Blood Relations - Chapter 4

Vicky rolled her head over on her pillow to look at the door as it creaked open. Amber stood in the doorway, dressed in a black T-shirt that must have belonged to Charles. On him the shirt would have been tight fitting, but the bottom hung to Amber’s knees, and the sleeves billowed just above her elbows.

Vicky wanted to be happy that Amber was coming to sleep with her, but she couldn’t get rid of the scowl creasing her face.

Amber ignored her, closing the door to plunge the room into total darkness. She padded to the bed, uttering a whine when she clunked her shin against the wooden box frame. An angry growl rushed out of her chest, but it quickly turned into an annoyed laugh before she crawled onto the bed.

Vicky rolled onto her side to turn away from Amber, and the bed springs creaked until they both settled themselves.

A few seconds passed before Amber laid her hand on Vicky’s back, just below her shoulder blade. Her other hand settled under the other shoulder blade, and she started to massage Vicky’s back.

“Stop it,” Vicky said.

“Don’t be mad at me, please?” Amber kept massaging to work the knots out of Vicky’s muscles. “We’re already mad at each other so often now that we never talk anymore. We just fight.”

“We fight because you won’t listen to me.” Vicky rolled over, taking hold of Amber’s hands to push them away. “Would you stop it?”

“I’m just tying to help,” Amber whined, her voice cracking as if she were on the verge of tears. “Talk to me, please. You’re the only thing I’ve got left, and now...”

Amber scooted closer, taking Vicky’s hand in both of hers. She drew it back and laid Vicky’s palm over her heart. Amber’s pulse was fluttering erratically from fear and anguish. Her emotions rolled off her skin as a mournful scent that in turn depressed Vicky and left her feeling hollow.

“Amber, what you’re planning...” A frustrated sigh burst from Vicky’s lips. “It’s not something that usually works out for the mother.”

“How do you know so much about it?”

“I told you before that I met a halfling in Scotland. He showed me some of his family’s past. There were experiments his family did to enhance their genetic stock.” Vicky was surprised by the heavy tear that spilled onto the bridge of her nose at the thought of William, and as she blinked, another tear dropped down her cheek to seep into the pillow. “The halflings gave up on mating with vampires before the inquisitions, because the only way for a mother to survive is to become a blood drinker.”

“I understood—”

“You don’t understand anything,” Vicky whispered angrily. “This isn’t a craving you can put off, and it isn’t a voluntary addiction you can indulge in when you please. The life inside you will feed constantly, and you will either keep pace with their demands, or you will die.”

She heaved a long sigh. “No matter what you think you’re capable of, you’re still weak from starving yourself. This will put a huge strain on you, and you’ll always need to eat. I mean two victims’ worth per night, Amber.”

Silence filled the room. Amber rubbed the back of Vicky’s hand, urging her to keep talking. “You’re still not listening,” Vicky said.

“I am,” Amber insisted. “Tell me why it doesn’t work out for the mothers who carry a baby to full term.”

“The few women who survived were burned at the stake. They were killed along with their children, who were called abominations. The mothers who survived left a trail of bodies behind them so big, even an idiot could find them. So it wasn’t hard for them to be tracked down.”

“Okay, but I don’t have to hunt for victims, do I? There’s a whole refrigerator filled with blood, and an army of volunteers willing to feed me.” Amber moved closer again, bending her knee to touch Vicky’s thigh. “I’m listening to you, Vicky. Are you listening to me? Or do I not get to have an opinion because I’m just your pet?”

“You know that’s not how I think of you,” Vicky said.

“I don’t know anything. You won’t tell me how you feel.” Amber shifted on the bed, then raised her head to rest her cheek against Vicky’s.

The fear was gone from her scent, leaving behind only her natural aroma mixed with a faint trace of soap. Her hair was still damp from a shower, and the floral scent of conditioner added to the heady mixture.

Vicky breathed in and shuddered, her lips brushing over the side of Amber’s throat. Her teeth ached, and she realized how easy it would be for her to end her problems with one bite.

But no, then she would be alone, and the guilt of killing Amber would be too much for her to bear. She suffered enough under the burden of guilt for screwing up their lives, and adding to the pile could crush the life from Vicky, even if she was supposedly immortal.

Vicky closed her arms around Amber, moving her head to bring her lips up to Amber’s ear. “You’re my partner, and I would give anything to keep you safe.”

Amber nodded. “I love you, and I would give anything to see you happy again.”

“How will this make me happy?” Vicky asked, her voice quivering with raw anguish. “You’re putting yourself in too much risk, and it’s not even my kid. It’s yours.”

“It can be ours, okay?” Amber kissed Vicky’s cheek, a brush of skin against skin so soft, it felt like a butterfly’s wing.

Vicky pushed Amber back, because the urge that came to her then had nothing to do with hunger. “All right, I’ll go through with this, but please, give me some space. You’re making me feel funny.”

A soft rush of air escaped Amber in a snort. “Like ‘hmm funny,’ or ‘ha ha funny?’”

Vicky allowed herself a tiny smile. “Hmm funny, and since I had the impression that you were straight, I don’t think I should be thinking what I’m thinking.”

Silence. Vicky could feel Amber trembling, her chest tight while she tried to keep from laughing. Vicky asked, “You are straight, right?”

“Maaaaaybe,” Amber said and giggled coyly. “Would you like to find out?”

Vicky’s mouth went dry, and she swallowed so hard it made a sound. Which caused Amber to laugh even more. “Uh, maybe later.”