Blood Freed (Vampire-Cursed #4)

10. Chapter 10

10

Chapter 10

Mia

B y the time I get downstairs, I’ve composed myself. I can’t keep losing my cool like this. It’ll only worry them more than they already are.

“You look nice, dear.” Gran smiles as I join her in the dining room. Kara is setting the table. She looks up, too.

“Are those my old jeans?” she asks.

I glance down, then nod. “I hope you don’t mind. None of mine would fit anymore. Probably because the only clothing I still have here is the stuff I left from college. I was carrying a little extra weight then, so nothing fits.”

“Doesn’t look like mine fit any better.” She raises her brows. “Those are hanging off you.”

I make a wry face. Nothing fits right now. I’ve wasted away in the past months. My normally well-covered limbs are lean… Make that, bony.

I sink into my usual chair at the dining table, the familiar worn cushion feeling strange after so long. My hands shake slightly as I smooth the napkin across my lap. Everything feels off-kilter – the weight of the silverware, the clink of dishes, the mundane conversation about the weather.

Mom bustles in with a platter of carved roast chicken, and I catch Dad watching me with worried eyes. I try to smile, to act normal, but my heart’s not in it.

“Knock knock!” The front door opens, and Rowan appears with Darick close behind. There’s something in their expressions that makes my stomach clench. Darick’s jaw is tight, his shoulders rigid with barely contained tension.

“Are you two joining us for dinner?” Dad asks. The question hangs in the air as Rowan and Darick exchange a loaded glance. Poppy isn’t with Rowan, so I doubt this is a social call. Although Rowan shares a turbulent relationship with her familiar; perhaps the squirrel has gone off on one of her jaunts.

My muscles tighten as I watch the silent communication between them. Whatever brought them here, it’s not good news. My appetite vanishes completely as I wait for their response.

“We have news.” Rowan glances at Darick, who nods. The breath catches in my throat as Rowan speaks. “The Conclave met after you left. They’ve…they’ve decided to hand Soren over to the Blood Assembly.”

My fingers go numb around the knife I was about to butter my bread with. It clatters against my plate.

“When?” I whisper. “How do you know this?”

Darick steps forward, his expression grim. “Marcus contacted me. The Assembly has already convened an emergency session. They’re calling it a trial, but—” He breaks off, jaw clenching.

“But what?” My voice rises sharply. Mom reaches for my hand, but I pull away.

“It’s just a formality,” Darick continues. “They’ve already decided. Breaking a Maker’s Bond is considered treason. The penalty is execution. They’re planning to carry it out at dawn two days from now. The Sun Trail.”

Sun Trail.

I don’t know what that is, but I have a sinking suspicion.

The room spins. “Two days? That’s not… They can’t—” My voice cracks. “There has to be something! What about a protection spell? Or—”

“The Sun Trail is ancient magic,” Darick interrupts gently. “It can’t be blocked or redirected.”

“Then we break him out,” I say desperately.

“Absolutely not,” Dad’s voice is sharp. “We just got you back.”

“What about diplomatic channels?” Mom suggests quietly. “Someone must have influence with the Assembly.”

“In two days?” Rowan shakes her head. “Even if we found someone willing to help, bureaucracy would kill us – literally, in Soren’s case.”

I close my eyes, fighting back tears of frustration. Every suggestion meets a wall, every possibility a dead end. Time is slipping away like sand through my fingers, and with it, Soren’s life.

Rowan hovers near my chair, one hand coming to rest protectively on my shoulder.

“The Assembly is using this to set an example,” Darick says. “Marcus says Lucien has been particularly vocal about maintaining vampire law and order. He’s positioned himself as the voice of tradition.”

“Of course he has,” I spit out. “He’s covering his tracks. Making sure Soren can’t expose what he’s been doing.”

“Marcus is trying to rally support,” Darick adds. “But Lucien has too much influence. Most of the Assembly is already convinced of Soren’s guilt.”

Rowan’s hand tightens on my shoulder. “We’re not giving up, Mia. There has to be a way—”

“Two days,” I repeat numbly. The timeline pounds in my head like a death knell. Two days to save him. Two days before they kill him for helping me escape.

My hands start shaking so hard I have to clench them into fists. “I won’t let this happen.” The words come out hoarse, barely audible.

“Mia, honey…” Mom reaches for me again, but I jerk away, standing so abruptly that my chair scrapes against the floor. If she touches me, holds me, I know I’m going to cry.

“No! This is wrong! He risked everything to help me escape, and now they’re going to kill him for it!” My voice cracks on the last word.

Dad moves forward, his face tight with concern; at least he has the good sense not to browbeat me again. “Sweetheart, let’s think about this clearly—”

“I’m thinking perfectly clearly!” The lights flicker as my magic surges with my emotions. “For the first time in months, I’m seeing everything with absolute clarity. Lucien is behind this. He’s manipulating everyone, and Soren is going to die because of it!”

“Mia.” Gran’s voice cuts through my rising hysteria. She hasn’t moved from her chair, but her green eyes are sharp, assessing. “There’s more to this story.”

I draw in a shuddering breath. Kara moves to stand beside me, her hand finding mine and squeezing gently. The simple gesture of support nearly breaks me.

“I can’t just sit here,” I whisper. “I can’t eat dinner and pretend everything’s fine while they’re planning his execution.”

“Then don’t.” Rowan’s voice is soft but determined. “Let’s figure out how to help.”

I look around at their faces – Mom’s worry, Dad’s protective anger, Gran’s calculating focus, Kara’s cautious support, Rowan’s fierce determination. For the first time since hearing the news, I feel a flicker of hope.

“You believe me?” I ask, my voice small.

“We believe you’re not crazy,” Kara says firmly. “And we believe Lucien Marlowe is dangerous. That’s enough for now.”

Dad rubs his eyes. “I wish it could be different, but this is what you want.” He sighs. “I just wish I could understand.”

“It’s not about what I want, Dad.” I plead with him with my eyes. “It’s about doing what’s right.”

“I’m trying to come to terms with how you could feel this strongly simply because he got you out of there, Mia. It doesn’t change what he is,” he says.

“It’s more than him just helping me escape,” I say, sinking back into my chair. My fingers trace the familiar patterns carved into the wooden table. “There’s something between us – a connection.”

“Like…chemistry?” Kara frowns at me.

I feel heat creep up my neck. “I guess it started that way.” I’m not going to tell them about how we spent our last night together. “But then, it changed, grew more…profound…” I trail off, struggling to find the right words.

Gran leans forward, her eyes intent. “In what way, dear? Can you describe it?”

“It’s like…” I close my eyes, trying to capture the sensation. “Like a warm thread connecting us. I can feel his presence, his emotions sometimes. When we’re close, it’s stronger. During the meeting today, when we touched…” I feel my cheeks flush at the memory.

“The wards flickered,” Gran says suddenly. “I saw it. The barriers actually weakened when you touched.”

I nod. “It’s not just physical, either. We can communicate sometimes, mentally. Not always words, but feelings, impressions. Even now, I can sense him, though he’s trying to block me out.”

“That sounds familiar,” Rowan glances at Darick. “It’s similar to what we experienced, isn’t it?”

“A blood match,” Darick confirms quietly.

Mom sucks in a breath. Dad sets a hand on her shoulder but he’s not fighting me now.

I notice Kara lean forward slightly, her expression shifting from skepticism to curiosity. “But how is that possible? You haven’t…” She pauses, reconsidering. “Have you?”

“No,” I shake my head. “He never drank from me. He was always careful about that, even when…” I stop, not ready to discuss the other moments yet. “I just can’t think about anything bad happening to him. It hurts.” I touch my chest. “In here.”

“Interesting,” Gran murmurs. Her fingers tap thoughtfully against her glass. “A bond forming without blood exchange. That’s unusual but not unheard of. There are old stories…”

“What stories?” I ask eagerly.

“You know of the Bloodbane?” She looks at me.

“Yes. A little. The vampire blood affliction that can only be controlled once a vampire finds a witch who can sustain him. A match.” My brows pull together. “You think that’s what he has? And that I’m his match?”

Gran pauses before answering. “I can’t be sure, Mia.” She purses her lips thoughtfully. “He would have to drink from you to confirm it. But there have been stories about natural affinities between certain witches and vampires. Rare cases where their magic resonates without the need for blood.”

“You think that’s happened to Mia and this…this Soren Daire?” Dad looks like he’s battling to come to terms with this.

“I don’t know, son. We’ll need to research more to be certain. But you know the responsibilities our line carries.”

“Responsibilities?” I look from one to the other.

“It’s a long story, darling.” Gran remains thoughtful.

“But one you’ll be telling me, right?”

“If necessary, Mia. But right now, it may not be relevant.”

“Is it like what I have with Darick?” Rowan interjects. She’s standing close enough to the ex-vampire that their shoulders are brushing.

“Similar, darling,” Gran says to Rowan. “You could hear Darick before he tasted your blood, yes?” When Rowan nods, she continues, “Then it could be the same. Or at least a variation.” She heaves a breath. “Things are seldom simple for us Blackwoods.”

“Is someone going to tell me what’s going on here?” I ask.

“Darick and I started the same way.” Rowan turns to me. “I could hear him in my head. He could come into my dreams.” Her cheeks turn pink and I get a pretty good idea of what might have been happening in those dreams. “Then, when he started to drink from me, it made my magic stronger.”

“You have magic now?” I pause. “I mean…stronger magic?”

“Oh yes, my dear,” says Gran. “Rowan’s grown extremely powerful in your absence.”

As if to prove it, Rowan’s fingers begin to glow. She looks down at them quickly, and the light dims.

“Why has nobody ever told us about this?” I ask, looking from one to the other.

“We were never certain that it would manifest,” says Dad. “It doesn’t affect every generation. Although in some instances, entire families have experienced it.”

This is so frustrating! Clearly, half the family knows about this stuff but nobody is willing to explain anything to the rest of us.

“I understand that this is troubling, Mia,” says Gran. “I will tell you everything once I have a better idea of what we’re facing. But for now, let’s handle this crisis, shall we?”

She has a point. We have to get him out. I’ll worry about the rest later.

“First things first,” Gran continues. “We need to know what we’re dealing with here. What we’re up against.”

“The vampire political structure is complex,” Darick chimes in. “Lucien’s been positioning himself carefully for decades. He has dirt on half the Council members and favors owed from the other half.”

“And Morgan?” I ask, remembering the coven leader’s cold demeanor during my meeting with Soren. “He seemed…off.”

Darick’s jaw tightens. “Marcus suspects Morgan’s been working with Lucien.”

My jaw drops.

“No. That’s not possible,” Dad says firmly. “Morgan Shadowmaster has been a respected elder for decades.”

“Which makes him even more dangerous,” says Gran.

Mom’s shaking her head. “This…I can’t believe this,” she says. “You’re telling us that the Conclave has been infiltrated by vampire sympathizers at the highest levels?”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Kara joins in. “There are plenty of reasons why Morgan might have issues with Soren. Let’s face it, we just uncovered a network of vampires who have been abducting witches and keeping them locked up in huge prisons to drain their blood!”

“That’s true, Kara,” Gran acknowledges. “I wouldn’t be surprised if many of our elders would like to see the culprits meet a nasty end.”

“Who could blame them,” Dad mutters. “I feel the same way.”

“We need to speak with Seraphina,” Mom says. “She’s fair. Reasonable. She’ll hear us out.”

“Two days isn’t enough time to navigate official channels,” Gran says, her fingers drumming against the table.

I think back to how often I’d run into resistance when I suggested simple changes to the covens, and my heart sinks. “They’ll take too long to consider this,” I say softly.

“What if we went to the Blood Assembly?” Rowan looks at Darick. “Maybe Marcus could do something.”

He shakes his head. “Even if we could prove Lucien’s corruption, the Assembly won’t delay an execution without substantial evidence. Believe me – I’ve dealt with it myself. On this very topic.” His expression turns sour. “Not to mention that Daire isn’t just facing accusations around his Maker’s Bond. He’s also going to have to account for the abductions.”

“What do you mean?” I frown.

Darick focuses ice-blue eyes on me. The intensity makes me want to squirm a little. I can understand why my little sister is so taken with this man.

“They’re going to hang this thing on him. The facility. The abductions. There’s no proof that Lucien had anything to do with it.”

“But why would the Assembly have a problem with the facility?” Kara asks.

“Because contrary to what many might think, Kara,” Darick looks at her, “the vampires don’t support the abductions. This is Lucien’s doing. He’s been proposing ways to access more witch blood for those with the Bloodbane, but so far, the High Council has opposed all of his ideas. It hasn’t stopped him; I think he’s had operations running for longer than anyone realizes.”

“And now that they’ve been exposed, he’s hiding the fact that he’s behind it?” I ask.

Darick nods. “Believe it or not, there would be severe repercussions for disobeying the Assembly. He’d be stripped of his position on the High Council, his leadership role of his clan…maybe worse.”

“But the Conclave…” Kara is frowning. “Surely they can’t just hand a prisoner over to what amounts to a kangaroo court?”

Dad shakes his head. “The agreement between covens and vampires is clear – crimes against their laws are tried in their courts. We’d need proof of serious misconduct to intervene.”

“ I’m proof!” I say sharply. “Me! I saw it myself. I saw Lucien give orders for witches to be executed.”

“Really?” Kara looks at me. “You watched someone do this?”

“I…” I gnaw on my lip. How do I tell them that Lucien gave Soren the order but that he didn’t follow through? They’ll never believe me. I never saw Jemma and Sabine after that. Just took his word that they were safe.

He wouldn’t hurt them. I know it.

There may have been a time when I suspected Soren of a thousand horrible things, but since that moment in the car when my magic had streamed through both of us… I know him as surely as I know myself.

“He’s a good man,” I say softly.

“A good man who’s going to die if we don’t do something,” Rowan says sharply, then looks at me. “Sorry, sis. I know this is hard for you.”

“It’s okay,” I lie. I’m just glad she’s on my side. But from the expressions on the faces of the rest of my family, the others are beginning to lean toward me, too. In spite of the fear of what Soren’s facing, it’s a relief to think I’m not fighting a losing battle.

Although, maybe we still are. The Blackwoods are powerful, but we’re going up against both the vampire and the witch leadership.

“I think there’s something we’re all forgetting here,” Rowan interjects, interrupting my thoughts. We all turn to face her. “You can’t break a bond.” She glances at Darrick. “Not without serious consequences.” She looks at Gran. “Remember what you told Darick, Gran?”

The tall male at her side nods. “Whoever is left behind will likely not survive.” He looks serious. “That’s why we needed the pendant.”

“Oh God.” Mom makes a sobbing sound, her hand at her throat. “You mean…”

“Yes, Georgia.” Gran’s voice is soft. “If Mia is bonded to him, and the vampire is executed…we could lose her too.”

I feel the blood drain from my face. “You mean…I might die?”

“If there is a bond, and you seal it, yes. Eventually.” Gran turns gentle eyes on me. “If this is what we think it might be – and there’s no guarantee that it is.” She looks like she’s trying to set my mind at ease. “But if it is, you’d weaken. Fade. And then, we’d lose you.”

Mom grabs the edge of the dining room table to support herself, knocking a water glass. “I don’t know how much more I can take of this,” she whispers.

Part of me wants to comfort her. The rest of me is contemplating this new development with horror.

If they kill Soren, they might be killing me too.

And as crazy as it seems, right now, I don’t know which feels worse.