Bound By Blood

Nothing happened.

She tried again, frowning as the silver grew warm in her hands, and then began to burn. Silver had never burned her before.

Ignoring the pain, she tugged on the chain again and yet again, but to no avail.

“Katy, stop,” Zack said. “Your hands . . .”

“I don’t care. I have to get you out of here.”

“Stop.” He took her hands in his. Her palms were red and blistering. “I think your father has infused some vampire mojo in the silver.”

With a sigh, Kaitlyn sat beside him, her legs stretched out in front of her, her thigh brushing his. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “I didn’t think he’d do anything like this. What will happen when the sun is overhead? Will you . . . ?”

“Burst into flame? No. Only the dead do that.”

“But it will burn you, won’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll go get some towels and blankets to cover you with. And an umbrella, if I can find one. And something to drink . . .”

“A negative, if you’ve got it,” he said with a tight smile.

“This is no time for jokes.”

He caught her by the hand. “Stay, Katy.”

“But . . .”

“Just for a little while.”

She sank back down beside him, her gaze searching his face. “Do you need to feed?”

“Are you offering?”

She nodded.

Zack swore softly. It was one thing to take a taste while they were snuggling together, another to feed off of her, as if she was no more than prey. And yet, he could feel the heat of the rising sun, knew it would leech his strength as it seared his flesh.

Kaitlyn brushed the hair away from her neck and tilted her head to the side. “You need it, Zack. Just do it.”

He slid his arm around her shoulders and kissed her, his lips moving over hers, trailing kisses over her cheek, down the side of her neck, back up to the soft tender place beneath her ear. He didn’t want to feed off her, but the change in her breathing, the sudden thundering of her heartbeat, wiped away all thought of resisting. She moaned softly as his fangs pierced her flesh, not a sound of pain, but of pleasure.

Her blood was warm and sweet and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed to pull back. To let her go.

She smiled at him.

“Katy. Dammit . . .”

She pressed her fingertips to his lips. “Don’t.”

“It isn’t right.”

“Stop it. If I needed blood, you’d give me yours, wouldn’t you?”

“Okay,” he conceded. “Point taken.”

“Good.” She glanced at the hole in the roof. “I’d better go get those blankets.”

Zack nodded. He hated to see her go, even for a short time, but blocking the sun was the only way to keep it from burning him to a crisp. He had been burned once before and it wasn’t something he wanted to experience again.

Leaning his head back against the side of the tower, he closed his eyes. He had been a young vampire then, still cocky enough to think he was invincible. He had been idling in one of the pubs, flirting with one of the doxies. He could have compelled her to go with him, but that took all the fun out of it. Finally, she agreed to let him take her home. She had been a lusty wench and they had made love far into the night. Drunk on her blood, amused by her stamina, he had paid little attention to the time until it was too late, until he felt the first sharp pain skate over his skin when the morning sun filtered through the open window of her bedroom.

When he tried to leave, she grabbed hold of him with both hands, begging him to stay. Each second in the sun’s light had been torture. Finally, not caring what she would think, he threw her across the room, his movements hampered by the sheets tangled around his legs.

Muttering an oath, he had dissolved into mist and fled the house.

If not for the heavy chains that bound him to the tower wall, he would have done the same thing now. But the silver negated his preternatural power, leaving him weak and vulnerable to the sun’s light.

It took Kaitlyn only moments to return to her bedroom, where she gathered up an armful of blankets and quilts. Hurrying into the kitchen, she grabbed a few bags of blood from the refrigerator.

She glanced at the clock as she made her way back to the tower. The mortals who lived within the Fortress would be waking soon. Even as she ducked through the doorway that led to the tower stairs, she heard the hum of voices drifting up from the kitchen below.

Muttering, “That was close,” she raced up the stairs.

When she entered the tower, Zack was pressed up against the wall as far as he could go. His eyes were closed against the sun’s light. Was he already asleep?

She whispered his name, but there was no response. It was probably for the best, she thought. If he was asleep, maybe the pain wouldn’t be so bad.

She quickly spread the quilts and blankets over him, making sure he was covered from head to foot. When that was done, she tucked the bagged blood under the blankets where he would be sure to find it.

“I’ll get you out of here as soon as I can,” she promised, her anger at her father sparking to life with renewed fury.

She was about to leave the tower when her gaze fell on the broken door. Lifting the largest piece, she angled it over Zack so that one end rested on the floor and the other rested against the wall, providing added protection from the sun.

With a satisfied nod, she left the tower.

And went directly to her parents’ apartment. She knocked softly, and when there was no response, she knocked again, harder. “Mom?”

Elena opened the door and peered into the hallway. “Kaitlyn, what is it?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Now?”

“Yes, right now. It’s important.”

“Come on in.”

“Not here. In my room.”

“All right, give me a few minutes.”

True to her word, Elena arrived shortly thereafter. “Is something wrong, sweetie?”

Kaitlyn closed and locked the door. “Zack is here.”

“What?”

“Zack, he’s here. You didn’t know?”

Elena shook her head. “No. Where is he?”

“Dad locked him in the tower. I’ve got to get him out of there.” She blinked back her tears. “Before it’s too late.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. A little uncomfortable, perhaps. I can’t imagine why your father put him up there.”

“Mom, Zack’s a vampire. One of... of the Others.”

“Oh, dear.” Elena sank down on the edge of the mattress, and then frowned. “Where’s your bedding?”

“I used it to cover Zack. Mom, you have to help me! I love Zack.”

“I don’t know what I can do. You know how your father feels about the Others, and from what I’ve heard, I can’t say as I blame him.”

Kaitlyn stared at her mother. “You don’t even know Zack. He’s wonderful.” She clenched her hands, her anger and frustration growing. She had been so sure she could count on her mother for help. “If you won’t help me free Zack, I’ll find someone who will!”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Help me get him out of the tower before it’s too late.”

Elena shook her head. “I can’t believe your father didn’t tell me about this.”

Kaitlyn sat beside her mother. “He’s a monster.”

“Kaitlyn, what a terrible thing to say about your father!”

“How can you defend him? Zack could die up there! He never did anything to anyone here. Dad has no right to . . .”

“Your father has every right to do what he thinks is best for us.”

“And killing Zack is best?” Kaitlyn sprang to her feet and began to pace the floor. “He has no right to judge Zack. He doesn’t even know him. And neither do you!”

“Kaitlyn, calm down. I’ll speak to your father as soon as he wakes up.”

“I can’t wait that long. Will you help me?”

“I assume you tried to free Zack and failed?”

Kaitlyn nodded.

“That’s what I thought. What do you think I can do that you couldn’t? I don’t have any superpowers.”

“Maybe between the two of us, we can free him,” Kaitlyn said. She didn’t wait for an answer. Unlocking the door, she turned to face her mother. “Are you coming?”

“Your father won’t be happy about this,” Elena said. “Not happy at all . . . oh,” she murmured as the door swung open and she saw her husband standing on the other side.

“What is it I will not be happy about?” he asked, glancing from his wife to his daughter and back again.

“I want you to let Zack go,” Kaitlyn said angrily. “Right now.”

He didn’t waste time pretending he didn’t know what she was talking about. “This is between me and him.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Drake,” Elena said, taking a place between her husband and her daughter. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

“Two against one,” he muttered. “That is hardly fair.”

“This isn’t like you,” Elena said. “If Kaitlyn loves him . . . we have to trust her judgment.”

“You two can argue later,” Kaitlyn said. “Dad, please get Zack down from the tower.”

Drake stared at his daughter. He had rarely refused her anything she asked for, but this . . . As far back as he could remember, he had been taught that the Others could not be trusted, that they were monsters, incapable of human emotions. And yet his daughter loved Zack. And Zack must love her in return, else why would he have come this far to find her?

“I will release him from the tower when the sun goes down . . .” He held up a hand when Kaitlyn started to speak. “But he will have to stay in the dungeon until I am sure I can trust him.”