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

A wide variety of fresh blood flowed through my system. I felt like I was floating. Full, happy, and very relaxed. The fire roared in the Wren living room and I sat near it in my oversized hoodie and fleece lined leggings. My feet were bundled up in wool socks and I had a fuzzy blanket around me. I wrapped my hands around a warm cup of tea and enjoyed the buzz of activity around me.

I never enjoyed it before. Activity, that is. It was exhausting and hard.

Or at least it was. I still didn’t seek it out, necessarily, but at least now I could enjoy it. The ability to control my gifts had opened up a whole new world to me. And even though we were all here because Destiny had forced us together, we genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.

“We still on for tomorrow?” Cass dropped onto the loveseat beside me.

Everyone agreed to take tomorrow off. If we kept working at the pace we were working, we’d all burn out before anything happened. Those who’d been bunking on the Wren property were eager to spend a day at home and most of the Wren siblings had already expressed a need to run errands and simply get out of the house for a little while. Realizing the house would be empty for a few hours, Cass and Bridge suggested we take the opportunity to have one of our old-fashioned baking sessions.

“Absolutely. I plan to flip through recipe ideas in a little bit.”

“Awesome. I need this. You’ve been crazy busy and Bridge has been weird. It’s got me all befuddled.”

“Befuddled?” I laughed.

“Yep. It’s the perfect word choice. I’m both confused and upset, but not mad.”

“I’ve missed you both. I feel like it’s been a year since we hung out.” The days seemed to last for weeks and the weeks for months. I lost all track of time.

“It’s been a few weeks,” she replied.

“Crazy, right?”

She nodded, staring at the fire. “Kris won’t drag you away?”

“No. We don’t have to spend every minute together.”

“Really? It seems like you do.” Her voice tried to sound teasing but the hurt came through anyway.

“We have spent a lot of time together. You’re absolutely right. Some of it was necessary and some of it was selfish. I’m sorry if I’ve neglected you. I didn’t mean to.”

“Oh I know.” She dropped her head on my shoulder. “I don’t know everything that goes into your new dynamics. I guessed some of it was absolutely necessary. I’m not upset at all. Just…lonely I guess.”

We sat like that for a while. Laughter filtered in from the kitchen or even the fireplace outside. Feet stomped up and down the stairs. Nothing really important happened until Ivy hurried through the room and placed a delicate hand on Rever’s arm.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t leave mad,” she said, her voice low.

His eyes were dark and angry. “Take your hand off me.”

Cass sucked in a breath and whispered, “Oh shit!”

“You’re being ridiculous, Revenge.” Ivy drew up tall. “I asked a question. If you didn’t want to answer all you had to say was no. You’re acting like a child who can’t control their emotions.”

Cass I both braced. No one spoke to Rever like that.

He fumed for several beats, then his shoulders dropped. “I’m sorry. I overreacted. Fuck!” He stuck his fingers through his hair and paced in a circle before gathering Ivy close and kissing her. “I’m sorry,” he said, softer.

“Maybe you should make a list of topics that set you off. That way I can use them against you when I want you angry.”

“Fucking hell, female. You’re a piece of work. Besides, the list would be a mile long.”

She cupped his face. “You’ve been through so much. I know this.”

“But it’s not fair to you. To have to tiptoe around and watch what you say. I should be protecting you, not the other way around.”

“Well that’s some overly male bullshit.”

Rever froze for a moment. “Maybe, but it’s how I feel.”

“Now look at that. Talking about your feelings without being asked. Progress already.”

I didn’t want to hear a conversation they clearly thought was private. I tried my very best to look asleep while also trying my very best to watch through my lashes. Cass hadn’t moved since she froze.

“You’re a fucking angel and I’ve been to fucking hell. We make no sense,” Rever growled.

“And yet here we are. Take me home?”

Rever growled and then they vanished.

Cass sprang up beside me, hand over her mouth. “Oh shit! I can’t believe we just saw that! Were you pretending to be asleep because I totally was.”

“Uh, yeah. How else were we going to get out of that awkwardness?”

“Ivy is perfect for him. She didn’t cower at all!”

I was really happy for my cousin.

A new pair of voices grew louder and I shot up off the couch, not wanting to get caught watching another private conversation, but then Gigi spun around and stopped near the hallway, whisper-yelling at someone behind her.

“No. Just stop it! I can’t take any more of your nonsense!” she said.

“It’s not nonsense. It’s sense. Don’t you see?” Ryddyck.

Cass grabbed my hand and yanked me back down. “Sleep!” she mouthed. We fell like ragdolls. This time we each took an arm and curled up. From this angle I could just barely see the back of Gigi and the shadow of Ryddyck’s face.

“No sir, I do not see!” Her hands balled into fists at her sides.

“I had the dream again. All I’m asking is if you did, too. If you didn’t, it means one thing, if you did, it means another.”

“Why does it matter? It never changes.”

“So you did have it.”

She stomped her foot. “Yes. Near dawn.”

“Same as mine. Curious.” His head cocked to the side and he blinked as if reading something in the air.

Which caught my fascination. Was he seeing something? Did Gigi have those psychic markers Shoshanna asked about? I let some of the Plane in, seeing the psychic channels as they swirled around the pair. I had to force myself not to gasp when the energy around them began to glow and flicker. It swirled between them, drawing them together even as Gigi fought it. Ryddyck didn’t fight anything. Not Gigi, not the energy, not even the Plane. I could see him touching it, though. Like having a phone to his ear, listening but not speaking to anyone.

Their auras matched. And the amount the energy around them glowed could only mean they were Destined. Maybe even Fated. Whatever it meant, it was strong. It physically kept them close together because it was that important.

I wondered what these dreams were and if there was anything I could do to help. That’s when I suddenly felt Ryddyck look right at me. He didn’t say or do anything. It was more of a curious sensation I felt.

“Hello! Ryddyck! You went somewhere again.” Gigi waved her hands in his face.

Ryddyck turned back to her and I let out a breath.

“Sorry,” he said. “I was thinking that sharing the dream again means that I have failed. Am failing. We will not be ready in time.”

“I don’t even know what we’re getting ready for!” She threw her hands in the air. I felt a buzz in the energy, tapped a channel, and found what I was looking for.

Gigi was indeed a focal point. And if one connection led to Rhysa, the next very well might lead to me.

I drew back my gifts.

“For the war, of course,” Ryddyck said. “You are the key to the lock in the door.”

“But, for the millionth time, what does that have to do with you?”

He blinked, so patiently calm. “Because we are linked. I am here because of you. And you will show me how I will help. You will show us all.”

Focal point. Ryddyck saw it too.

Gigi spun back around and stomped through the living room to the dining room, Ryddyck fast on her heels. A magnet couldn’t have worked harder than the psychic energy holding them together.

Cass cracked an eyelid. “That was…weird.”

I waited another moment before I opened my eyes, too. “You have no idea.”

“What don’t I know? Is my sister okay?”

“She’s fine. Just…maybe more important than we realize.”

“Important how? Ryddyck?”

“I know their connection doesn’t make a whole lot of sense and Ryddyck can’t explain much of anything, but the more we learn, the more things come back to Gigi. That can’t be a coincidence.”

“And here I thought you were the important one,” she teased.

“Don’t you dare, Wren!” Ender barked, his voice echoing off the stone of the fireplace.

Cass pointed at herself, but then Aethel appeared out of nowhere, shifting into the living room. “I am not scared of you, wolf.”

Cass and I shrank back down the arms of the loveseat and resumed our fake sleeping positions once again.

“I hate when you call me that,” he growled.

“That’s why I do it,” she said sweetly. Then she disappeared and reappeared behind him.

“Will you stop that!” He spun around.

She shifted back to where she was and he spun again. “Boo!”

He growled even lower and deeper in his throat. “You are aware that male wolves live in a pack, correct?”

She picked at a nail as if she were bored. “Until Mated, if I’m not mistaken. Then the new couple wander off to find their den and make a pack of pups. Sounds boring as fuck, if you ask me.”

He took a step closer. Aethel didn’t move or shift, but she did look up to meet his glare. “Most do. Not all. And it’s not boring,” he added, almost under his breath, “it’s special.”

“See, I know you’re trying to threaten me, Ender Volci. Scare me,” she wiggled her fingers and shoulders, “with threats of an overwhelming pack, but your mistake is this: I think it sounds fun.”

Ender sighed. “Fine. I’ll come up with some other weapon to fight you with.”

“I look forward to it,” she cooed, booping his chin and then disappearing.

Ender stormed back to the library.

“Is this going to keep happening all day?” Cass whispered. “Because if it is, I don’t know if I want to stay and hear everyone’s gossip, or get the hell out of here before I learn something I really don’t want to know.”

“I’m pretty sure Ender and Aethel have the hots for each other.”

Cass balked. “What? No…they hate each other! Oh…” Her eyes swung back and forth as it all sank in. “That was flirting. They flirt by fighting.”

“Well Aethel does. I think Ender’s just frustrated. Sexually.”

Cass snorted and tried to cover it up with her hand as she started giggling uncontrollably. “Aethel’s always had a mischievous streak but my goodness. She may finally be out of her league. Ender is no average werewolf and his pack is nothing to sneeze at.”

“You’re hoping they teach her a lesson?”

She shrugged. “I may have a slight vindictive streak. You remember when she boobytrapped my bathroom?”

It was a disgusting mess. It was hard to forget. “I’m not sure this is on the same level.”

“No,” Cass finally stood up since no one else seemed to need to get private matters off their chests, “but having all her practical jokes come due at the same time, is.”