Branded, Chapter 1
“Brenna, I’ve come to fetch you.” David was a few inches taller than my 5’ 6”. I’d always thought that his dark hair and piercing blue eyes made him appear larger. In that he took after our father. I however, took after our mother, auburn hair, hazel eyes and enough freckles to make my nose appear tan even in the winter.
He stood there starring at me as if he expected me to grab my purse and head out with him. I’d learned a new word since being banished and watched his eyes widen with shock after stating it with a bit more force than necessary, “No.”
“You’ve to come. The Council demands that you do.” His voice was firmer now, almost righteous when he used the word council.
“Screw the council. I no longer answer to them.” His face went pale and then red with anger as he stepped closer to the counter separating us. I glanced around the bookstore, my bookstore, and made sure that it was indeed empty. Satisfied that it was I turned my eyes back toward him.
“Don’t you dare disrespect the Council, Brenna.” He dared to scold me? What alternate universe was he now residing in?
“I’m not Brenna. I haven’t been for quite some time.” My sarcastic streak kicked in as I smiled my best “have a nice day” smile and said, “Thanks for stopping by. It was great seeing you again.”
He slammed his hands down on the counter causing my antique cash register to ding. Lucky for him none of the displays fell from the counter. That was one thing I was picky about; the store had to be neat, cozy and inviting but foremost neat. He took a hold of my wrist. Breaking another rule of my banishment, there was to be no touching.
I broke his hold with a quick movement of my hand. “You’re starting to really annoy me.” I told him in my icy “eat shit and die” voice. Another talent I’d found I had p.b. (post banishment).
I watched him take a deep breathe and compose himself, reasoning was probably up next on our conversation agenda, so I waited as he said, “He’s going to awaken soon and he’ll want you. What are we supposed to tell him?” Not reasoning, a guilt trip. Minus two points for my conversation analysis skills.
“I don’t know. Tell him that after protecting his ass, as was my sworn duty, I was banished and thus left the family fold.” Translation, you all screwed yourselves, now deal with it.
“But if he can’t find you…”
“He’ll find me.” I was beyond shock and annoyance now, anger was beginning to run through my veins. “I wear his mark, remember? Some things even your almighty council can’t change.” He had no response to that. I didn’t really expect him to. “Now I’ve a book club set to start in 15 minutes so unless you’ve a burning desire to discuss Christine Feehan’s latest novel, I suggest you leave.”
After a moment’s study of my face he turned and walked to the door. It was ironic that his back walking away would once again be my last memory of him. At least this time I wasn’t naked, heartbroken and crying.
Shockingly he stopped his exit with the door slightly cracked, his back still toward me. “One question, why Phoenix?”
I didn’t hesitate with my response, “Because they always rise from the ashes, just like I had to. The name seemed to fit the new me.” One nod and he was gone. Leaving me to wonder how long I had until the vampire I’d been betrothed to as an infant arrived. Looking for blood, my blood.
The drool on my chin was cooling fast. Disgusting. Whenever I woke up with drool on my chin all I can think about is an old episode of “Home Improvement” where Tim Allen’s character told on air that his wife drooled so much he thought that he might launch a boat in it and watch it float. So humiliating. If I remember properly she didn’t give him nearly enough grief for being such an inconsiderate ass. I lifted my hand and wiped away the wet only to stop with my hand on my chin. The chin currently facing the ceiling because I was on my back. I never drooled when I was on my back. Shit. Hopefully the wet was drool because if it was a different someone else’s bodily fluid they were going to pay, big time.
I opened my eyes quickly, and saw the face that shouldn’t have been able to get into my room. Damn vampire. The clock to the left of his shoulder glowed red telling me that it was 3 am, about the only hour that it was dark here in Alaska during the summer. I had thought for at least that one hour I’d be safe. Silly of me, my only excuse was that I’d been out of the world that believed in vampires so long that I didn’t remember the craftiness of them.
“Why are you slobbering over me?” I know most women would have gone with, ‘Ahhh, get out of here!’ while lifting their sheet to cover their nakedness. Luckily I wasn’t one of those women. Because seriously, who wanted a screamer in such a small room. The echo alone would cause my ears to ring. “You’re getting my chin wet and that’s just disgusting.”
“Mine.” Had I mentioned that he was a talkative guy, my formerly betrothed?
“Wrong.” I would have sat up but he was looming, slightly creepy but not really anything new between the two of us.
“Mine.” This time he growled the word as he took a hold of my shoulders lifting me until my naked breasts nestled against his chest, thank goodness he had a shirt on or I’d have been even more annoyed.
“No! I am not yours, hands off.” His skin was paler than the last time I’d seen him. Probably because he hadn’t eaten in the several days since he’d risen, I could understand how that would make him a bit perturbed. However, it did not give him an excuse to grab me as though I was his woman. When he didn’t release me I wedged my hands between our chests and pushed. He didn’t budge an inch however he did lift his head from its decent toward my neck and looked at me. Something shifted in his eyes.
“Brenna?” I’d never refused him before, that’d been then, and this was now.
“Myka, let me go.” I didn’t like the slightly lost look that had come into his eyes when I’d said his name. He shook his head and then leaned down again. Maybe I should let him feed at least then he’d be able to think more clearly, on one condition. “Not my neck.” I said it firmly and he lifted his head again, watching me closely. “You can feed from me but not my neck. The bruise will be too hard to cover.” That and I didn’t want the sensation of his lips on my neck. “You can take from my wrist.” I pushed my right hand up until my fingers brushed the underside of his chin.
I could see his distaste with the idea but when I didn’t back my hand away he shifted and used his left hand to lift my offered wrist to his mouth. I saw his fangs then, the white of them glistened from the aforementioned drool as he brushed them across the visibly blue vein of my wrist. I held my breath as his tongue came out to swipe the spot where the permanent creases in my skin were. I forced a small sigh out, “Get it over with. We’ve things to discuss. Like how the hell you got here so quickly. You sure as hell didn’t just travel at night.”
Arrogance came across his pale face just before he bit me. The urge to pull my wrist away from him was strong, so was his grip. I fought the former and won. The latter was immovable, so I didn’t even try. It burned, oh I know that the romance novels said according to them there was a flash of pain and then ecstasy. That might be for some feeding rituals, I’ve read my ancestors’ journals and they had explained those rituals with enthusiasm. When the blood was taken from the prey’s (that’s right, prey, I was under no delusions) wrist that ecstasy didn’t come. Instead it burned. And then I swear, you could almost feel your veins begin to shrivel from the blood being quickly sucked from them, followed by the sensation that you’re floating, like when they put you under anesthesia, finally you black out. Either you wake up because the vamp stops before he drains you or you don’t because you’re dead.
Right now I was at the floating stage. Since I had no plans to feint I lifted my left hand, which felt like it weighed a ton and smacked him upside the head. The force of the blow wasn’t strong enough to cause his deeply imbedded fangs to move which saved me from a couple of odd scars, it was strong enough to get his attention though. He met my gaze with his, he no longer looked as gaunt as he had. When I raised my hand to whack him again he growled and then retracted his fangs from my wrist. My blood continued to seep from the holes.
I watched through the haze as he lifted my wrist carefully and licked the two spots until they were oozing no more. Gracious of him I’m sure. What I realized then was that none of my ancestors had mentioned the strange appeal of seeing the vamp in your life lick your blood from his lips, savoring the taste of you. I’m sure I wouldn’t have shivered from the sight if I’d been warned ahead of time.
“Thank you.” Two simple words which sounded oddly profound when spoken in Myka’s rumbling tones. His voice was one that had always made my chest tighten, like Earl Jones only more gravelly.
“Sure, now get off my bed. I need to get up and get some juice or something.” I still hadn’t covered up my nakedness. When had I had the time? He was watching my breasts as I spoke, not my eyes. Typical male, vamp or not.
“Those are new.” He sounded a bit mystified. I looked at my breasts and then him, I’d had them for a while now. Then it hit me, the last time he had seen me I had been just as flat as an ironing board.
“Since the last time you awoke, yes. Now move.” I used both hands to shove him this time. He still didn’t move under the force but at least he was looking at my face and not my breasts. He must have seen the effects of the blood loss on my face because he stood and offered me a helping hand. I didn’t want it.
I didn’t want anything to do with him.
I bent under his hand to snag the oversized t-shirt that I’d dropped to the floor before bed. I put it on before moving out from under the blanket, it had been covering me from the waist down which I was grateful for.
He followed me out of my slightly bare bedroom. The only real decoration was the wall of earrings, in my opinion all women should display their earrings in a similar fashion. It made choosing the pair for the day so much easier. All you needed was some strong screen material and some picture frames sans back and voila instant earring organizers.
I live above my bookstore. I see no reason to live anywhere else. I pay practically nothing for gas since I never really drive further than the grocery store and that was only in the winter. Otherwise I walked. And this way I can go downstairs and snag a book in the middle of the night should the mood strike. It was like having a library of my own but without the requirement of waiting in line or going only to find that the book you wanted had been checked out by another.
The teapot on my stove was already full of water. I turned the heating coil on as I walked by. I turned on the overhead light and enjoyed Myka’s hiss. The light probably wouldn’t have hurt his eyes so badly if not for the fact that it was a UV light and it reflected so very well off of my bright orange walls. You heard me right, orange. The color and light was a great way to stave off the depression that tended to creep up when the darkness of winter lost its new factor. I refused to be depressed by winter; I have too many things that I could be depressed about without adding a temperamental season.
He found the light switch behind me, or at least I think he did, because suddenly it was once again dark.
“That is much better.”
“Sure, for you. You’re the night vision guru so find my tub of hot cocoa or I’m going to turn the lights on again.”
“Your what?”
“Tub of hot cocoa powder.” I said it slowly as if talking to a small child. Having been raised with brothers I knew that the difference between a small child and a full grown male was very little on occasion. I couldn’t say if it was an all of the time thing since for the majority of my brothers’ adult lives I hadn’t been around. Banishment will do that to siblings, you know?
I didn’t hear him move but suddenly the tub was in front of my face. I didn’t thank him, he’s the one that turned off the lights after all. “Do you want a cup?”
“No.” He hissed again, which was weird because I hadn’t turned on the lights.
“What?” I asked, concerned. So much for my plan of allowing him to feed and then kicking him out.
“Sunrise is fast approaching.”
“Yeah, that happens here. One of the reasons I chose it.” Damn, why had I admitted to that, he didn’t need to know my reasons for moving, it was none of his business.
“Hmm, do you have a basement in this structure?” I rolled my eyes.
“No.”
“Then I am going to leave you now.” I almost applauded and then he ruined my euphoria by adding, “I will see you next sunset, Brenna.”
“I’m not Brenna.” His head tilted to one side in silent inquiry. “I’m Phoenix. No one calls me Brenna anymore.” I heard the challenge and anger in my voice and hid a wince by turning to fill my coffee cup with cocoa powder and water. His hand lifted the hair from my neck, almost causing my coffee cup to fall from my grip.
“I do.” He declared scraping his fangs against the side of my neck. Then he was gone and I was left wondering how in the name of Hades he had managed to get into my home sans an invitation. Myka wouldn’t find it so easy tomorrow night.
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