Blood Pool

Chapter Nineteen

Tobias misted back on Mirabelle Cove after the dust settled from Solaris’s visit with the Empusas. The Empusas were an intimidating bunch and, in their natural state, they were rather hideous. The original Nosferatu, with his buck-toothed fangs and long, spindly fingers, would be considered handsome compared to the Empusas. Luckily, they showed themselves as the beautiful creatures used to seduce their prey-handsome GQ men and Playboy bunny-ish women.

He went directly to Blood Pool, where he found Solaris in the basement going over inventory with Vinny, her right-hand Lamai.

Solaris appeared under the spotlight of one of the high-hats tucked into the low ceiling. “Welcome home. I hope it was a satisfactory meeting.”

The air was cool. The walls of stone housed a corner fireplace that contained a small but warm fire. She scarcely utilized this hearth, due to the ambient temperature needed to preserve the rare wines, but this day was bitterly cold.

Vinny nodded to Tobias and left the two alone.

Tobias leaned against the wall, rubbing his eyes. “Not really. It seems the location of my daughter is being held secret from Queen Rhia as well as the rest of us. And how was your meeting?”

Solaris stifled a yawn. “I managed to get them to hold back from retaliating when I explained this was not our doing, and that a madman was killing all magickal creatures on the island. We made a trip to the morgue where they viewed not only their own dead, but the dead sirens, Lamai and shifters. I think this proved my point. I…uh…I also had to extend an invitation to them to the celebration this Friday for Samhain.”

“You what?” Tobias took a bottle of Pinot Noir from the rack and opened the bottle. He took long, deep gulps.

Solaris eyed him suspiciously. “I had to. They were pissed. It was the only way, and I promised their dead would be remembered in our ritual.” Solaris handed a paper cup to Tobias and motioned for him to pour her some wine. “I’m not happy about this, either, believe me.”

“You did what you had to do. I’m just glad I’m not leading the ritual.” Tobias used the back of his hand to wipe the residual wine from his lips. Solaris’s eyes bore into his soul, right through to his broken heart.

“What’s really wrong?” Sol asked as she put down her clipboard and sat on a box of Glenfiddich whiskey.

“I…forget it. We have more important things to attend to. Where’s Bo?” Tobias had already downed half the bottle. Not that it would impair him in anyway. What he needed was a bottle of absinthe. Still, the taste pleased him.

Solaris prodded him. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk? It has to do with Nicki, doesn’t it?”

He looked hard at her, her eyes reflecting the firelight that washed shadows across the walls. “It always has something to do with Nicki. Please, Sol, don’t read me.”

“You can be very transparent sometimes, my friend.” Solaris smiled. “You having second thoughts about marrying Emerald?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know. I thought it was the right thing to do. I know Em loves me very much. It seems everything always keeps coming back to Nicki.”

“And it always will.”

“I do care a great deal for Emmie, but somehow, I feel I’m betraying my wife. I cannot become distracted, though. Right now, I have to find Raven.”

“I understand your depth of feelings that you hide beneath the surface of big, tough ancient Lamai.” She got up and approached him. “You’re not betraying her, and you know she’d want you to grab every bit of happiness you can…until you meet again. And you will meet again. You do know that? You’ll always find her.”

A smile played upon his lips. “Yes, I know. You always put things into perspective for me, friend. Thank you.” He turned and looked at the fire, his head bowed. “I just miss her so much.”

“I know you do. I can see the pain in your eyes. It seems that the time you’re with her flies by, and the time in between drags on. I understand that-really I do.”

His eyes met hers. “Exactly-and if it weren’t for Raven and my other children, I’d sleep until the time came for us to meet again.” A tear escaped his eye, and he swiftly wiped away any trace of it.

“Can I ask you something, Tobias?”

He turned to face her. “Of course.”

“Why haven’t you ever turned Nicolette? I would think that would solve many of your problems. Then you two could be together…always.”

Tobias was quiet for a while before answering.

“Have you ever been in love, Sol?”

“I have loved, yes. It’s how I understand what you go through. My love is an immortal, but hasn’t found me yet.”

“Then you know what I mean by being madly in love with someone, to the point that you consider their feelings above your own. Only their happiness matters.”

“Yes. I can say I have loved that intensely,” she admitted.

“I love Nicolette in that manner. That’s why I could never change her-and believe me, she’s asked me to do it many times. It wouldn’t be fair to her, though. It’s not her journey. If I were to change her, it would be for selfish reasons, not for her own good.” He softly chuckled. “I envy my daughter and Bo. At least I did. Now I feel terrible for her.”

Solaris stood near Tobias, warming her chilled hands by the fire. “Why?”

“Because they would have had many years together, many more than mere mortals. But Raven sacrificed that, and I understand why she did it. I’m just worried for her. This will change so many aspects of her life.”

“Speaking of your daughter, Bo headed down south with Jade. They’re trying to get a fix on Raven. I think the storm has created an obstacle, though.”

Tobias glanced at Solaris. “What storm?”

“You haven’t heard? There’s reports concerning Florida, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Keys. A hurricane…it’s a category-two storm now. The last I heard from Bo, he was stranded on the mainland because the bridges are closed.”

Tobias finished the last of the wine. “I have to go see Emmie.”

And that quickly, he was gone.

Light filtered through the windows in blotches as Raven tried to open her eyes. She was beyond exhausted from the tedious work she’d recently accomplished, and her neck still ached.

The house was quiet. Laroque was gone and she was in the bed he had been lying in.

“What the hell?” she mumbled, trying to focus on the room around her. It seemed as if she was in an entirely different wing of the house-but no, there was the fireplace.

“I have to thank you, and apologize.”

It was Laroque.

“This can’t be good,” she said with a sigh.

His face was still a bit pale and it remained emotionless. “No, I don’t think you’ll be too happy, but it cannot be helped.”

Raven took in the room, which was now clear of all equipment. With the exception of the bed, it looked like a normal living room. At least she wasn’t bound and tied to the bed.

“I see you’re feeling better,” she said, sitting up.

“A little weak, but yes, much improved. And I owe you a debt of gratitude for that. You’re in the wrong profession. You should be saving lives, not dealing with corpses.”

Raven swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “Yeah, well maybe it’s time for a change. Ah, what’s the not-so-good news?”

“We’re leaving. The storm has passed, and we must be on our way. You must come with me.” Laroque was packing a duffle bag with more T-shirts and packages of women’s underwear.

Raven didn’t see any of the others. She wondered why Mick wasn’t there with them.

“I-I don’t understand…”

“The shifters I have in my employ have sensed that your friend, Bo, is getting very close. Luke told me about some ridiculous fantasy that Bo is traveling with another Lamai.” He began to laugh. “He tried to tell me that it’s my daughter Jade.” He continued laughing, except for his eyes. They were not laughing.

They were deadly orbs.

Raven swallowed hard.

“I, of course, had to kill Luke, which is a shame because besides being a loyal employee he was a fantastic chef. Regardless, I cannot tolerate such talk.”

“Of c-course n-not,” Raven stuttered.

Laroque tossed the bag at Raven’s feet. “So, you see, we must get going. I have a boat that just docked at the Marina, and we’ll be heading off to New Orleans. You haven’t been back to your old neighborhood in a long time, juste?”

Raven grabbed the bag. “N-no, I haven’t. Not since I was a little girl. How are feeling, by the way?”

Raven sensed Laroque watching her. “Such a dedicated physician. I feel fine. I read your work and I’m amazed I never thought of that idea-a naked DNA vaccine. I mean it, Raven, you should be doing medical research.”

The innocent volley of compliments coming from Laroque did not fool Raven. His eyes betrayed him and behind them lay volumes of anger, rage that was directed at her, and she could see he was doing his level best to hide that fact.

Somehow he believed Luke, but why he’d still killed him, she didn’t know. Perhaps he’d seen signs of a change in Jade when he rescued her and brought her back to New Orleans. He was a smart man, and a simple blood test was all he needed to verify the transformation.

She walked toward the bathroom. “Can I get changed first? Have some coffee, take a shower?”

He motioned with his hand for her to follow him. “No, I’m sorry. We don’t have time. Once we’re on the boat, you can shower.”

Her gaze darted around the room. It was inconceivable that it was just the two of them there. The rest of them must be waiting outside. If by some miracle it was only the two of them, maybe she could make a run for it. He was still too weak to chase her very far. Hey, a girl could hope.

“What about the storm? Won’t we be heading into it?”

His eyes flashed a deadly warning.

“Some thank you,” she muttered under her breath. He dragged her out the back door and into the sunshine. Once there, he pointed to the black Mercedes in the driveway.

All her big plans at escape were dashed as she noticed Mick solemnly standing by the driver’s side. So much for a getaway. Raven knew Mick liked Luke. He told her they’d been friends for almost five years. She figured he’d exact revenge for his friend’s death somehow, but for the meantime he would wisely follow orders.

Raven stared blankly when she made eye contact with Mick. He subtly cast his eyes downward, his skin flashing a hint of the blush of embarrassment. His movements were swift as he walked around the car and opened the door for her, never forgetting his manners. She felt his anger toward Laroque, which was not of her imagination. Raven surprisingly discovered that along with her new human frailties came her new human gifts. Without the dominant Lamai DNA, she believed her mother’s psychic talents could shine through. She hoped it was true. She needed some type of advantage.

“He’s such the Southern gentleman-gentle-beast, I should say,” Laroque kidded, but Raven found no humor in anything he said. “Get in.”

How could she have fallen for his puppy dog eyes and sudden remorse? He’d easily convinced her that he’d somehow lost the anger he harbored for Tobias-except when she thought back, he never actually said the words. He merely asked for her help, and she romanticized the rest. If she were still Lamai, she would have realized he was full of shit. Raven silently berated herself for being so naïve. Being entirely human, she was experiencing naïveté. She fell for it hook, line and sinker. She realized she had a lot to learn, especially in matters of unwarranted trust.

She replayed their exchange in her mind. He talked of his love for Nicki and about how much his daughter meant to him, but he’d never once said he’d given up on his plot for revenge. Raven understood that her once-keen senses had dulled.

Her mind raced as the car pulled onto the main road.

But she still would have helped him, because she owed Jade that much, at least. She’d let her emotions get the better of her when she’d attempted to frighten her little sister in the hospital the day she kidnapped her. Seeing the past through Jade’s experience caused her to lock on with such force that she’d drained her almost completely. She’d had to transform her or lose her-and that she could not live with. Her mother would never forgive her, and Raven’s belief that her mother was still alive in a different form was very real.

She knew her mother had watched what went on. She saw the astral visit Jade had with Nicolette when she drank her blood. “Your sister would never kill you,” her mother had said to Jade.

What happened? How did things get so ghastly? Her world was spinning out of control, and she was helpless to stop any of it.

Her mother. It always came full circle and ended where it began, back with her mother. It was the love of three men for one woman that knocked Raven’s world off its axis and spun it blindly into chaos. Somehow it all seemed so familiar-as if this drama had played out before, during a different time, but the players were the same.

Her eyes became heavy with the passing miles, and soon she drifted into the dreamtime.

A man wearing armor and holding a shield stood before her. He was beautiful. Standing over six feet tall with black eyes that matched his wavy hair, he looked out over the landscape. Somehow Raven was able to know his thoughts, see what he saw. And what he saw was a fair-haired beauty named Helen.

Menelaus was his name. He was the king of Sparta. Helen was his wife. She was gone. No, not gone-stolen from her king. Visions flashed, and Raven saw that Laroque’s soul inhabited the body of King Menelaus, and Nicolette was Helen.

The image of a young girl appeared, and Raven knew it to be herself, incarnated as Hermione, the daughter of Menelaus and Helen. She watched as her father looked to the horizon, undoubtedly wondering how to get his beautiful wife back home.

He would need help-Achilles’ help.

He turned to his daughter. “Don’t worry, little one. I will bring back your mother, and they will be sorry they ever heard the name Menelaus.”

She knew her father meant what he said and would not rest until Helen was back in his bed.

Tobias stood with the gorgeous young woman known as Helen. He looked similar to the way he did now, except that the woman called him by another name: Paris.

They were in bed together, having just made love. Paris vowed never to allow her to return to Menelaus, and she was quite happy in Paris ’s arms. But she missed her daughter.

Menelaus had other plans, though, and they all involved bringing Helen home. It would not be an easy task, and Menelaus knew he would have to deal with Hector, Paris ’s brother, in the process.

At the thought of Hector, his image flooded Raven’s mind. He was pure muscle, standing just under six feet tall, with hair as black as night and eyes as blue as the sea. He was very protective of Paris and vowed to fight to the death to protect Helen.

Raven knew immediately Hector’s soul was that of Frank Dubois.

A swirl of mists wiped away the image of the two lovers in bed and replaced it with another. Lush greenery now surrounded Raven, the air full of moisture, the grounds wet after a spring rain.

Raven made her way through the forest and was transported to a castle on a steep hill. There she saw the walls shining with sand-colored marble and flags flying high above the tower.

Again the silhouette of a lonely man stood stark against the brilliant marble walls. Raven wanted a better look at him, and she soon found herself standing beside him-only he did not see her.

Another man came up behind him. “Arthur,” the handsome knight called out. He was blonde and fair-and yet he was Tobias, dark and brooding inside.

“Lancelot, my friend,” Arthur said, turning to the fair-haired man.

Arthur’s hair was the color of honey and his eyes sparkled like a fine port wine. It was Philippe-once again a king.

“My queen has informed me that you wanted to speak to me,” Lancelot said.

“How is she feeling? She has not been well these past few months. Who knew bearing a child could be this trying?”

Lancelot’s gaze turned to the landscape that spread out before them. “She’s better. I think she’ll be all right from now on. Sometimes the first few months are hard on a woman, but she has wanted this baby for a long time. She hasn’t complained one bit.”

Arthur cringed at the intimacy with which Lancelot spoke about his Guinevere.

Deep down, he knew it was not his child that grew in his wife’s belly, but Lancelot’s. Morgan le Fay, Arthur’s sister, had cursed him. He would never know the pleasure of fatherhood with his wife, but he kept that truth concealed for the sake of Camelot.

Raven also knew she was the child conceived by Lancelot and Guinevere, and Nicolette was her mother once more, embodied in fair Guinevere.

What Arthur didn’t know was that his sister had also betrayed him and tricked him into impregnating her before she cursed him. She bore a son, Mordred, and once more, the triad formed as Frank’s spirit took the form of Mordred, poised to do battle yet again with his enemies, Tobias and Philippe.

A crack of thunder and flash of lightning brought the dawn of a new day. This time Raven was in the desert. It was dry, and dusk coated the landscape with the glorious colors of a setting sun.

A woman stood looking out into the distance. Her hair hung down her back in waves the color of autumn. The sun caught flecks of gold in her mass of copper-colored tresses. She wore deerskin moccasins and a blanket of animal hide wrapped around her shoulders.

It was Nicolette. She was far from her encampment, and the energy surrounding her was drenched in apprehension. Raven knew her mother waited for two brothers to return from the hunt. One of the brothers was her husband, Running Bear.

“White Dove,” a voice called from up the sloping hillside. “Your daughter wants to be fed.”

Without a thought, Raven knew she was the little girl waiting to eat.

“I’ll be right there,” the young woman answered. Instead of mists filling the air, a cloud of dust whirled, and the pounding of hooves made the earth tremble. As the clouds settled, Raven could see a herd of buffalo racing through a valley. Brightly painted ponies galloped along the perimeter of the herd.

“Chief Running Bear, Storm Cloud has two down, and I’ve got one. Snake took two…”They spoke in a foreign tongue, yet Raven understood every word.

“Good. I have two back by the clearing, and I’ve got my eye on this big male…” With an explosive burst of energy, the man called Running Bear threw his spear into the hide of the massive buffalo, hitting him right in his neck. The beast kept running.

Raven heard words coming from the other man’s mind-evil thoughts.

“I could throw my spear right into the chief’s heart and no one would know it wasn’t an innocent mistake-one of the dangers of the hunt. Then, White Dove would be mine.”

Only Running Bear’s brother, Red Hawk, didn’t know another warrior looking in his direction was thinking similar sinister thoughts. The faces melted into their present incarnations, Running Bear became Tobias and Red Hawk morphed into Frank. The angry warrior turned into Laroque.

Over and over, the scenes played out in Raven’s dreams of the love affairs between Nicolette and Philippe, Frank and Tobias. All three men vied for her affection, and in each lifetime, her heart belonged to Tobias.

The car swerved over a bump in the road and jarred Raven back to consciousness. She opened her eyes, her mind still a jumble of sights and feelings from times long since past. Feelings that were still very much alive in her present.

It was clear this drama would continue to play out in subsequent lifetimes unless there was some kind of resolution.

Could she also be enslaved to her own saga lifetime after lifetime? Was there a similar connection between Bethany, Bo and herself? Did she really want to create more drama in her own life? Maybe it wasn’t such a smart idea to marry him after all. So much of what they had was gone.

She loved Bo and there was still excitement between them, but on a different level. She felt so utterly human, and that disappointed her. Raven could no longer offer him the passion-filled nights they once shared-that much was evident her first night back from the hospital. She was mortal now, and one bite from him could kill her, or seriously maim her at best.

What could she offer him now? A boring life, one in which he would far outlive her, and she would age while he remained ageless, virile and handsome. Bethany would remain young as well. Her beauty would eat away at Raven.

Bo would notice his wife was old and grey with wrinkled skin, but his ex-lover wouldn’t look a day over thirty. Her body would remain lithe, taut and muscular from all the running they would do in the pack.

They would glimmer back into human form, sweaty and lustful from the endorphins coursing through their blood. Her voluptuous body would arouse Bo, her scent would drive him wild, and Bethany would get what she wanted.

Together they could have a decent life and a family. The commonality they shared was something with which Raven could never compete. She would never know what it was like to be a wolf. To shimmer from one form into another must be elating. The feeling of running with the pack, the freedom, the sense of camaraderie… She envied the shifters.

The feeling of having a family was something Raven would sorely miss.

Bethany had a history with Bo. His parents-at least his mother-supported the pairing of the two. Bethany would give the clan many strong children to carry on its lineage.

He would eventually wind up with her anyway. Why put off what was bound to happen? It was inevitable. Bo would be Bethany ’s mate, and Raven could expect nothing more. They would share the ability to love each other with complete abandon, without the risk to life or limb. It was the best thing for Bo, his freedom.

She decided she would set him free. All in the name of love.

And knowing Bethany as Raven did, she was certain she would take full advantage of every opportunity that came her way to seduce Bo, especially during their times with the pack.

In the end, Raven would surrender the one thing she sought to save: Bo. She would have to let him go for good. She would somehow learn to live with that. At least he would be alive and well. She couldn’t survive if something were to happen to him.

He would get over her. Bo would find a way.

Raven would move to another city and practice medicine…perhaps meet a mortal man and have mortal sex, which would produce mortal children, and then she would die a miserable, mortal death.

But Bo would be free.