Virgins and Vampires: Blood Falls (The Blood Falls Book 3)

I snuggled into the couch in the Wren living room while Kris, Gigi, Ryddyck, Rhysa, Bo, and Dray talked about the metal study. I had almost nothing to add to the conversation, but I liked being on the up-and-up, so I was mostly listening and snoozing.

“I’m so, so, so glad you thought to include me in this,” Gigi said, almost breathless.

Whatever she just figured out had her excited. More than excited. She practically floated as she spoke, hands flapping like bird’s wings.

“You see the more we chased the data, the more it started to seem familiar. The patterns started to emerge. But then I’d look at the analysis of a different blade or piece of armor and it wouldn’t make sense at first. I was so confused and frustrated. But after I took a few days away I came back and bam! Breakthrough!”

“You’re killing me Gigi. Get to the point already,” Bo groaned.

“DNA! My area of expertise!” She held out her hands, looking around the room at blank stares.

Including my own. What did DNA have to do with metal?

“Ugh!” Gigi dropped her hands and let her head fall back. “Guys! The metals are tuned to our freaking DNA. Our swords respond to our Heads of House because they’re the genetic owners of the swords.”

I sat up and started paying attention. This was…big.

“How is that possible?” Dray asked, looking utterly baffled. “Do the…does the metal have samhain DNA? I’m so confused.”

Gigi groaned and stamped her foot. “If you ever listened to me when I talk about work you wouldn’t be so lost, big brother!”

Rhysa put up her hands. “We can get to our interest in your area of study at another time, Gigi. Let’s stay focused on the metals for now.” As usual, Rhysa was able to calm Gigi like no one else and get her back on track.

“Right. The metals. As Kris explained before, the forging process is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Forged and reforged, and then forged again. Parts of the Plane are infused into that metal which we think is what makes it so special. It isn’t just metal. It’s metaphysical. But it didn’t explain the structures we found at the microscopic level. I didn’t recognize it as DNA at first because I wasn’t expecting to see it there.”

“That’s why you took our blood,” Dray said slowly as he glanced at Rhysa. “Does it explain why Rhysa can wield Dreadnought?”

“Yes and no. I was able to do some scanning of the metal and compare it to your DNA. That’s where the patterns really started to make sense. Dreadnought is quite literally tuned to you. Rhysa obviously has different DNA, but there are markers there that match yours and the sword’s. I haven’t figured out what that all means yet, unfortunately.”

“Are there psychic markers?” I suddenly asked.

Gigi’s gaze locked with mine. “I don’t know. We saw the Plane infusions but haven’t dug into exactly what they are—or if that’s even possible to determine. Why? Do you have an idea?”

“Not precisely, no. But with all the psychic energy I’ve been working with lately…I don’t know. It just feels right.”

“And I like following gut feelings!” Her finger shot into the air. “You work with Kris on tracking down what this feeling might mean or look like.”

“Yes, boss.” Kris gave her a casual two-finger salute.

She scrunched up her nose. “I did kind of take over, didn’t I?”

Kris shrugged and took my hand. “I’ve been a little preoccupied with things.”

I squeezed back.

Gigi shrugged and went back to babbling. Dray kept nodding along, Rhysa’s eyes glazed over, Bo started yawning. Only Ryddyck hung on every word as it all made perfect sense.

They really were perfect for each other.

“You really think there might be a psychic element to the metals, too?” Kris whispered.

I shrugged. “Nothing makes sense these days. Our House armor is infused with the Plane and is genetically linked to our Houses. Why wouldn’t there be a psychic element too?”

“Fair point. I look forward to figuring it out with you.”

And just to be funny I leaned in and whispered, “Can I have a Plane infused, genetically linked, psychic saw sword?”

Kris covered his face, trying—and failing—to hold in the laughter. “A psychic saw sword? Really?”

“You get zero percent of the cool things you don’t ask for.”

“How would that even work? Will your mind control the saw? You’ll tell it when to spin and shit?”

“I think that’s brilliant.”

“It would be useful, actually. Huh, maybe you’re right. Maybe there is a psychic element we haven’t found yet.”

“See?” I tapped my forehead. “The saw sword is a good idea.”

“A saw sword?” Rhysa frowned. “Y’all get weirder by the day.”

“Are we done, Gigi?” Kris pulled me back before I could start another conversation about the coolness of saw swords.

“I suppose. Rain, will you update Shoshanna?”

I groaned internally. “Of course. I’m on my way to see her as soon as we’re done here.” And I was not looking forward to it.

After butting heads with Shoshanna over the last few weeks, we seemed to be on the same page. She was Head of House, and I was a powerful asset to the House, therefore I would be included in matters that might affect my life. Unfortunately that meant getting meeting invitations on the regular.

But it was better than being left out. So I went when summoned.

“The House of Gatlin will be expanding the Guard as well as creating a new Council on Psychic Affairs. No one will be more versed in the psychic spectrum than House of Gatlin,” Shoshanna said.

This was way overdue, in my opinion. Our House—all the Houses—had been content and happy to let life pass as calmly as possible. We also spoke of how peaceful samhain were, how in harmony the Houses worked. And while that may have been true at one point, something had been simmering for decades, changing that truth while we sat complacent with our abilities.

We passed knowledge from generation to generation without any thought to whether there was another way to do it. Whether we were missing something. And now that we needed everything we had to offer, we were playing catch-up.

“Rhiannon, I would like to task you with advising this new Council. You’ve done more research than anyone else and your gifts will be valuable in providing insight to what we need to focus on.”

I simply nodded because what else was I going to do? Say I have too much on my plate, sorry? No. I couldn’t. More and more I was taking on the “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mantra. It was necessary. Besides, who else would advise this Council as well as me? I couldn’t take a chance on something so important.

At least I wouldn’t be leading it.

After the meeting I stayed behind to catch Shoshanna up on the metal analysis.

“Fascinating,” she murmured. “We’ve kept these relics and traditions for so long. We’ve forgotten why we care. And now they might save us.”

“Our ancestors went through a lot to survive. But they thought it was over. That we’d never have to fight this war again.”

Shoshanna shook her head. “Nothing lasts forever. Everything happens in cycles. Human or samhain, we all live on this earth, and those are the rules of how this world works. I think our ancestors knew that. Perhaps they hoped it wouldn’t come to pass. But if they genuinely thought we were safe for the rest of eternity they wouldn’t have made the armor and ceremonies so important to our traditions. We may have lost the knowledge, but not the meaning.”

If that were true… “Then maybe it all means something.” The hair on my arm rose up.

“What do you mean?”

“Why do the Houses exist? Divided by gifts, we each have colors, mantras, spirit animals, even the names of our swords might have more meaning than we ever realized.” My mind wanted to draw connections but it couldn’t quite make the lines work.

The House of Gatlin’s sword was named Intrepid. Our color is white. Our spirit is the Sphinx. They were symbols we wore and placed on objects. Stories we told about who we were as a House.

But what if it was so much more than team spirit. What if it was the key to survival?

“House divisions make sense. They’re geolocal. Our powers came from the place our ancestors settled. It doesn’t matter where we live now, that relationship with the Plane is in our DNA…”

“Our relationship to the Plane and our relationship to our armor, both linked to our genetics.” It felt like I was holding a key and I just slipped it into a lock. One twist away from opening a door.

Over the years playing with the twins I heard how often Dray grumbled about Gigi’s fascination with genetics. That it was a waste of time to live in the human world chasing research that didn’t matter. I hadn’t really thought much of it. Just noted the family politics and went back to whatever I was doing with my friends.

But now…now I wondered if Gigi’s fascination was driven by the Plane, guiding us to the clues we needed now more than ever.

Shoshanna placed her hand gently on mine. “Your friendship with the Wrens has turned into a family bond. I would never have guided you so. Therefore I have to believe this is Destiny. The Plane has placed you here to tie our Houses together as we move forward.”

“Georgiahana Wren is a focal point,” I realized, “she keeps turning up as the intersection to different things.”

“Have you observed her psychic markers?”

“No. I never thought to.” But now it was necessary. As was pointing out the genetic connections tied to her. “I’ll speak to her tomorrow.”

“Please let me know the results.”

“Is there anything else?” As long as I kept going I almost never noticed I was tired. But whenever I stopped or stood for too long, the ache began to creep out of the background.

Shoshanna hesitated, licked her lips. “I know I’m asking a lot of you, but please take care of yourself. Listen to your Shield. He is more in tune with your exhaustion than anyone else.”

“There’s only so much time in the day.” Now my whole body began to ache.

“True. But if something happens you won’t be able to take a day off to recharge and then join the fight. We need you ready, willing, and able when the time comes.”

When the time comes.

No one said if any more.

“I’m heading home now for a good night of sleep.”

“You’re also looking a little anemic.”

That was probably true. I needed more blood than normal and I’d been relying on Kris more than I should. “I’ll take care of that tomorrow as well.”

“Good. Now go get some rest.”