Blood Pool

Chapter Twenty-six

Dusk had descended on Mirabelle in violent colors of ochre, red and bright oranges. The parade began on time. Solaris stoically performed the opening ritual. Looking radiant, she wore her traditional white sari with woolen leggings and satin gloves for warmth. Once the ceremony was over, she placed her woolen cloak over her head. She kept searching for a trace of her friend-a sight or sound, a feeling. She felt familiar eyes settle upon her, but who they belonged to she wasn’t certain. She only knew the energy was male.

Tobias waited at Nigella’s farm, Bo was at Town Hall, and Jade hid in the cemetery with Mick. Jade had a peculiar feeling that her father would choose to perform whatever deed he had in mind at her mother’s grave.

Jade wore all black, from suede boots to leather jacket. As she waited in the shadows, the ghosts that inhabited the land whispered to her. Thanks to her father’s instructions, she hadn’t lost the ability to speak with the spirits.

But, ironically, the one voice she needed to hear was the one that kept silent. Her mother. She probed with her mind to try to coax Nicolette to talk to her.

All she heard were echoes of other people’s pasts.

Even in the dark and from a distance, she could see the lanterns as the procession headed closer. From the southern entrance of the cemetery, Mick noticed headlights approaching.

“Jade, we need to shimmer-don’t go anywhere until I’m certain it’s your father. Then go get Tobias and Bo.”

“Bo should be here any minute. He was coming here to meet us after the opening ceremony,” Jade said as her energy vibrated faster and faster, becoming a blur.

Soon they were like the fog that rolled in off the water, hovering for a moment.

Car doors slammed shut-one, two, three of them-and Jade sensed her father and sister’s energies. In an instant, she was gone and materialized next to Tobias.

“They’re at the cemetery-Henri, my father and Raven,” Jade reported, and soon the two traveled the blackened mists back to where Mick was secreted.

As they reappeared, the first gilded carriage arrived at the gates of Mirabelle Cemetery. The caretaker opened them up to let the rest of the followers in. The carriages circled around to the row of mausoleums that housed the first inhabitants of Mirabelle Island.

Nicolette’s five-foot grave marker stood ten feet from there. It was an exact replica of Nicolette.

“It’s incredible. The likeness,” Jade said to Tobias, admiring the statue of her mother.

“I couldn’t leave Nicolette’s body in Louisiana and, after Hurricane Katrina, I’m glad I brought her body to Mirabelle years earlier.”

Solaris exited the carriage along with the few Empusas who stayed for the rituals. Bo was next to hop off the carriage. He noticed Tobias and hurried toward him.

That was when Jade spotted a man of medium build escorting Raven to their mother’s grave. She’d been waiting for this moment for what seemed like forever. She caught sight of Bo and froze for a split second. He looked ready to pounce on the man with Raven.

She grabbed Bo by the shoulder. “Don’t do anything, Bo. That man’s a Lamai. I recognize him as a friend of my father’s. He’ll attack Raven before you even get off the ground.”

“Take it easy, Bo,” Tobias whispered.

It took every ounce of willpower Bo could muster to obey the elder Lamai.

“What do we do, then?”

Tobias patted Bo’s back. “We don’t do anything. You stay put.”

As Solaris prepared to make her speech, the caretakers started the bonfire, while the celebrants brought flowers, candles and their trays of food for the ancestors. Torches blazed at the four directions surrounding the fire.

Bo circled the other way to approach Raven from behind. As he did, he glimmered and became his wolf counterpart. Silently he padded across leaves colored in a variety of jewel tones, amber, citrine and garnet. This was Raven’s favorite time of year. He couldn’t lose her now that he was so close to her. Neither could he stand idly by and do nothing. He owed Raven the very same sacrifice she’d made for him. The love they shared would endure the changes life inevitably would throw at them. Existence without her was unthinkable. She was his life.

Bo eyed Jade as she stood beside Mick, both still shimmering to keep their whereabouts hidden from Laroque. Tobias lingered somewhere in the mists.

Solaris made her way to the mausoleum marked with the names Jeremiah and Rachel Starr. Julianna, along with Bridget, knelt in front of the tomb, leaving a bottle of absinthe and a tray of fresh meats and vegetables.

As the new mayor opened her mouth to begin her speech, chaos erupted.

Philippe Laroque appeared from the murky fog, standing on the other side of Raven and Henri.

The flames in the fire pit loomed over six feet high, lighting up the area, along with the full moon that washed everything with a silvery glow. Everyone fell silent for a brief instant.

A moan echoed from the crashing waves that surrounded the island, heralding The Night of the Dead.

The winds picked up in intensity.

It seemed as if the winds were crying, that Nicolette was crying.

Raven watched a scene she’d witnessed too many times to count. The flames seemed to leap higher and higher. She thought her totem animal flew overhead to sit in a tree branch above her.

It was the raven-a messenger.

The raven cautioned the light bearers about impending devastation and battle. Be forewarned, she cried, allowing time for preparation. Raven was a bird of the Underworld. She had the capacity to see into the past, the future and beyond the veil of mortality. The gift of the raven was in her journey. She was able to travel from this world and across the barriers of death to the other side. A gatherer of information, mystical raven then returned with her knowledge to impart upon the seeker or healer.

Raven prayed the bird was a positive omen. She readied herself for battle, hoping her warrior was nearby. Hope sprang up from within her, unasked for and persistent. She knew he was close. There still existed a connection between them.

Henri held her against him. He felt as cold as the October night. She began to shiver and instinctively headed for the fire. For Bo.

Raven lurched forward and, as she stepped a few feet away, the vampire lunged for her, obviously startled by her movements.

That was when Bo made his move.

He pounced onto the man holding his mate. Clamping his jaw and razor sharp fangs around the neck of Henri Rioux, he refused to let go.

Bo deduced Henri was a clever and resourceful vampire. Proof of that was when Henri immediately transformed to mist. The bastard left Bo with only a mouthful of blood and flesh. He waited for the man to resurface. Bo had wounded him, and he could not remain in the ethers for very long.

But Bo’s attention was ripped in two as Laroque grabbed Raven and pinned her arms behind her back.

“I wish to make a sacrifice tonight in honor of my love, Nicolette, who was taken away much too soon!” he cried into the night.

The wolf sidled up behind the bokur, unnoticed.

All eyes were on Laroque, shocked, as the crowd listened to his declaration of love for Nicolette.

Bo cursed to himself as Jade attempted to reach her father.

It all happened too fast for the newly-changed Lamai. He knew she would have to, in a flash, decide between her love for her father and the desire to save her sister.

The choice must have paralyzed her.

Bo’s eyes, the wolf’s golden gaze, fixed onto Laroque. His muscles tensed as he prepared to leap and attack the bokur’s neck, longing to hear the crunch of bones and tendons. Graphic images of revenge pounded his mind. Never had he wanted to kill another living creature as desperately as he wanted to at that moment. He could taste the blood in his mouth and feel the flesh against his intensely sharp fangs.

Henri reappeared from the vapors and grabbed Bo in midair by his flank. The Lamai’s sharp nails dug into the wolf’s side as he hit the ground.

Bo, though dazed, saw Tobias appear, his fangs fully extended, his irises the color of clear water. Menacing rage surrounded Tobias.

The ancient vampire seemed to double in size, but it was too late.

Laroque’s eyes flashed yellow. He had morphed between the spaces of time in seconds and bit down into Raven’s tender flesh. Crimson blood trickled onto her neck and down the front of her gown.

An invisible barrier kept the outside world at bay while Philippe Laroque acted out his ultimate plan of revenge.

Tobias plowed into the energy blockade, sending a ripple through the air. Bo shifted back to his mortal form and looked at Jade, who stood staring wide eyed at her father.

Solaris grabbed Julianna and Bridget’s hands, racing over to Nicolette’s grave. Emerald stood at the front of the crowd, staring at Tobias as he recovered from his impact with the magickal shield Laroque had constructed.

The three women began to chant, calling on the spirit of Nicolette Strigoi.

“Spirit gone beyond the veil, aid us now, we must not fail.

Break this magick wall of ire, in perfect love, we all conspire.

Let love break this evil spell, and save your child, we must compel.”

The chanting grew in intensity. The townspeople joined, aiding in the spell’s power.

Mick stood beside Jade as they all watched in horror as Laroque drained Raven of her blood.

“Spirit gone beyond the veil, aid us now, we must not fail.

Break this magick wall of ire, in perfect love, we all conspire.

Let love break this evil spell, and save your child, we must compel.”

Again, they pleaded to Nicolette.

Emerald quickly made her way over to where Solaris and the others stood watching the drama unfold.

“No!” Bo cried, racing to the perimeter of the impenetrable circle. He clawed at it in desperation, determined to break through. His soul was shattered. He looked down at his blood soaked shirt, which gave him the appearance of truly dying of a broken heart.

“Raven! Mitawa!”

Laroque nicked the skin on his wrist and placed it to Raven’s mouth. His eyes met Tobias’s as he gave him a bloody smile. It seemed to say, I win.

Like a hungry babe, she drank.

Jade stormed over to where progenitor and progeny stood, her eyes glazed. The shield dissolved.

Mick rushed to her side.

“Stop,” Jade said, only it was Nicolette’s voice. “Philippe, you must stop this madness. Tobias is not to blame.”

It was too late.

Laroque stared at his daughter, “Nicki…” he whispered.

“It was Frank Dubois. He killed me, not Tobias. I tried to tell you, but your anger kept you from hearing me-from hearing the truth.”

Bo crawled to Raven and took her into his arms. “Oh, my love…I’m so sorry.” He sobbed as he held her, her body limp, blood dripping from her lips.

“Tobias!” Nicolette called from Jade’s mouth.

Bo watched as Tobias loomed inches away from Laroque, his sights locked on Jade. His fangs were fully extended and ready to sink into the man’s neck to avenge his daughter’s attack. His eyes were now red with the call of death. His body appeared rigid.

Nicolette’s spirit lamented. “This hatred has to end. Don’t, my love-don’t take Jade’s father from her, please.”

His anger was palpable. “What of your other daughter?”

She whispered only for him. “Do you trust me, love?”

Tobias pleaded for an answer. “H-how did this happen? I don’t understand.”

“I love you, Tobias. I’ll always love you.”

“Meu dragoste…”

Before collapsing into Mick’s arms, Jade struggled to speak. “Get Raven to the hospital.”

Philippe Laroque rode the mists off the island, followed by Henri.

“Emerald, go with them. I’ll meet you all there,” Tobias ordered before he disappeared.

“She’s still with us,” Bo murmured, carrying Raven to his car. “I feel her heart beating.”

They piled into the car left by Jade’s father. The keys were still in the ignition. Mick drove while Bo held Raven’s nearly lifeless body in the backseat, whispering words of his never-ending love for her, pleading for her not to leave him, promising he would follow wherever she went. Even to death’s door.