Taken by the Blood God (Devil Springs #4)

Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

Talant

I had no choice but to follow Minerva as she strode off without me, the long red braid of her hair swinging behind her.

I took off, feeling the unnatural spring to my legs. Her spell was a good one, but I could feel the difference between her magic and mine. Her energy was calmer, smoother. Cooler.

My power burned and twisted within me when it was at its peak—a volcano ready to erupt.

Minerva’s magic was like a wide river. It moved quickly, but the surface was smooth, belying the power of the water rushing beneath it.

I quickly caught up to Minerva and fell in step beside her. We made the half-mile trek in less than ten minutes.

As soon as we walked in, the man at the front desk smiled and greeted me by name, just as I suggested when I used my magic to arrange our stay at the inn.

“Mr. Talant,” he said. “So nice to see you again.”

I saw the sideways glance Minerva shot me, but she didn’t say anything.

“Hello, Gerald,” I answered. “I believe I have a reservation.”

“Of course. I was delighted when I saw your name on the list for today.” He turned and took a set of two keys from a hook on the wall. “I have your regular suite for you and your wife.”

Minerva’s body tensed next to mine. From the corner of my eye, I saw her hand tighten on the strap of her backpack until her knuckles were white. But she kept her silence.

“Thank you, Gerald.” I stepped forward and took the keys. Hanging from the ring was a small wooden tile with the number eight etched into it. “Is the room stocked with the items I requested?”

He smiled broadly, his wrinkled face beaming. “Oh, yes. There is bottled water, wine, bread, cheese, and fruit. I believe there are also some sandwiches and other items in the mini fridge. You should have plenty to eat for the duration of your stay.”

“Wonderful. We traveled a long way today. I believe my…” My tongue tripped over the word for a moment. “My wife and I will head upstairs now.”

“I hope you enjoy your stay,” he said. “And please call the front desk if you need anything else.”

“We will. Thanks, Gerald,” Minerva said, winding an arm around my waist. “Which way are we going?”

I realized when she wedged her shoulder under my armpit that I was swaying on my feet again. Shit, her spell was wearing off faster than it should have.

“Up the stairs, to the end of the hall, the last door on the right. It’s the most private of our rooms.”

“Wonderful,” she muttered beneath her breath, mimicking my words from earlier.

She pulled me along with her up the stairs, breathing heavily. We listed sideways, staggering like two drunkards, about halfway down the hall. After a few seconds of teetering back and forth, Minerva managed to stabilize us both and dragged me to the end of the hall.

“Hold on to my shoulder,” she demanded. “I need both hands to open this door.”

She fit the antique key into the lock and turned it. The mechanism creaked, but the door wouldn’t open. Cursing beneath her breath, she jiggled the key. This time, the door swung open. Minerva reached for me, hauling me into the room as the door shut behind us.

I made it to the bed before I dropped my bag on the floor beside it and fell face down on the mattress.

“This looks familiar,” Minerva said from behind me.

I rolled over onto my back to look up at her.

“What does?” I asked.

“You, collapsing on the nearest flat surface. Are you going to pass out for twenty-four hours again?”

“Unfortunately, I probably will. Unless…”

No, I wasn’t going to suggest it. She would never agree.

“Unless what?”

“Nothing. It’s something I would prefer not to do.”

“Will it help you recover faster?” she asked, coming to stand beside the bed so she could see my face.

“Yes.”

Considering the goddess whose power ran in her veins…it would probably restore me to full power.

“Does it involve human sacrifice?” she asked.

I stared at her in horror. “What? No! Why would you ask me that?”

“Because you said you didn’t want to do it, so I assumed it was something truly disgusting.”

I sighed and closed my eyes. The little witch’s opinion of me really couldn’t get any lower.

“Tal,” she called.

I opened my eyes and looked up at her.

“What do you need to do to regain your power? I’m assuming you need my help.”

“I do,” I admitted. “And it does require a sacrifice of sorts, but not one that results in death.”

Her golden eyes didn’t narrow. She wasn’t frowning at me. Minerva stood still, looking down at me expectantly, waiting for me to tell her.

I pushed myself up into a semi-reclined position, resting my weight on my elbows. “I’m a blood god, Minerva. The reason they called me that wasn’t just because I could utilize the magic in my blood or the blood of others. It was because I could draw it out by consuming it.”

She cocked her head and, shocking me completely, asked, “So you drink blood like a vampire?”

If she only knew that I had fangs like a vampire, too.

“Yes.”

“I’m guessing not just any blood will do when you’re this weak?”

“No, it won’t.”

Minerva sighed, clasping her hands in front of her and looking down at them. She didn’t speak, and I sensed she was thinking. For once, I managed to keep my mouth shut instead of making a situation worse. Finally, she lifted her head and looked at me, squaring her shoulders like she was preparing to fight. I wondered if that’s what she thought we were about to do.

“If drinking my blood will help you recover faster or make you stronger, I’m willing to make a donation.” She pointed a finger at me. “But only this once. I will not do this every time you overextend yourself, so be careful with how you cast your magic. Am I understood?”

“I understand.”

“And once we’re done with this, you need to tell me how to access whatever magic I’ll need to use to free your brother because I have no idea how to do that. I was barely conscious when Ally freed you.”

I stared at her in confusion. “Access your magic? What are you talking about?”

“The powers I have as a Conduit. I’ve never used them before, so I’ll need you to guide me through that.”

“But you use them all the time,” I replied.

It was Minerva’s turn to look confused. “I do?”

“Yes. Can’t you tell?”

She shrugged. “My magic feels the same to me as it always has. I can sense the breadth and the depth of it, but there are limits. From what little you’ve told me, I shouldn’t have limits if I’m channeling the power of a goddess.”

“I wouldn’t say you don’t have limits,” I answered. “More like those limits are very difficult to reach. Or you’d have to be severely weakened.”

“Either way, I’m certain the limits I sense now are much less than those of a goddess.”

I shook my head. “Those aren’t real. They’re your own creation.”

“I think I would know if I put limits on myself,” Minerva argued, crossing her arms over her chest.

I wanted to continue the conversation, but my head was beginning to swim. “If you want to continue this discussion with me awake and not drooling on the mattress, I’ll need to drink some of your blood.”

She winced at my words.

“You don’t have to do this, Minerva,” I continued. “Sleep and rest will help, and I’ll be back up tomorrow afternoon at the latest.”

“I just realized I didn’t ask you how much blood you needed to take,” she said, waving a hand at me. “And the idea freaked me out a little bit.”

“I shouldn’t need more than a few mouthfuls.”

“How many is a few?” she asked. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at me.

“Between three and five. No more than five.”

She cocked her head to the side and considered me, wrapping both arms around herself. I hated the unsure expression on her face, but I wasn’t going to push her either way on this. It had to completely be her decision. No influence from me either way.

“Fine. Should I get a cup and a knife?” she asked.

“Why would I need a knife?”

Minerva threw her hands in the air. “Are we even speaking the same language right now? I feel like we’re not because every time I ask you a question, you act like you have no idea why.”

“That’s because I have no idea why I would need a knife,” I retorted.

“To cut my arm so the blood drips into the cup and then you can drink it,” she answered, her tone snarky and sharp.

I almost shuddered at her suggestion. “No, absolutely not. That is not how I drink blood.” It would cool too quickly and become unpalatable.

“Then, how do you drink?—”

When she saw me staring at her neck, she winced. “Seriously?”

“Your wrist will work just as well,” I replied with a shrug.

“If you don’t need a knife, I’m assuming you have another way to get the blood.”

I smiled at her and focused on letting my fangs descend.

For once, Minerva was rendered speechless. She stared at me, her mouth open and her eyes wide.

“Are you a vampire?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No. But we both know magic likes to adapt. As I increased in power and took more blood offerings, I grew these. My power seemed to know what I needed to ascend, and it was provided.”

“Okay, so how do we do this?” she asked.

I pushed myself into a sitting position and gestured to the space next to me on the mattress.

“Have a seat and give me your hand.”