Blood Burdens (The Shadow World) Read online

  Blood Burdens

  By: Brandy Nacole

  Copyright © 2012 by Brandy Waldo

  http://brandynacole.blogspot.com/

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

  Book cover design by CCRBookCoverDesign.com

  Table of Contents

  Blood Burdens

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  I try controlling my breathing as my body trembles with pain. My blood courses through my body like lava down a mountainside, scorching my veins. My heart races as sweat rolls down my face. The pain has eased some since the first day, and it’s getting a little better by the day. I still wish for death, though. That would be better than the pain and fear.

  A shiver runs down my spine as I listen to Cerelia and Edwin argue. They have been doing this for weeks since the others were taken. Cerelia’s main concern is how to proceed, while Edwin worries about his granddaughter. I know the Vampire has doubts about what they are doing but believes he is doing the right thing, nonetheless. Of course, Cerelia is only after an army to gain power. Her relentless need to control the Shadow World is unwavering.

  “Edwin will you calm yourself? Everything is aligning itself for our success. Soon they will not know what hole to hide in or what rock to hide under.” Cerelia’s eyes gleam with joy. Her blood-red lips pull back into a menacing smirk.

  My fangs extend as another wave of hunger hits. This has to be the most excruciating part. The thirst and hunger has been hitting me every few hours since I woke up in the laboratory. I came to with my throat and esophagus burning intensely. It had felt like I had thrown up stomach acid for hours. My stomach was in knots, sending stabbing pains through my abdomen, making me double over with the pain.

  Cerelia tried reassuring me with her false smile and fake sincerity. She told me that everything would get better, that my body needed the blood to help finish the binding. Regular food didn’t offer enough substance, blood did but the binding burned through it so fast that I was facing hunger pangs every hour or so.

  Edwin had brought along a few human girls that he’d captured in Greenland, but after I killed the first one, he decided to keep me on blood bags. Cerelia frowned on this, telling Edwin that I needed to embrace my true nature. That was another heated argument they held every time it was time for me to eat. Cerelia wanted me to embrace my true nature, Edwin wanted me to control myself, and I just wanted death.

  I sigh with relief as Cerelia grabs a blood bag from the ice chest, bringing it over. Her eyes glisten with pride as she regards me. I hate the way she constantly refers to me as if I’m her child, someone she created and who she believes will do all her biding. I want to escape from that look, to fight them off and run away.

  But I can’t. My pain and hunger is too great to fight them off right now. As much as I hate to admit it, I need them at this moment. I need them to help me get through this transition. I want nothing more than death but I’m afraid that if I ran away and let myself rot, the demons within me would take over and kill innocent lives.

  A satisfied smirk escapes her lips as I eagerly take the blood bag. “Besides Edwin, we have our dear Micah here to help us.” My mind screams out for help, while my body calms just a bit with every gulp I take.

  Chapter One

  “I’m so proud of you.”

  Addie is sitting in the passenger seat of the Altima, smiling at me. After coming home a few weeks ago, Danika and Fawn had brought our car back. Fawn was excited to see our house. The first time I met her at the Coven’s compound, she was full of curiosity. This time she was full of worship. I thought the girl was going to jump right out of her skin as she bounded up our sidewalk, jumped onto the porch, and embraced me in a hug.

  I liked Fawn. She was outgoing, with an attitude that drew you in no matter how hard you tried pushing her away. I imagine we’ll meet up with her again once we get to the Covenant. Addie and I are headed up there for the next few days to discuss finding our grandfather. Danika called yesterday wanting to know if we could make the quick trip up, and without hesitation I agreed. I have been waiting for this meeting since we left Greenland. I was ready to track down my grandfather and Cerelia, and settle scores. If they thought they had seen the last of us in Greenland and that they were long forgotten, they were wrong. I have a score to settle.

  And don’t forget Micah. I rolled my eyes at my mind’s whispered reminder. How could I forget Micah? He was all that I thought about lately.

  Shaking off my thoughts, I glance at Addie baffled. “Proud of me for what?”

  Even though she’s smiling, I can see Addie’s eyes start to well with tears. “For finally accepting yourself.”

  I shake my head, “I never said I accepted myself. Just because I’m trying to learn more about myself doesn’t mean I’ve accepted anything. I’m just trying to cope with it.”

  Addie turns to gaze out the window and mumbles, “But you will.”

  I roll my eyes, then focus back on the road. Addie’s always been optimistic and open to new possibilities. I’m the opposite. I’m more of a down-to-earth, realistic kind of Shadow. Spending time with Addie these last few weeks has been great, though. We’ve laughed and cried, yelled then said our apologies. It was just like old times. Well except for the Coy part.

  I don’t know what to make of Coy anymore. He’s been nothing but a zombie, moping around the house like he has nothing left in life. I try talking to him, telling him to snap out of it, telling him he’s not doing anything productive by just laying around moping. So far he’s refused to listen. The only time he has ever showed any life is when he wants me to bite him. At first it started off as every other day or so, but then he started asking two or three times a day. Always asking how I was feeling, saying that if I needed some nourishment he would provide it.

  I’ve come to realize that he’s an addict. I didn’t see it at first but the more insistent he became the more sure I was. It happens from time to time, especially to long-term feeders. The bites aren’t addictive, although that’s what humans would have you believe when they write their fictions. It’s the feeling you’re left in after the Vampire is done feeding. Vampires will leave just enough blood in a feeders system to keep them alive, which leaves the feeder in a hazy/dizzy state. Feeders become addicted to this state of apathy.

  I expressed my concerns with Addie and she agreed. She had noticed his nervousness and odd ramblings. I didn’t realize how much my theory bothered me until she confirmed it. Doubt set in after that. What if he was only really with me because I could offer him something not many other girls could—a haze induced bite? Then guilt set in. Why should I doubt Coy? He should doubt me. I am the one who keeps thinking about another guy—who unfortunately h
appens to be his brother.

  Addie tried talking to Coy about the addiction when I didn’t have the gall to. Of course he denied it, saying he was just concerned for me. She told him that it was okay, that after being locked up as a Vampire donor his whole life, it was to be expected and that we could help him but he continued to deny it.

  When we told him that we were leaving to go to the Witches’ Coven for a few days, I had expected him to say he was coming too. Instead, he told us to be careful and that he would be fine by himself. I was worried he planned on finding his fix in other, dangerous ways. That’s when I called Ethan to see if he could keep an eye on Coy while we were gone. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of Ethan staying in our house but what other options did I have?

  At first Ethan said it would be difficult because his old man was keeping tabs on him. After fretting for a few hours about a Plan B, Ethan called back and said he would stay after all. I don’t know what his dad said about that but I was grateful for the change of heart.

  Addie had offered her room up for Ethan but he refused, saying the couch was just fine. I made it clear that he was to stay out of my room, then realized that was a mistake because Ethan gave me a broad smile and said okay. I groan at the thought. I’d given him the idea.

  I veer off the interstate and onto our exit. “Do you need to stop?”

  Addie stretches, her words muddled as she answers. “Yeah, I could use a bathroom break.”

  I pull into the same gas station I had stopped at when I met Danika for the first time, remembering how harsh I was to her. Things seem to be better between the two of us, although the few times we have spoken, it has been about Coven business or her checking up on everyone.

  I pull up to the gas pumps, deciding to refill the tank. I can’t remember if there are any other gas stations between here and the Covenant. Addie gets out of the car and walks quickly into the store. I guess she had to go bad.

  I’m re-capping the tank when Addie comes back out. “Do you need to go?”

  I shake my head, “I’m good.” It hasn’t been that long since our last stop.

  Once we are back on the road, silence prevails. I know Addie has something on her mind, yet she’s quiet. She’s sitting there wringing her hands, a sure sign that something is bothering her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She tries giving me a nonchalant glance, as she shrugs her shoulders. “Nothing.”

  “I’m not buying it.” I say nodding toward her lap.

  She stops wringing her hands and sighs. “I’m just worried. What if he gets away with this?” She says him like it hurts her. The pain of our grandfathers’ betrayal still lays heavy on her mind. “What if he and Cerelia create their inhuman army before we can find them?”

  I’d been worrying about the same things. I still feel partially responsible for everything that’s happening. Not because I was born, how could I prevent that? But maybe if I had been tougher or happier as a child, it wouldn’t have pushed my grandfather over the edge. But I finally quit worrying, deciding that even if the army is created, I would still stop them somehow.

  It may not have been my fault that I was born, but in some way- I feel like I was meant to stop them. Apparently my grandmother does too. Even though she’s been dead for six years, she still sent warning to Dagna that I was the one who needed to stop what was happening. She knew it was my grandfather, and that I was the sole person he was focused on.

  “No matter what, we will stop them.” I tell her. “Even if it’s after the army is created, we will find a way.”

  Addie nods her head. Then she takes a deep breath. “What about our grandfather?”

  “Addie, he quit being our grandfather a long time ago, will you quit calling him that?” After finding out why he left us and then betrayed us, I truly don’t believe my grandfather is in there anymore. All that’s left is a monster that rules over his body—the part that’s a blood-lusting being, only out for power and blood.

  Addie rolls her eyes at me. We are the queens of rolling our eyes at each other. “Okay, whatever,” she responds. “What are you going to do once you find him? Are you really willing to kill him?”

  My jaw clenches as I think that over. Would I be able to kill him? I know my real grandfather is gone, but his outer appearance is still the same, the same as it’s always been. Even if I was handed the knife, would I be able to take his life?

  I don’t answer Addie. Silence weighs us down. Once I reach the ‘can’t take it anymore point’, I turn on the radio and try to find a decent station. We are on back-country roads so the radio service is a little splotchy. I finally settle on a top hit station, the songs a mix of country and soft rock.

  As we turn onto the dirt road that leads to the Coven, panic grips my body so hard I have to fight for air. I slam on the brakes, unsure of what to do. Last time I went through here, the Coven’s spells caused all my senses to vanish. I wasn’t sure where I was, where I was going, and my body instinctively wanted to turn around.

  Should I call Danika and tell her to let us through? Maybe it won’t affect me this time and I’ll be able to drive on through. But what if it does affect me? Then we will be doing circles back and forth all day long.

  “What’s the matter?” Addie’s looking out the window, searching around for signs of a problem.

  “The wards. I couldn’t pass through them last time without Danika’s help,” I respond, pointing ahead as if she might see them.

  “Oh,” Addie reclines back in her seat, the threat seeming not to bother her. “We’ll be okay. The wards don’t affect Witches or anyone traveling with them.”

  “Wait, you said they don’t affect Witches but they did affect me last time.” I am part Witch so that should have some perk to warding off the wards, but I had no such luck before.

  “They don’t affect Witches but you are not a full-blood Witch. The wards probably became unsure by your essence and blocked you out.”

  I let up on the brake. “These wards are so weird, it’s like they have a mind of their own.”

  “They sort of do. The wards are created by the Elders but thrive off the entire Covens’ essence of power. When the Elders create wards, they set up guidelines that are empowered into the wards.”

  So not only do I confuse living beings minds, I also confuse the wards created by those beings. Great.

  I grip the steering wheel tight as we continue on down the gravel road. My foot is barely pressed against the gas as we pass slowly by each tree. I’m waiting for Addie to be wrong. I expect those wards to get so confused by me that, even though I’m riding with a Witch, they’ll still try to persuade me to turn around.

  I stay tense, my body rigid and my hands tight on the wheel, until I see the small guard shack that sits outside the closed gates. My body relaxes, knowing that we have officially passed through the wards.

  Bubbles of laughter escape from Addie as she clutches her stomach and points her finger at me. “You should see yourself! I swear I can see your back arching like a cat’s. I’m surprised you didn’t start hissing.”

  I give her smirk. “Ha, ha, very funny.”

  I turn my attention back to the guard walking out of the shack. He’s dressed like the guard I saw before: black army boots, camouflage pants, and a black t-shirt. He, too, is sporting a fancy weapons belt, loaded down with ammunition.

  I roll down my window as I pull up next to him. “Hi, I’m Racquel and this is Addie. Danika is expecting us.”

  He bends over to peek inside the car. “Yes, she told me you would be arriving today.” Pressing a button on his belt, the gates open, allowing us entrance. “Continue on.”

  The guard walks back to his shack. I wonder what they do in there all day and night. I don’t imagine there’s much excitement around here. I couldn’t imagine being cooped up inside a shack with no real worries, and nothing to do but sit.

  I pull through the gate, and the familiar sight of the compound comes into view. Pulling in during t
he day is even more intimidating than it was at night. Last time I came here it was pitch black, the only light coming from the windows of the houses and dorm building. Now everything looks alive and welcoming as we pull up into the parking lot. People are bustling around, carrying food baskets, linen baskets, or woven handbags full of herbs. The fall colors illuminate the ground as people bustle through the freshly fallen leaves.

  “I don’t see Danika, do you?” I ask Addie, glancing around the vicinity. As I inspect each individual who walks by, I notice the similar features each of them have. Everyone has the same deep ebony shade of hair color. I sneak a glance over at Addie. Her dark hair is gently waving from the air conditioner fan.

  “You know we don’t have to wait for Danika to go in.” She says as she glances over at me, her bright blue eyes shimmering from the sun’s reflection on the hood.

  The Witches all have the same eye color too. The only difference between the generations is the slight gray hair and blue eyes that have lightened due to time. Danika, Addie, Laveda, and Fawn all have a bright sapphire eye color, while the older Witches’ eyes have faded to a pale turquoise.

  Addie notices me staring at her. “What?”

  I shake my head, “Nothing. I just forgot that each Shadow race has similar features.” All Shadows but me. I’m the only one with pearly silver eyes that are outlined by darker silver. My pupils are dark purple, which really sets my silver off

  Addie gives me a warm smile, not the mocking smile I usually get when discovering something I should have already known. “There are similarities in every group of beings in the Shadow World.”

  “I know. I just forgot.”

  “Well it’s hard to pay attention and notice anything when you constantly keep your head down. I’m glad to see you’re finally letting those neck muscles get some use.” Addie winks at me, a smile playing across her face. Sticking out her hand, as if to shake mine, she says, “Welcome to the Shadow World Harmony Racquel, I will be your guide and teacher. Glad you finally decided to join us.” I knock her hand away, rolling my eyes for emphasis.