Tegan's Blood (The Ultimate Power Series #1) Read online

  “How about I sever my connections with both sides, that way I can go back to my normal life and forget any of this ever happened.” I snap, exhausted with the discussion.

  “I’m afraid that is not an option Tegan. You’re already too involved, and as you said, you know too much and we are incapable of taking your memories from you. There isn’t any going back to your old life now,” says Ethan, as he makes direct eye contact with me. I’d almost swear from the look in his eyes that he was hurt by what I said about severing him from my life. He sits down in his chair, still watching me. I know it’s crazy and probably naïve, but my icy feelings towards Ethan thaw just a little in this moment.

  I sigh. “Okay, so let’s just say I try this whole neutrality thing, what would I have to do exactly?”

  “You would have to present your case in front of both Governors,” says David, “declaring your position as neutral. Mr Cristescu and Mr Girard would have to accompany you to their respective superiors, stating your position as a human with special abilities, and that your relationship with both of them is one of importance.”

  “So,” says Marcel, “before we do any of that we will firstly need to determine what exactly your special ability is, and there lies our conundrum.”

  “Well you two are the boys with the magical chops,” says Ethan. “It shouldn’t prove too difficult for you to figure things out.” He finishes with his trademark smirk. It’s a taunt but thankfully neither Marcel nor Gabriel rise to it.

  Instead Marcel replies calmly, “It would be a very simple procedure, only for the fact that the very nature of the spell cast upon her is to conceal, it’s a big task to break through that kind of a barrier.”

  Marcel mentioning the whole spell thing again peaks my interest. This is the first instance in which I have been able to consider it plausible. After all, I have learned today that Marcel is a genuine warlock, so it should only follow that magic and spells are as real as he is. Excitement builds up in me, because Gabriel believes it was possibly my mother who cast the spell. Does that mean my mother might have been a witch? My frame of mind turns hopeful, because when your parent dies before you have had the chance to truly know them you will grasp at anything that might reveal to you what they were like. Who they were.

  I turn to Marcel. “What do you think the spell is concealing?”

  He appears a little nervous at my question, after a moment he answers, “Truthfully Tegan, I do not know. But what I do know is that when a witch goes to the trouble of casting such a thick and impenetrable spell it is only for the most important of circumstances. That is what leads me to believe that whatever the caster had endeavoured to hide is something very valuable indeed.”

  Delilah speaks up for the first time. “That is not necessarily a good thing, warlock. For all we know that which the spell is hiding could be detrimental if unveiled. Perhaps the caster performed such a powerful spell so that whatever is hidden within Tegan will never be permitted to cause harm.”

  “So basically what you’re saying is that I could be a Trojan horse.” I add, not wholly convinced that this so-called spell is anything near as momentous as everyone believes.

  “What she’s saying,” Ethan interjects. “Is that you may very well be death wrapped in an undeniably tempting package.” His eyes burn into mine.

  “You lot have got to stop thinking I’m anything special. I’m just a normal girl, who by pure coincidence,” I emphasise the word for Ethan’s benefit, “has found herself in bizarre circumstances.”

  “Believe what you will,” says Delilah, “but that is not the case. You are not an average human because no average human can withstand our abilities as you can.”

  “And,” says Lucas, “no average human smells quite as appealing to us as you do.”

  “Lucas, that is enough from you,” says Ethan in a warning tone.

  I look to Lucas for a moment. “Amanda is outside at the bar by the way. I want you to go out there and inform her that you have no inclination to see her again. She’s completely infatuated and it’s bad enough that I’ve become involved in all this, I don’t want my friend in trouble too.”

  “You brought her here with you? Why?” he asks.

  “Because I stupidly let slip that I was coming to the club today, and she just about bit off my ear to get me to agree to take her with me.” Well, maybe I’m exaggerating that slightly. But Lucas deserves to sweat a little after his horrific performance last night.

  “Very well. I will end things,” says Lucas, as he swiftly leaves the office.

  “If you hurt her, I’ll hurt you.” I call after him, though I have no idea exactly how I could hurt him. Ethan grins at me approvingly.

  Marcel clears his throat. “Well ladies and gents, I hate to be a spoil sport and end the festivities, but myself and Gabriel have business to attend to back home, so if you don’t mind,” he looks at Ethan for permission, “we’ll be on our way.”

  “You may go,” replies Ethan, “and I take it I’ll be receiving information from both of you regarding your attempts at breaking this spell very soon.”

  “That you will,” says Marcel jovially, “that you will. I’ll be seeing you bright and early on Monday morning Tegan,” he smiles and tips his hat to me.

  “Yeah, see you then,” I tell him, mustering a smile in return.

  Gabriel rises silently from his seat and leaves the office with Marcel and that neutral vamp David. After they’re gone I find myself alone in the office with Ethan and Delilah, and my stomach seizes this moment to grumble loudly. How mortifying. I remember that the only thing I’ve eaten all day is some tea and toast.

  Delilah smiles in my direction and says something in a voice too quiet for me to hear. I rest my elbows on my knees and put my head in my hands. I’ve slept half the day, but only an hour of dealing with Ethan and company and already I’m desperate for my bed. I rub my eyelids with my fingertips in an effort to make them less sleepy. I will admit one thing though, finding out that Marcel is a male witch and Gabriel a dhamphir was quite the shocker. I mean, once you looked past their enthusiasm for the practice of magic, they did just seem like two very normal men.

  Ethan, Lucas, and Delilah on the other hand, well, discovering that they aren’t human actually makes sense. One: they’re as intense as a crash course in race car driving. Two: they speak about things I cannot for the life of me understand. And three: and quite shallowly the very first thing I’d noticed about them, they are so inhumanly beautiful they almost glow. I think of Amanda waiting at the bar and worry that Lucas might not be dealing with her as gentlemanly as I’d prefer. I should go and check on things.

  As Delilah leaves the office after exchanging a few words with Ethan in a foreign language, I ask. “So, am I free to leave now too?”

  Ethan studies me a moment. “You are hungry, let me feed you.”

  “That’s okay, I’ll have something to eat when I get home.” I brush him off.

  “I still frighten you,” he replies, a statement not a question.

  “I scare easy.” I tell him, though I have to admit, I’m doing pretty well considering I’m sitting in a room with a vampire I’ve witnessed kill five men in cold blood, and not screaming for someone to come and save me.

  “You lie. You have the ability to be quite fearless I believe.”

  “Well believe me Ethan, I’m far from fearless. Not two weeks ago I could barely step foot outside of my apartment because of an irrational fear that death was following me. Funny isn’t it, that once I decided to brave the outdoors the first people I met were vampires.”

  “I have known many suicides in my life Tegan, people kill themselves for numerous reasons. It does not mean that death is following their loved one.”

  “Yeah maybe not,” I say on a heavy sigh. “I was distraught. My head was coming up with all sorts of insane reasons as to why Matthew did what he did.”

  Ethan comes to sit before me. “Ah the pain, I can sense it in you. It is still so f
resh.” He places a gentle hand on my arm.

  “It wasn’t very long ago, but I’m getting better, slowly.”

  “I hope that you are,” he replies, taking my hand for a moment and giving it a squeeze.

  “I need to go to Amanda,” I tell him, hoping he won’t object.

  “Of course,” he says, and makes a hand gesture for me to go ahead.

  I walk out of the office and down the long corridor in the direction of the main club area. When I get to the bar I expect to find Amanda upset over the fact that Lucas has told her he has no interest in seeing her again. To my misfortune, that’s not what I find at all. Amanda’s perched on a bar stool with a glass of orange juice in her hand, while Lucas sits on the stool in front of her, leaning in close and whispering something in her ear. Amanda giggles and looks up at him demurely.

  Oh for Christ’s sake.

  Chapter Nine

  Just Your Average Friendly Night Time Break-In

  “Hi guys,” I say as I approach Amanda and Lucas. I smile at my friend, but the second she looks away I glare in Lucas’ direction and raise an eyebrow, as if to ask, What the hell is going on?

  “Oh, hey Tegan,” says Amanda. “Lucas was just asking me if I’d like to go for a coffee somewhere.”

  “Was he?” I reply, silently wondering what in the world Lucas is playing at. “Can’t you have coffee here in the club?”

  Perhaps my tone was too harsh because I notice Amanda’s forehead crinkle ever so slightly before she asks, “What’s your problem Tegan?”

  Suspicion clouds her expression, and I know immediately that she thinks I’m jealous. If only she knew what I’m trying to save her from.

  There isn’t exactly much I can do to stop her seeing him, so grudgingly I reply, “No problem, you two go and have fun,” because I cannot think of any reason for her not to go with him right now.

  “We will,” says Amanda, grinning at Lucas as she hops off the barstool and saunters in the direction of the night club entrance.

  Lucas moves to follow her, but I grab him by the wrist as he passes me. “What do you think you’re doing?” I hiss, as his eyes burn down on me and I notice the tips of his fangs extending out from beneath his upper lip.

  “I decided your little friend has some redeeming qualities after all. I’d like to spend some more time with her,” he whispers, and then slips out of my grasp and leaves the club.

  I sigh in exasperation and peer around the empty room. I stretch my arms up above my head, in an effort to release the tension and stiffness in my muscles.

  “What a splendid view,” I hear Ethan announce from behind me.

  I drop my arms and spin around. “Spying on me?” I ask, annoyed.

  “This is my property, darling, and no, I was merely appreciating.”

  “Oh.” I reply, not knowing what to say to that. I get back to business. “Well, do you know that Lucas has just whisked Amanda away for a nice intimate cup of coffee, and it didn’t sound like a break up sort of coffee date, it sounded like a “let’s get to know each other better” sort of coffee date.”

  “You should not have instructed him to finish with her,” Ethan tells me “Lucas will only ever want that which is unavailable to him. You telling him to breaks things off has only incited him to do the opposite.”

  I take a couple steps in his direction so that I’m standing directly in front of him. “Can’t you tell him to leave her alone?” I ask, my forehead hurting, frustration bringing on a headache.

  Ethan laughs gently. “I may be his employer and superior but I hold no sway over his personal life. Who he decides to court is his own affair.”

  “But what if he tries to feed from her again, can’t you do something about it then? You did say that it’s the policy of vampires not to feed from the same person twice. And what if something goes wrong and he ends up killing her?” I ask rapidly, fear for my friend building in my gut.

  “Lucas has not taken the life of an innocent civilian in more than ten years…”

  “Oh how magnanimous of him,” I spit, cutting him off.

  Ethan half smiles. “And in response to your other question, it is frowned upon to feed from the same human twice yes, though not forbidden. There is no way of regulating that kind of activity, besides, once many of us get a taste for the blood of a particular human it is difficult not to return to that human again and again.”

  “Ugh, please, spare me the details,” I tell him, not enjoying the visual.

  “The idea may strike you as repulsive now, but believe me, if you were to experience it for yourself your thoughts on the matter would not be so abhorrent. Don’t you wonder why humans would volunteer themselves as blood donors, our bite is like a drug. Addictive.”

  “I would never do that!” I say defensively.

  “Yes. A pity,” says Ethan with a slightly hooded gaze. He’s staring at me and for some reason I can tell that he’s imagining what it would be like to feed from me.

  “I know what you’re thinking and you can stop it right this instant.” I tell him firmly.

  He doesn’t reply, but merely continues to gaze at me. Suddenly, and I know this sounds strange, but I get a ticklish feeling in my head, like fingers running gently over my brain. A moment later an image enters my mind, of me with nothing more than my underwear on, sitting astride Ethan on my bed. He’s topless and his golden blond hair hangs over his face. His hand brushes over my thigh and his lips press against my neck, then his fangs extend and softly graze my skin. I feel a shameful heat rush over me, and I blush, embarrassed for having thought of such a thing. But when I look at Ethan again he has a satisfied grin on his face, and immediately I know that he somehow planted the image in my head.

  “How did you do that?” I demand.

  “It’s a special talent of mine,” he replies, not even bothering to deny it.

  “But…” I say, flustered. “I thought you couldn’t use your abilities on me, I thought I was immune.”

  “You are. But very few vampires can do this. It’s a strength of mine, and it seems that with a little extra concentration, I can make you see things too.”

  “That’s not very nice Ethan. It was horrible in fact, I could feel you in there, as though your fingers were trying to pry their way inside.”

  “You could only feel my efforts to enter because your mind is so much more difficult to crack than a normal human’s. It wasn’t all so horrid was it? You liked what you saw, enjoyed what you felt…”

  I’m still blushing. “Please just stop.” I almost beg. I hate to admit it, and it just goes to show that I have not been with many men in my time, because that image of me and Ethan together is probably one of the most erotic moments of my life, and it wasn’t even real. How pathetic.

  I take a few steps backward and sit down on a barstool. Ethan is by my side in no more than a second.

  “You have not been touched like that in a long time, have you?” he strokes my arm gently.

  I yank it out of his reach. “That is absolutely none of your business.” I snap at him.

  “Yes. I apologise. I should not have spoken to you in that way, and I should not have violated the privacy of your mind,” says Ethan, with all the chivalry of a medieval knight in armour. I’m having a difficult time trying to keep up with his ever changing personalities. Although, I suppose a man could develop quite a few in a life as long as Ethan’s has been.

  “Just don’t do it again,” I say on a sigh.

  “Your wish is my command,” he replies, though I scarcely believe him since he did promise to quit the efforts at seduction before and he didn’t.

  “Now, may I have the pleasure of driving you home?”

  “I think I’d prefer to walk,” I tell him, feeling the need for some time alone to process things in my mind.

  “Then I will walk with you.”

  “I want to be alone, but thank you for the offer.”

  At that, Ethan studies me for a moment, then replies, “Of co
urse,” and he walks me to the door.

  “I’ll be seeing you Tegan,” he calls as I walk away from Crimson.

  Full dark descends on the city as I walk in the direction of my apartment. The journey will take a while by foot, but I’m in the mood for the exercise and the air. As I turn the corner at the end of the street the oddest thing occurs. I hear some kind of off-beat piano playing an unfamiliar and antiquated tune. The sort of number you’d see a flapper girl dancing the Charleston to in old black and white footage from the twenties.

  The melody is faint and all too soon it disappears. A shiver runs over me but I shake it off. I look about but there aren’t any buildings nearby from which the music might have drifted, only shops that have closed up for the evening. Under any other circumstances I might have immediately forgotten about the strange piano music, but there is something about its presence that chills me to my very core.

  My subconscious is screaming at me to get moving quickly, that this music is a sign of danger. So I walk along swiftly and soon traffic sounds pollute my ears and my feelings of unease slip away. But then I find myself studying the characters that pass me by and speculating as to whether they might be vampires.

  A group of men and women standing outside a run down building eye me up and down as I pass. Yeah, maybe I should have taken Ethan up on his offer of a lift. The problem with walking home in this city, particularly at night, is that no matter how cleverly you plan your route, you’re always a couple minutes away from a shithole. Glitzy five star hotels are soon succeeded by dismal grey blocks of council flats.

  This makes me think about Matthew, and whether or not this city that is so full of grey made him feel depressed. And now that I’m thinking of him, the man I lost, it is difficult to stop. The air feels as though it’s been sucked from my lungs with a hoover, and there’s pins and needles stuck in my heart. I feel a powerful need to take the box of Matthew’s things out from their hiding place at the bottom of my wardrobe and look at them again. It’s not a very healthy habit, but I can’t seem to find the strength to stop. Or to get rid of these remnants of the short time I had with him.