The Blood Bargain
1609 Words
For three full seconds, Lily Harper forgot how breathing worked.
Jace Nightshade stood in the doorway of her apartment like he'd materialized from the darkness itself.
Silver eyes.
Calm expression.
Danger wrapped in a gorgeous package.
And he'd just told her he could save her mother.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
"Where is she?"
Jace tilted his head.
"Straight to business. I like that."
"Where. Is. My. Mother?"
The amusement vanished from his face.
"Alive. For now."
Lily's stomach twisted.
For now.
Not exactly comforting.
"Who took her?"
"A rebel pack."
Jace stepped farther into the room.
"Their leader works with vampire hunters."
Lily blinked.
Of course.
Because apparently her life had upgraded from werewolves to an entire supernatural cinematic universe overnight.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Did you just say vampire hunters?"
"Yes."
"Actual vampires?"
"Yes."
She rubbed her temples.
"Fantastic."
Jace almost smiled.
"They kidnapped your mother because of you."
Guilt hit immediately.
Cold and sharp.
"What do they want?"
"You."
Lily had expected that answer.
Still hated hearing it.
Jace crossed his arms.
"They discovered the truth about your blood."
"The Lunar Blood thing?"
"Yes."
The way he said it made the title sound ancient.
Sacred.
Dangerous.
Jace's expression darkened.
"Your blood isn't just rare."
A cold wind drifted through the broken balcony doorway.
"The closer we get to the full moon, the stronger it becomes."
Lily swallowed.
"What does that mean?"
"It means every wolf within miles will smell it."
His silver eyes fixed on hers.
"And they'll want it."
The way he said want sent a chill through her.
Not desire.
Need.
Obsession.
Addiction.
Jace continued quietly.
"On the night of the full moon, your blood glows."
"...Glows."
"Literally."
She stared.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Very much yes."
Lily covered her face.
This was ridiculous.
Impossible.
Insane.
Yet somehow she believed every word.
Because she'd seen Marcus kill a giant wolf with his bare hands.
At this point glowing blood barely cracked the top ten weirdest things she'd learned today.
Jace took a step closer.
"If we're going to save your mother, I need something first."
Lily immediately tensed.
"What?"
"A drop."
His gaze dropped to her hand.
"One drop of your blood."
The apartment suddenly felt colder.
"Why?"
"Because I need strength."
The honesty surprised her.
Most people would have lied.
Manipulated.
Jace simply told the truth.
"One drop?" she asked.
"One."
"And that's it?"
"That's it."
Something flickered in his eyes.
Something almost guilty.
Lily hesitated.
Every instinct screamed not to trust him.
Unfortunately, her mother was somewhere out there.
Possibly dying.
And Jace was the only lead she had.
"Damn it."
She walked to the kitchen.
Grabbed a sewing needle from a drawer.
Returned.
Jace watched silently.
Lily stared at the tiny metal point.
"This is officially the weirdest thing I've ever done."
Then she jabbed her fingertip.
Pain flared.
A bright red bead of blood appeared.
For a second nothing happened.
Then the scent hit the air.
Jace froze.
Completely froze.
His eyes widened.
"Oh..."
The sound came out almost broken.
Like a starving man smelling food.
Lily's pulse quickened.
The blood droplet shimmered strangely beneath the kitchen light.
Almost silver.
Almost glowing.
Jace stepped closer.
Too close.
His gaze locked onto the tiny drop.
Every muscle in his body tightened.
"Jace?"
He didn't answer.
His pupils expanded.
The silver disappeared.
Golden light erupted inside his eyes.
Not human.
Not normal.
Wolf.
A low growl escaped his throat.
The sound made every hair on Lily's body stand up.
Then—
He grabbed her wrist.
Fast.
Before she could react.
His tongue brushed her fingertip.
The blood vanished.
For one heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then Jace staggered backward.
A strangled sound tore from his chest.
He dropped to one knee.
"Lily—"
His voice cracked.
Power exploded through the room.
Invisible.
Violent.
The windows rattled.
The lights flickered.
Jace's head snapped upward.
Gold blazed inside his eyes like twin suns.
His breathing became ragged.
Pain.
Ecstasy.
Both at once.
Lily stared.
"What the hell is happening to you?"
Jace laughed.
The sound was wild.
Unstable.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
"You have no idea."
The muscles beneath his shirt visibly tightened.
Expanded.
His scent filled the apartment.
Forest.
Rain.
Wolf.
Stronger than before.
Much stronger.
Several seconds passed before he regained control.
Slowly.
Painfully.
The gold faded.
Silver returned.
Jace wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
Then looked directly at her.
Dead serious.
"Never do that again."
Lily blinked.
"You asked for it."
"Not that."
His voice sharpened.
"Never give any Alpha more than a drop."
A cold sensation crawled down her spine.
"Why?"
Jace's jaw tightened.
"Because they won't stop."
Silence.
The implication landed heavily.
"They'll become addicted?"
His expression said everything.
"More than addicted."
The room felt suddenly smaller.
"If an Alpha gets enough Lunar Blood..." Jace said quietly, "...you stop being a person."
Lily's stomach dropped.
"You become property."
Fear twisted inside her.
Jace stepped toward the balcony.
"We need to move."
"Now?"
"Now."
"Can we please stop having life-changing conversations every five minutes?"
"No."
"Thought so."
—
The drive took forty minutes.
Jace's motorcycle roared through the night.
Lily clung to his jacket as cold air whipped across her face.
The city lights disappeared behind them.
Dark forests replaced concrete.
The moon hung overhead.
Larger than she remembered.
Watching.
Waiting.
Eventually Jace slowed.
A cluster of abandoned warehouses emerged from the darkness.
Rusting metal.
Broken windows.
Dead silence.
"Here."
Lily climbed off the motorcycle.
Her heart pounded.
"She's inside?"
Jace nodded.
Then frowned.
Something wasn't right.
His body suddenly became tense.
Predatory.
Dangerous.
"What?"
Jace inhaled sharply.
His expression changed.
"Oh."
"What?"
"Marcus got here first."
Lily's stomach dropped.
The warehouse doors hung open.
Metal twisted outward.
As though something massive had smashed through them.
The scent of blood filled the air.
Fresh blood.
Lots of it.
They entered cautiously.
The first body appeared ten feet inside.
Then another.
Then another.
Lily froze.
Every kidnapper was dead.
Some had claw marks across their throats.
Others lay broken against walls.
The concrete floor was stained red.
The warehouse looked less like a battlefield and more like a m******e.
A one-sided m******e.
Jace whistled softly.
"Well."
Lily stared.
"What happened?"
Jace's voice was grim.
"Marcus happened."
They moved deeper inside.
More bodies.
More destruction.
Broken weapons.
Silver ammunition.
Spent shell casings.
Signs of a desperate fight.
Yet only one wolf scent dominated the building.
Marcus.
A growl echoed from the far end of the warehouse.
Lily spun.
Her mother stood there.
Alive.
Terrified.
Untouched.
"Mom!"
Lily ran.
Her mother pulled her into a crushing hug.
"Oh my God, Lily."
Tears filled her eyes instantly.
"You okay?"
"I should be asking you that."
They clung to each other for several precious seconds.
Then Lily noticed someone standing behind her mother.
Marcus.
He looked awful.
And somehow even more dangerous because of it.
Blood covered his black shirt.
Cuts marked his face.
His breathing was heavier than usual.
Then Lily saw his arm.
Her heart stopped.
A silver bullet had torn through his left bicep.
The wound smoked.
Actually smoked.
White vapor curled into the air.
Burning flesh filled the warehouse.
Marcus remained standing.
Pure stubborn Alpha determination.
But his skin looked pale.
Too pale.
Jace cursed.
"Silver."
Marcus ignored him.
His gaze remained fixed on Lily.
Making sure she was safe.
Only then did some of the tension leave his shoulders.
Lily stared.
Confused.
This didn't fit the monster image she'd been building.
He'd come here alone.
Fought an entire rebel pack.
Saved her mother.
And gotten shot doing it.
Why?
The answer came immediately.
Because of her.
The realization made something uncomfortable twist inside her chest.
Marcus swayed slightly.
Just enough for her to notice.
Without thinking, she moved.
Toward him.
Jace's expression darkened instantly.
Marcus watched her approach.
Surprised.
"You need treatment."
"I'll heal."
"You're bleeding."
"So are several other people."
Typical.
Insufferable Alpha.
Lily grabbed a nearby first-aid kit from a wall cabinet.
Apparently even kidnappers believed in workplace safety.
She returned.
Marcus didn't stop her.
Didn't move.
Didn't speak.
He simply watched.
The warehouse suddenly felt very quiet.
Lily carefully wrapped the bandage around his injured arm.
His muscles flexed beneath her fingers.
Warm.
Solid.
Dangerous.
The scent of pine and smoke surrounded her again.
Stronger than ever.
Marcus looked down at her.
Something changed in his expression.
Something raw.
Unprotected.
For one strange moment, neither spoke.
Neither looked away.
The world narrowed.
Just the two of them.
The Alpha.
And the girl he'd been watching for years.
Lily finished the bandage.
"There."
Marcus stared at her hand.
Then reached for it.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
His fingers closed around hers.
Heat shot up her arm.
"Lily."
Her pulse jumped.
Before she could respond, Marcus pulled.
Hard.
She stumbled forward.
Straight into his chest.
A gasp escaped her.
Marcus's arm wrapped around her waist.
Holding her.
Claiming her.
The wolf inside his eyes surfaced.
Hungry.
Possessive.
Certain.
"Lily..."
His voice sounded rough.
Almost painful.
Then he lowered his head.
And kissed her.
Hard.
The impact stole her breath.
Heat exploded through her body.
Wild.
Dangerous.
Overwhelming.
Across the warehouse, hidden within the shadows, Jace's hand tightened around a fallen tree branch.
Crack.
The wood snapped cleanly in half.
Neither Lily nor Marcus noticed.
They were too lost in the storm.
Too distracted to see what was happening.
Or what was awakening.
Because beneath the torn fabric on Marcus's back, just below his shoulder, a wolf-head mark slowly began to glow.
Dark red.
Ancient.
Alive.
The Mate Mark.
And once it awakened, only one fate remained.
One of them would die.
- Writer
