowned, digging deep into her coat pockets. Metal clinked, and with a triumphant cry, she scooped out a pile of silver disks.

My stomach bottomed out. Whatever those things were, they looked about as friendly as a Limus’ teeth.

“Transmitters,” she announced, picking one up and jiggling it in the air before she vanished into the crowd.

She weaved between bodies in a blur of motion, almost invisible to the naked eye. One moment she was at the back, the next she reappeared at the front, leaving only a gust of displaced air in her wake.

Rolling a disk between her knuckles, she spoke slowly, her tone dripping with condescension. It was clear she wouldn’t repeat herself. “The Bloodthorn Nexus hasn’t been tested on short distances. It’s safer if your commanding officer refrains from using it. Use these devices and avoid harmonizing with her.”

Soft murmurs rippled through my guildmates. A few heads shook as she started distributing the contraptions. I was about to ask what the fuss was about when the scent of vanilla and peaches teased my senses. The projector was creeping up behind me. A shiver ran down my spine, but I shrugged it off with some effort.

There you are, I thought, fighting the urge to turn around.

The lieutenant approached, making me wait with my hand out like some common beggar. Her narrow, unsmiling grin pissed me off as she dropped the device into my palm.

“Now, if I could have your attention,” she said, doing a one-eighty. “Attach the equipment under your left ear.” She flipped her hair back to demonstrate first on herself. “You may feel slight discomfort. Proceed at your own pace.” Not a single twitch betrayed that she might have felt a sliver of pain.

We got to work, our clothes rustling. I pressed the disk into the soft spot between my jaw and earlobe, hissing as hundreds of needles seemed to drill through my skull. The sensation felt like spiders crawling beneath my skin.

“Slight discomfort, my ass,” I grumbled. The ache abated, but the pressure inside my head did not.

The pureblood resumed pacing, holding up a finger, her voice clipped and precise. “To contact each other, press the center of the disk and say their name. The nerve implant will register your command and connect the transmission wirelessly.” She raised a second finger, scanning my guildmates with keen eyes. “For group chats, list names in order. Use your guild’s name for the whole team.” Her lips thinned, a hint of annoyance weaving into her tone. “And for the love of darkness, speak clearly. These things are still in beta.”

The black jeans she had on whirred when she walked, rolling her hips slightly, shoulders pulled back a little to showcase her breasts. I couldn’t help but notice how attractive she was, in that way that all immortals were—stunningly beautiful, with a heart of stone.

“So, we’re your guinea pigs?” Hummingbird piped up.

The medic hissed, not even bothering to look at him. “As much as I hate it, iele, I’m here to save your ass if something goes wrong. Questions?”

Gale’s hand shot up, the silver disk below her ear flashing blue. “Does the projector have one?”

“No. Your commanding officer will contact you through the Harmonization.”

I caught Gale’s eye. Her raised eyebrow said it all. Yeah, the projector gets a free pass while we’re stuck with these damn head leeches.

Terraknight’s hand shot up, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face. “Got a question for ya, shortie.”

The lieutenant’s eyebrow arched, but she nodded, inviting the inevitable disaster.

“You always got a stick up your ass, or did no one fuck you in a while?”

The yard erupted.

Laughter ricocheted off the old sandstone walls and rippled like moonlight on water. Phoenix folded in on herself, her auburn hair whipping as she cackled. Ember followed. Pearl’s aquamarine eyes went wide, her palm shooting up to her mouth in a failed attempt to stifle her giggles. Hummingbird and Quakelord were shaking, tears streaming down their faces. Even Gale had trouble holding in her chuckle.

“Fuck’s sake, Terraknight,” I muttered, struggling to keep my own face straight. The colossal idiot was going to start a fight, but damned if it wasn’t entertaining.

I glanced at the projector, half-expecting her Darklings to materialize and rip my vice-captain a new one. Her giggles carried despite her effort to hide them behind her hand. Her friend, though? If looks could kill, Terraknight’d be six feet under.

Alarm bells rang inside my mind, and I straightened up, prepared to intervene if she decided to blood magic his ass.

The pureblood’s teeth flashed, white as bone and twice as sharp. “Offering your services, boy?”

I damn near swallowed my tongue. I’d seen guys twice Terraknight’s size piss themselves at the sight of him. His bulk alone could intimidate a bear. If you had the misfortune of taking one of his punches, you’d be picking up pieces of yourself for a week. But this pureblood didn’t even flinch.

“Damn, son!” Quakelord wheezed between laughs, slapping his knee. “She’s handing you your ass!”

Terraknight, the cocky bastard, just grinned wider. I’d seen him charm the pants off anything with a pulse. We’d always joked about who’d lose their edge first and start showing signs of aging. Part of me had hoped something would knock him down a peg, mess up that human-perfect face of his. Make him more like the rest of us peasants.

Guess I was wrong.

All it took was one ice-cold immortal to have him ready to roll over and beg.

His eyes gleamed with challenge, but there was something else there, too. Something that said he’d met his match and was loving every second of it.

“My room’s always open, shortie,” he purred, full of promises. “I’ll rock your world.”

The pureblood’s smile turned predatory. “Flattering, but I sincerely doubt you could handle me.”

I exchanged a look with Gale, both of us thinking the same thing: This was gonna be one hell of an entertaining disaster.