Page 40 of Blood Ties (City of Blood #1)

Bash

“Mother, tell me you have something, anything,” I ask her desperately, a note of pleading in my voice. “It's been more than a day since she was taken.” It’s Saturday night. She disappeared sometime Friday.

“Maybe. I have been having some trusted members of my enthrall and my sirelings track Talia’s movements around the city.

She went to a nightclub last night after the meeting with Marcus, while we were here.

She stayed inside until right before dawn.

” She watches me. I fidget nervously, stilling myself when I realize.

Vampires do not fidget. “She went back to the club tonight as soon as the moon rose. If she follows the same pattern today, of not emerging until sunrise, I am ordering the enthrall to search the building tomorrow.”

“What? Why would you wait until tomorrow? You’ll go now! She is my entire life and it’s been stolen!”

“If we burst into a club full of humans and vampires to search the building, not only will we draw attention to ourselves, we will alert Talia to something. If she disappears, we won’t have anything to go on. I know you’re worried, but you need to be patient.”

“Patience.” I shake my head and walk out.

Knowing that I am about to walk into my loft and find Sarah and Ethan waiting for news makes me feel sick. I don’t want to tell them that they trusted me with the most important thing in their lives, except each other, and I lost her. I failed to keep her safe.

Jumping up onto the roof of the cathedral, I crouch like a predator in shadow. I watch the vampires move through the Quarter below. Looking for anything that will help. Anything that will lead us to her.

I watch Talia approach. Mother just said she was at the club. Now she is here. Maybe the club is a dead end. Mother was right, we need to be patient.

I watch her. She seems unusually light, happy even. Happy while my world is falling apart around me. What have I done to deserve this?

I stay perched on the roof like the night stalker I am masquerading as. She enters the church and I wait.

And wait.

She finally emerges and I run across the roof to keep her in my line of vision.

She turns a corner and I take chase, jumping across rooftops as quietly as I can while I track her on the ground.

A few blocks away, she turns ahead of me and before I am back on her tail, she disappears.

Like, actually gone in thin air. Seems to be an epidemic in this city.

I jump down from the roof, landing heavily on the empty street, looking around for any traces of where she may have left behind. I don’t see anywhere she could have gone. Nothing is even open on this street—it’s all human businesses.

I swing hard at the support post for the balcony above me—crack—splintering the wood.

“Bash!” Sarah runs to me as soon as I enter the apartment. “Anything? Any news?” Dropping my head down, I feel myself start to shake. My knees give out from under me and I hit the carpet.

Kneeling, I think about all the times I knelt at Elina’s feet, trying to show her the depth of my devotion to her. How priceless she is to me. I ache to cry.

Ethan kneels beside me and puts his arms around me as Sarah hits her knees next. We collapse into each other, limbs tangled, breaths shared, our grief held tight between us.

Elina was the magnet that drew us together and we need her here—our glue. We have to find her. My shoulders shake, my breathing ragged, as grief suffocates me. Sarah cries against my shoulder and Ethan holds us both while we lay our wounds open for each other to see.

“We will find her, Bash. We have to.” Sarah sucks in a lungful of air, sounding as though it is a tremendous effort. “I’ve been thinking.”

I raise my eyes to her. “Something to help Elina?”

She hesitates for a minute. “Maybe? Kind of. I think I am ready to turn. I want to help. I don’t want to be stuck here like a useless human.”

I shake my head at her. “No, Sarah. You would be a baby vampire—weaker, volatile, driven by blood. If Elina found out I did this only because you wanted to help, she would extinguish me, herself.”

She balls her fists and pushes her shoulders back, taking in a few deep breaths.

“No! You don’t get to hide behind what Elina would want or what Elina would do.

” Her outburst surprises me and I look at her appraisingly.

“Elina was mine before she was yours. She is the other half of my soul too.” A sob escapes her.

“And I am broken without her. I need to help. I’m ready. Just like she is.”

“Ok, Sarah. If you’re serious and truly understand what is going to happen now, then I’ll do it.”

“I’m ready.”

Something about her, one of the only other people in this city as committed to finding Elina as I am, deciding she is done wallowing in grief steels my spine.

I take a few more deep breaths and tell myself that I am done being upset, done falling into a black hole of terror and anguish.

I will find her, I will bring her home, and I will make her mine, in eterno.

“Let’s do it,” I say. Excitement and love fills Ethan’s eyes. I’m impressed that he was able to hold his opinions to himself and let Sarah stand on her own. I wouldn’t have listened to him either way, this is and should be Sarah’s decision, but I’m surprised nonetheless.

Sarah and Ethan stayed here last night, and plan to for the foreseeable future, they want to be here in case there is any news, so my loft seems the perfect place to turn her.

I lead them into the guest room, already prepared for vampire guests with a large comfortable bed, ensuite bath, luxurious linens, and most importantly, no windows.

Not only will this transform Sarah into a predator of the night, but draining her completely will give me more power, more strength.

The enhanced senses that accompany the blood of a dying heartbeat are addictive to a vampire.

We don’t even discuss it with other vampires because we do not want to encourage feeding until death.

I am excited, though, because I will be able to use them for the hunt that is coming.

“Sarah, what has Ethan told you about the turning process?” I question her as I lay her back onto the duvet.

She sighs. “Nothing. He has never done it to anyone and he says he doesn’t remember.”

“Don’t worry, I will explain everything.

The process of turning someone can feel quite intimate and, more often than not, vampires feel bound to their sire because of it.

You will have a thread of me. This process will bind us more closely together as a family.

” I breathe in deeply, preparing to explain the simple process that will no doubt be awkward.

“Feeding is often accompanied by sex, as you may already know.” She blushes a deep crimson, her entire face alight and I chuckle.

“This process will not feel much different, and because of that, a certain amount of…arousal is not unusual, but trust that it is simply biological and nothing more. Have you ever fed from Ethan?”

“No. No blood sharing. I’m afraid of the enthrall and didn’t want to feel like I’m losing myself in him, obeying him.”

“Ok, well, I apologize since you don’t know, but the process involves you feeding from me while I feed from you.

That's the intimate part of it. It is a pleasurable process. I will open my arm for you, and you will drink from me while I drink from your neck. I will continue to drink until your heart slows and eventually stops. You will continue to drink until you lose consciousness. After, you will be dead. Tomorrow, at moon-rise, you will rise as Ethan does, and be a member of Sanguine Nocturnus. You will be a member of my personal household as a sireling of mine. The only other member of my household is Jack. I haven’t turned anyone since before we came into power here. ”

I pause and watch her. It’s a lot of information—life ending information. Heavy, important information. She seems to be considering everything I have shared.

“I’m ready. Tell me what to do.”

Ethan climbs onto the bed next to her and holds her hand, supporting her. I give him a nod of approval.

“Lie down on the bed, on your side, facing Ethan.” God, this is so awkward.

“I am going to lie behind you, close enough to reach your neck. You will drink from me and I, you. Just like that.” I slide into the bed behind her, close but not touching her.

This is awkward enough without my erection, that will be appearing soon, poking her.

It’s not even sexual, it’s pleasure and adrenaline.

I extend my fangs and bite into my arm letting the blood flow freely.

I put my wrist to her lips and feel her first tentative pulls against my flesh.

Biting into her neck, I suck deeply and flood my body with her fresh blood.

The pull of my blood out of my body, and the flow of hers back into mine, is so intimate I feel overwhelmed with emotion.

I can’t wait until Elina is in my arms this way.

I watch Ethan and Sarah as they make eye contact, forcing their love through their connection, knowing this is the right choice for them.

I am thrumming with energy, power flooding my veins as Sarah’s heart rate slows, her body pulling all the available blood inward in an attempt to preserve her life.

Her pull against my wrist begins to fade before stopping all together.

Ethan sighs and closes his eyes, pained. I can imagine the pain he is feeling as he watches his beloved slip into unconsciousness, knowing her life will soon fade altogether.

There is very little blood flowing through her now, her heart beating so slowly, trying to force every remaining drop of blood through her body, trying to fight death.

She gives one twitch, then another

Her heart thumps. Once. Twice.

And then it stops. Everything goes still.

“It is done.”

“Thank you,” Ethan whispers as I exit the room, shutting the door behind me.

Sending a summons into my bond with Jack, I wait for him to show up. Our bond isn’t quite that literal—it’s not a magic telephone—but he will feel it. Like static in his mind. He will know I am calling to him. He doesn’t have to come, but he will. I never summon him.

I send a single word, via text—

loft.

It isn’t even 5 minutes later and there is a knock at my door.

“Come in, Jack.”

“What’s up, brother? You called?” He has a very serious, concerned look on his face.

“Elina has been taken. It’s been 36 hours and we haven’t seen or heard a single thing that can help us locate her. I didn’t want to call in reinforcements until I knew I couldn’t handle it alone. Now, I am calling on you.”

He stops moving, surprise on his face. At that exact moment, Ethan comes into the room.

“Hey, I heard a knock-” He also freezes. In a single heartbeat Jack is crouched down in front of me, growling, low and aggressive. I lay a hand on his shoulder. He instantly straightens.

“Jack, this is Ethan. Ethan, Jack. Ethan is one of Elina’s best friends. He’s engaged to Sarah, from the bar. Sarah is in the guest room, turning.”

“I haven’t seen you all summer and now that you summon me, there is another vampire here, someone is in the process of turning, and your girlfriend is missing.

What the hell, Bash? Am I suddenly not in your inner circle?

” He sounds hurt, rightfully so. It’s been me and Jack for a really long time.

I didn’t want to build myself an army like so many vampires do.

I do not have any interest in turning a bunch of soldier slaves.

Jack is my best friend and I seem to have abandoned him for a new family I am creating.

“It’s been me and you for decades, and suddenly you’re playing house, building your own little family, and I don’t even get a warning. An invitation?”

“Fuck, Jack. I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t want to admit I needed help. Please help me, help us, find her. There will be time for the rest later.”

“Of course, brother, but you owe me one hell of an explanation later.”

I spot Ethan in the back watching wearily, unsure if he should leave or not.

“Hey, man. It’s nice to meet you, even under these awful circumstances.” Ethan extends his hand to Jack, a peace offering, and hopefully a way to diffuse the uncomfortable tension in the room.

“Hey.” He takes Ethan’s hand and squeezes it, based on the slight wrinkling around Ethan’s eyes, quite tightly. I roll my eyes. Yes, Jack, you’re still my number one.

“Alright, lay out the facts, Bash. I need to figure out how I can help.” I give him a quick recap of the last 2 days, which only takes a few minutes because we have absolutely nothing to go on.

“Here’s what I need you to do, Bash. Ethan will stay here and guard Sarah, since she is still down.

You will walk the Quarter in a grid and see if you can catch even a hint of Elina anywhere.

She has to be in the city so we will start with the most likely location. Who are your allies in the court?”

“Lessa, Gia, Minnie, and Aurora. Mother, obviously. Michael and Kellan. Amelia from Uptown, Celina from the Treme, and Samson.”

“Have Michael, Kellan, Samson, Amelia, and Celina do the same walk through their respective districts. No one will pay them any attention, they’re governaturno.

Have your cousins check out Mid-City and Bywater.

In groups of 2, like they are out for a stroll.

Bywater belongs to Talia, so it seems like another likely spot.

I am going underground. I’ll listen and watch, and try to discover if anyone anywhere is talking about this, and what they are saying. ”

My anxiety immediately lessens, knowing we have come up with some sort of plan. I should have called Jack yesterday. He’s always been far more military and strategically minded than I am on any given day.

“Thank you, Jack. Let’s go. Ethan, I’ll be back before sunrise.”