Bloody desires

Chapter 4

Knox

It was eleven thirty, and I was just entering the Binding Chamber of the Damned Tower, when Rowan Doralia, a family friend and one of the Council, waved me over. Regrettably, he wasn’t alone either – Hugo and Serafina, his children, were standing alongside him. Usually I wouldn’t care, but since mother told me about what Serafina was spreading around, she wasn’t one of my favorite people. Her brother was fine, I guess.

“Rowan.” I nodded in greeting, then turned to Hugo – who nodded back, and kissed Serafina on the cheek. No need to openly show my displeasure yet.

“I assume you had other business to conclude since you’re running late?” Rowan prodded. It wasn’t supposed to be a dig at me, so I let it slide.

“Late?” I raised my brows, “As I see it, the Ritual hadn’t yet begun and there was really no other reason why I would be here a whole hour early.”

To be completely honest, I wouldn’t be here at all if it wasn’t for one little redhead whose binding it was. My father expected me to show, sure, but that wouldn’t mean anything if I didn’t want to come.

“Really? Not even to keep me company and save me from the boredom of this ridiculous ceremony?” Serafina added with a small, gentle smile. I’m sure any other man would be happy to have her attention. She was beautiful, after all, with her white blonde hair and blue eyes, but she also had one flaw – she always wanted something she couldn’t have. In this case, that something was me.

“I don’t see why I would be necessary, Fina.” It was as gentle let down as I could muster. “Hugo is more than enough to keep you from boredom of unnecessary chit-chat.”

“Hugo is an idiot.” She said while her brother rolled his eyes. “Anyway, do you know who’s going to be the ‘mighty’ Fifth? Dad won’t tell us anything.”

I looked in Rowan’s direction questioningly. As a Council member, I knew he was informed, so I wasn’t sure why he kept this from them. At my silent question, he said,

“Tell them. They’ll find out soon enough anyway.”

I looked a second longer, trying to figure out why would he kept quiet, and then remembered Adrienne was their relative. But still, I don’t see the reason. “Why didn’t you?” I asked.

“I wanted to avoid drama as long as I could.” He conceded on a sigh. That told me absolutely nothing, but it’s not important anyhow. Turning to Fina, I said, “It’s Adrienne Roxana.”

“What?!” she looked stunned. Both, she and Hugo. But whereas Hugo seemed pleased, Serafina turned red in…anger? I would consider that maybe she wanted the position, but she wasn’t the blood witch, so it could never be hers anyway.

“Adrienne is the Fifth?” she turned to her father in bewilderment. “And you didn’t tell me?!”

“What’s the problem with that?” I asked casually.

Rowan sighed, seemingly expecting this kind of reaction. “Fina was hoping someone…ah, else, would take the place.”

“Why?” once again, she would gain absolutely nothing with that. The Crimson Circle isn’t under the Council’s control. They just, let’s say, cooperate.

“There’s no reason.” Serafina snapped. “It doesn’t matter now. Well, unless dear Adrienne drops dead tonight, and they have to find a replacement.”

“Serafina! For f**k's sake!” Hugo narrowed his eyes, bewildered by his sister’s words.

The way she said that, it was like she would be delighted if it actually happened. Not so someone would replace her, but because she would just be happy if Adrienne were dead. Interesting.

“That’s enough.” Rowan said sternly. His eyes flicked to me, assessing the damage. Assessing just how much I put together from just a few sentences. I could easily read her mind, but she would feel it. It wasn’t as painless as people would like to think.

I looked from one to the other, done with this conversation. “I’ll see you some other time.”

Raking my gaze over the crowd, I noticed every council member was already here. At least one member of all eight families was present. Grandma Penelopa represented Allegrina family– she was standing with my mother, her daughter, chatting. The whole Roxana clan stood in one corner with the Crows – It would seem Valentine couldn’t persuade his mother Fallon to stay behind. Maddox Irakler and Alejandro Rivera were standing together – if I wasn’t mistaken, they were lifelong friends thanks to Maddox being Alejandro’s brother-in-law. When I finally spotted my father, I caught him talking to his cousin and Council member, Dante Junevora.

Reaching Darius’s side, I shook hands with Dante. “I didn’t think you’d show up for this, Knox. You usually don’t care for Council’s, let alone Circle’s business.”

“Yes.” I conceded carelessly. “Let’s say I found myself interested in seeing the first binding in two centuries.”

“It sure is quite an event. Although,” Dante’s face scrunched up, “I’m a little worried the Circle’s made a mistake. The Roxana girl is too young, I hope this doesn’t end badly.”

“Knox met with her recently.” Darius added, looking at me expectantly. “What do you think? Is she strong enough to survive the Binding?”

My lips involuntarily pulled into a small smile. Was she strong enough? When I met her the first time in my bar, I sensed she was strong, but didn’t question it. When I went to her little potion shop this morning, though, I went to test her. To feel her out. To see if she had what it took. “I wouldn’t worry. For someone that young with an aura that strong, I’m surprised she’s not crazed with bloodlust.”

“Are you telling me she’s not struggling with it at all? Usually, the young ones with too much power succumb easily.” Even though his words seemed doubtful, I could see Dante’s eyes were filled with excitement now.

“Why don’t we see for ourselves.” Darius said, pointing at the door.

Not a second later, the doors of the chamber opened and people instantly pulled away, making a free space in the center of the room. The first to enter was Melisandre, tall with electric purple main of hair – once Second, now the First Witch of the Circle; after her entered Tarja, a thin, dark-skinned little thing with short chocolate brown hair – she’s the Second. The Third was Seth, one incredibly stupid motherfucker and my best friend; and the Fourth was Galen – average height, dark haired and always incredibly decent. It was honestly irritating most of the time when I visited the Crimson Manor.

And at the very end entered the one everybody **were waiting to see. Adrienne Roxana f*****g owned the spotlight. She entered, head held high, covered in black with the tinniest hint of red. I honestly don’t know how I never noticed her before, probably because she was a kid then. Now, however, she was far from it.

My eyes raked her whole - from her long legs, flimsy corset that accentuated her chest in the most delicious way, to those fiery waves of long red hair. But one thing that caught and kept my attention? The f*****g smirk her plump lips formed when she caught me watching.

I knew my face was blank, stone-cold. But she, somehow, knew. It’s evident in the daring sparkle in her eyes. The sparkle I would like to see ignite.

There was confidence in her posture, determination in her eyes. She looked like someone who knew what she was capable of and at this moment, completely captivating.

The five of them took positions on the edges of the white circle engraved in the black marble floor, right in the middle of the Binding Chamber. Their positions were precisely pinpointed by the big ruby stones that, along with the linings on the floor, made a perfect pentagon points.

As they were getting ready, other blood witches and servants of the Crimson Circle entered through the door and found their positions on the side, mixing with the rest of us.

“Good evening.” Melisandre suddenly said, her voice echoing through the room. She was standing at the highest point of the pentagon, her face turned to the crowd.

“Thank you all for joining us in witnessing the first Binding of this generation. The Crimson Circle debated, and decided, that the position of the Fifth should belong to Adrienne, a blood witch of Roxana Clan.”

Hush murmuring went through the Chamber at the mention of the name. I watched their faces and saw that some were fascinated, some confused, while others were worried. Her family stood united, all confident and without a c***k that would indicate they were afraid for her life.

As the whispering lowered, Melisandre continued, “Now, let us begin and see if the ancient magic of our ancestors will accept her. If it considers her worthy enough to be one of the Guardians.”

All at once, the lights in the room diminished, silence fell and the only light that was present was the fiery shine of the rubies under their feet.

***

Adrienne

The moment their lips opened, and the Four began to chant, everything vanished. The light, the people, the whispers. The only thing I could stay focused on was the shine of the four rubies. As I was still not bind, mine stayed silent and unlit.

The heart in my chest began to beat harder with nerves. All I felt was that dreadful kind of anticipation coursing through me. My hands began to sweat and shivers went down my spine. I didn’t want to wait anymore, not for another second. I just wanted to start doing what I was supposed to. I didn’t want to waste my time anymore thinking about what all could happen.

And as I thought of that, additional lines, engraved in the floor that connected each of the rubies with the center of the pentagon, began to catch fire. It was a strange kind of mix of white, black, and crimson. The moment the four trails of fire united in the center, the floor raptured, and from it emerged four feet high onyx stone.

This was it. The binding conduit has emerged, and now was the time to see if the Four made the right decision. With heart in my throat, I took one step at the time, following the still unlit trail. I knew by heart everything I had to do, but the fact that my hands were shaking was barely hidden.

Reaching for a special knife I was given in the previous room I’d been waiting, I pull a long calming breath. I concentrated on nothing else but the task at hand. There could’ve been millions or there could’ve been none watching, and I wouldn’t have minded.

With a firm grip on the knife handle, I cut my left hand first, and after that my right. The sting I felt the moment the blade pierced my skin was far less painful than I expected, yet I was distracted enough to not pay attention to the disappearing knife. My heart was so loud in my chest, I could almost feel it trying to burst through my skin. The adrenalin, the fear, the anticipation – it all helped me forget about overthinking as I confidently raised my arms and put my bloody hands on the onyx stone, and began to chant along with the others.

The first thing I felt? A pull. An unbelievably strong, magnetic-like force that glued me to the stone. There was no resisting it, no stepping away from it. I felt it draw from me – draw the part of the blood that floods my veins, pieces of magic embedded into me, even the traces of the curse residing in my very soul. It was binding, mixing, in the onyx itself. Mixing with blood and magic of the Four. The fiery traces, I realized, were the connection, the passage between them and me. Between their being and mine.

And just like that, out of nowhere, the magnetic pull snapped and all that was in the stone in front of me, rushed back. I didn’t feel it right away, but the excruciating pain that hit as all the power went coursing through me almost got me to fall on my knees. But I didn’t, I held on. I didn’t remember the way it felt when the curse originally settled in my flesh and bones, in my soul. But this? This was like burning slowly to your own death. I could practically feel the mixed blood of the Four along with mine boiling underneath my skin. It enveloped every cell in my body, any and every little nerve. My eyes felt raw, like they were slowly melting from inside.

It was maddening. Bloodlust hit me as if I needed to replenish every drop I felt evaporating with heat. My eyes for the first time looked around. So many people, so many throbbing veins just waiting to be popped, to be tasted. The thrum in the air was hypnotic, so much so, that I forgot for a second about all the burning pain inside me.

And that was it. The solution. If I could just nick one of those delicious-

No. I couldn’t do that. I needed to resist. I needed to be strong enough to resist the temptations.Closing my eyes, I breathed in and pulled more from the stone. More power, more pain, more blood. I let it course through me without resistance, without fighting. I let its flames dance freely. Every part of me hurt, even thinking hurt – but I embraced it and invited more.

I lost all sense of time, of my surroundings. I was locked in the dark, painful abyss of my mind, concentrating only on the conduit in front of me. It was becoming unbearable, it was too much. I was sure my end was near. I could see it, smell it, *feel* it.

And then it was gone. All of it. I felt my hands pealing from the hard surface and felt relieved.

I opened my eyes to see the Four nodding at me, satisfied. I was in such shock that only instinct led me back to my position by the ruby stone. A stone that turned bright red the moment fire that followed me back touched it. It was that, that got me out of my shocked state.

Shaking my head slightly to chase away the fog of the memory, my gaze locked on Seth, who stood opposite me. He nodded to indicate that the final chant must be said together. As the words left our lips, pentagon itself burst into the same flames of white, black, and crimson with a tiny hit of purple.

Was that because of the circle was complete now? I didn’t know. I also didn’t care about it right that moment.

It took us moments before we stopped speaking and everything went back to normal. The spell was done. The sacrifice’s been made. And my life was now inarguably connected with the Guardians’.

***

Knox

“So” Seth grinned as he flopped down on the sofa opposite me in one of the private rooms of the Damned Tower. He swirled his drink while he shot me a curious glance. “How come you’re here? Darius finally found something to threaten you with?”

I rolled my eyes but smiled, sinking further in my seat. “Yeah.”

Seth’s eyes bugged, almost falling out with surprise. “For real?”

“No.” His shoulders sagged with disappointment, and it was rather amusing to watch his excitement die. “But I really feel insulted that you think he could even come close to finding something.”

Seth chuckled, waving me away. “One could hope. Anyway, if it’s not that, then what changed? Last time we spoke, you all but laughed at my invitation.”

I did indeed. Seth knew me enough to know I wasn’t interested in this kind of stuff and probably never would be, so it was valid for him to be curious. “I found out who was your pick for the position.”

“So…” he frowned, although there was a mischievous glint to his eyes, “you’re saying that all it took to change your mind was a pretty girl?”

“No. But when I first saw her, she was threatening my stuff. The second time I saw her, she was calling me out on my bullshit. On top of it all, Darius told me not to underestimate her. Ergo, my interest was picked enough to want to witness it for myself.”

The smirk on Seth’s face as he was about to take a sip of his drink, turned into a dangerous smile. “He told you…or you demanded to know? I don’t know, Knox, I wouldn’t blame you at all for your fascination. I mean, when she met with us, I really couldn’t pull my gaze off her for a few seconds there.”

The little fucker. It wasn’t the first time he tried to provoke me. When it came to Seth, that was his favorite pastime. Luckily for him, we’ve been friends for a decade now, and I was used to it. Anyone else who spoke to me like that? I don’t think I would be so forgiving.

“I don’t know what’s with your never-ending fascination with my s*x life, but if you’re hoping to get your own spot there, I don’t think you have much of a chance.”

“Why not? I think he should be given a fair one, Knox.” My head turned to the door as Tarja entered. The Second witch somehow always ganged up with Seth against me. I wasn’t sure if I ever did something particular for her to never take my side, but I would write that off to the bond between Guardians. “Tarja.” I nodded. “I see I still haven’t earned the privilege of your support?”

She laughed, casually making herself comfortable at Seth’s side. As her amber eyes locked on me, she replied with pitying tone, “Honey, you’re hot, and I like you. I’ll give you that much. But you’ll never come before Seth.”

“Of course, he won’t.” Seth interjected joyfully. “After all, it’s not him you’re letting in your bed. But” he turned to me once again, “we aren’t here to talk about my superior skills. No, we’re here to talk about Knox finally being interested in a woman.”

“I’m plenty interested in women.” I replied. It wasn’t a defensive answer, it was a fact. No matter what Seth might think, I was able to have feelings for women. They just never lasted for long, nor were they ever strong enough to.

“Really?” Tarja perked in her seat. “Who is she?”

I sighed in exasperation when Seth opened his mouth to speak. He was sometimes worse than a teenage girl, I swear. As such, I wasn’t surprised at all when he happily supplied the information, “Our baby Fifth.”

“Adrienne?” Tarja’s eyes widened – first in shock, but not long after it turned into that same glint Seth had in his eyes. “Well, then, you’ll be glad to hear she’ll be living at the Crimson Manor soon. You know,” her brows were dancing, “the place you’re visiting quite often.”

“Where is she anyway?” Seth suddenly asked. Yes, I would like to know that same thing. The last I’ve seen her, her brother was hugging her after the ritual was done. I could sense he was still afraid but at the same time relieved. It wasn’t a pretty sight – what she went through there.

“Melisandre’s supposed to be talking to her right now. I think baby Fifth wanted to live outside the Manor, but that won’t do. Not with what happened to Aurelia.”

The warning bells instantly went off in my head. Aurelia? What did Adrienne’s place of living had to do with Aurelia’s death? “What do you mean, after what happened to Aurelia?”

“Ah…” Her eyes flashed with uncertainty. It was obviously something that she wasn’t supposed to mention, otherwise Seth would’ve told me already. The fact that he shot her a warning glare told me enough.

“What don’t I know?” my voice went deeper than usual.

“It’s nothing of your concern, Knox. Believe me.” Seth tried to rationalize with me. “There were just some things that we found that didn’t add up, but it would be taken care of.”

To anyone else, his words would’ve sounded truthful. But I knew better. Not only because I knew him – knew his tone, his mannerisms, his reactions to various things. It was also because I perfected mind sorcery of a whole other level. People couldn’t lie without me detecting it.

My face stayed blank, but my brows went up in my usual ‘don’t bullshit me’ manner. “Seth.”

He instantly knew I saw through him. It was something that irked him from the very start. “Just leave it. At least for now. It’s not of importance to you. But if we needed something, you know you’ll be the first I’ll call.”

I knew it. I just didn’t like being left blind. And as much of a bastard that I was, I couldn’t go rummaging through Seth’s mind. Tarja’s? I could. But I wanted to leave that as the last resort. There was no real need yet to anger the Guardians.

“Okay.” I begrudgingly conceded. “But know that if it touches me, I’ll find out with or without your approval.” It wasn’t a threat, it was just a statement of fact. I valued my life, and I wouldn’t expose myself or anyone close to me to dangerous situations without knowing every information possible. I made that mistake once, I wouldn’t do it again.

With a clear comprehension in his eyes, Seth nodded. “That’s fair.”

After that, we were quiet for some time – just enjoying the silent crackling of the fire in the old fireplace, drinking and relaxing. It was the first time that I made an attempt to look around the room. It looked just like the rest of the Tower. Black marble, tall glass windows and crimson draperies. It was dimly lit with flames of white fire, flickering from the wall candleholders. Even though they seemed like they wouldn’t be enough, magic’s obviously done its job and managed to provide enough light for us to be able to see every inch of the room.

“I wasn’t sure she’d make it.” Tarja was the first to break the blissful silence that fell earlier. I didn’t need to ask about who she was talking about. The sight that we all witnessed earlier wouldn’t be erased from my mind any time soon.

“She was considering succumbing to her urges for a moment there.” I added quietly.

The two of them shot me curious glances. “You went into her mind during the binding?” Seth asked bewildered. “You’re crazier than I thought.”

I could admit as much. It wasn’t only that I heard her thoughts, I felt the pain her mind felt. It wasn’t pretty. It felt even worse than it looked, and it looked horrifying. We could see the blood entering her body, every little vein was visible. There was steam evaporating from her every pore, blood leaking instead of tears. For a moment there, her whole body started to tremble. I think she was trying to scream, but she wasn’t able to do anything except focus on the pain. That was when I entered her mind. It spoke volumes that she didn’t even notice – the pain of my probing her mental barriers was not even a flicker of what she was dealing with.

“I entered her mind not long before she noticed all the available blood around her. Before she figured out it would help her. She hadn’t thought about us as people, it was more like faceless figures standing there for her to take.” The two of them nodded, obviously knowing what I was talking about. And it wasn’t a surprise, they must’ve felt it themselves once upon a time.

“It was a point the onyx knew she was worthy.” Seth said in approval.

“Because she figured out the blood would help her?”

Tarja shook her head. “Because she then willingly pulled more of it from the conduit. It was the breaking point for many. The second she decided she would rather feel more of that torture than succumb to the weakness, the power in her finally decided to settle. We all felt it.”

Interesting. “So what would’ve happened is she decided to let the weakness take over?”

“She wouldn’t be able to move from the spot because the conduit wouldn’t have let her. She wouldn’t be concentrating on accepting the power entering her; instead, she would’ve been focused on trying to find the way to drink from all who was watching.” Seth shrugged. “All in all, the power would never have got to the settling point, and it would end up eating her alive.”

“Power that’s unwillingly consumed is unbearable when it reaches certain levels. It doesn’t empower you anymore, it starts killing you.” Tarja concluded.

“Fortunately for us, we know how to recognize the potential.” Seth smiled to himself. “Even if it did come in such young form.”

Tarja nodded. “Baby Fifth would do good.”

Yes. It seemed that she just might do that.