CRAVES

THE BLOODLINE

The cold wind disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

The chapel doors slammed shut.

Amelia remained in Bryan's arms, too stunned to move.

The red glow beneath the raven pendant slowly faded until the necklace looked ordinary again.

Nothing about the room felt ordinary.

Cassian stood near the altar with the blade still in his hand.

The woman watched Amelia without blinking.

Bryan finally released her.

Not completely.

One hand remained around hers.

His thumb pressed against her knuckles.

A silent reminder that he was there.

Amelia looked at him.

"Tell me the truth."

Bryan's eyes remained on hers.

"I will."

"Now."

He nodded.

The woman behind them laughed softly.

"He's going to need more than a few minutes."

Bryan turned.

"Leave."

Her expression remained calm.

"You still think you can command me."

"I know I can."

"No."

She looked at Amelia.

"You've spent centuries believing that your bloodline ended with your mother."

Bryan's jaw tightened.

"Enough."

The woman stepped toward the altar.

"Your father knew."

Bryan froze.

"He knew what she was carrying."

His eyes narrowed.

"What did he know?"

"That the girl survived."

Amelia's breath caught.

The woman continued.

"He spent years searching for her."

Bryan looked at Amelia.

Her face had gone pale.

"Why?"

The woman looked at him.

"Because your father believed her blood could make your family stronger than every other vampire house."

Bryan's expression hardened.

"My father wanted power."

"He always did."

"And my mother?"

The woman's eyes softened.

"She wanted her daughter to live."

Amelia stepped forward.

"Where is she?"

The woman looked at her.

For the first time, something like sadness crossed her face.

"Your mother is the reason you're still alive."

"Where is she?"

"Far from here."

"Is she alive?"

The woman hesitated.

That was enough.

Amelia's eyes filled with uncertainty.

"Please."

The woman looked away.

"I don't know."

Amelia swallowed.

Bryan stepped closer.

"We'll find her."

The woman looked at him.

"You still don't understand."

"Then explain it."

She pointed toward Amelia.

"Her mother didn't hide her because she feared your father."

Bryan's expression changed.

"Then why?"

"Because she feared what Amelia would become if anyone found out."

Silence.

Amelia stared at the woman.

"What am I?"

The woman looked at the necklace.

"You carry the last trace of an ancient bloodline."

"That doesn't answer me."

"No."

The woman took a slow breath.

"It doesn't."

She stepped closer.

"Your blood isn't entirely human."

Amelia felt the words settle heavily.

"But I'm not a vampire."

"No."

"Then what?"

The woman looked at Bryan.

"That's what your family has spent centuries trying to discover."

Bryan's hand tightened around Amelia's.

The woman continued.

"Your mother was born into the same bloodline. She was different from the rest of us. She could walk among humans without being detected. She could live without blood. She could age."

Amelia's voice was barely audible.

"So I'm human."

"Partly."

She looked at Bryan.

"And that is why your marriage is dangerous."

Bryan's expression became cold.

"How?"

"Because your blood reacts to vampire blood."

Amelia frowned.

"What does that mean?"

The woman pointed toward Bryan.

"His presence is already affecting you."

Bryan looked at Amelia.

She remembered the dreams.

The necklace warming against her skin.

The strange visions.

The mark on her palm disappearing beneath his touch.

She looked down at their hands.

"That's why?"

The woman nodded.

"The more time you spend with him, the more your blood will awaken."

Bryan's expression darkened.

"How long?"

The woman looked at him.

"Until she changes completely."

Amelia's heart began to race.

"Changes into what?"

The woman didn't answer.

Bryan did.

"She doesn't know."

Amelia looked at him.

"Neither do you."

"No."

The admission frightened her.

The woman moved toward the chapel doors.

"Now you understand why they are coming."

Bryan looked at her.

"Who?"

"The old ones."

Cassian's expression changed.

"They're awake?"

The woman nodded.

"They felt her."

Amelia looked at Cassian.

He looked away.

That frightened her even more.

Bryan stepped toward the woman.

"Why did you come here?"

She looked at him.

"To warn you."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I don't need you to."

She opened the chapel door.

Before leaving, she looked back at Amelia.

"Your mother left something for you."

Amelia stepped forward.

"What?"

The woman reached into her coat.

She pulled out a small envelope.

She held it toward Amelia.

Bryan moved between them.

The woman stopped.

"It's safe."

Bryan didn't move.

Amelia touched his arm.

He looked at her.

She shook her head.

"I want it."

He hesitated.

Then stepped aside.

The woman handed Amelia the envelope.

It was old.

The edges had yellowed.

Her name was written across the front.

Not her full name.

Just:

Amelia.

Her fingers trembled.

"How long have you had this?"

"Long enough."

"Why give it to me now?"

"Because you're ready."

The woman left.

The chapel door closed behind her.

Amelia stared at the envelope.

Bryan watched her.

"Don't open it here."

She looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because we don't know what it contains."

She almost laughed.

"At this point, what difference does one more secret make?"

He didn't answer.

She tucked the envelope into her coat.

"We're going home."

Bryan nodded.

Cassian remained behind to deal with the council.

Amelia followed Bryan out of the chapel.

The rain had stopped.

The air smelled of wet stone.

They walked toward the car.

Neither spoke.

When they reached it, Bryan opened the door for her.

She stopped.

"Are you scared of me?"

His hand remained on the door.

"No."

"Should I be scared of you?"

"No."

She looked at him.

"Should I be scared of myself?"

That question took longer.

Bryan's expression softened.

"No."

She climbed into the car.

He closed the door.

Then walked around to the other side.

...

The drive home was silent.

Amelia kept one hand over the envelope.

She wanted to open it.

She also wanted to throw it away.

Both thoughts made sense.

Neither felt safe.

Bryan glanced at her.

"You don't have to read it tonight."

"I'm going to."

"I know."

She looked at him.

"You really aren't going to stop me?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it's yours."

She looked back out the window.

That was the thing about him.

He could be controlling.

Secretive.

Infuriating.

Yet when it came to decisions that mattered to her, he usually stepped back.

She didn't know what to make of that.

The car turned through the gates of Ravenwood Manor.

The house appeared ahead.

Everything looked normal.

Almost peaceful.

Amelia knew better now.

Nothing about this place was ordinary.

...

They went directly to the library.

Bryan closed the doors behind them.

Amelia placed the envelope on the table.

She stared at it.

Bryan remained several feet away.

"You're sure?"

She nodded.

She opened it.

Inside was a folded letter.

No photograph.

No explanation.

Just handwriting.

Amelia unfolded it.

Her eyes moved over the first line.

She stopped.

Her breathing changed.

Bryan noticed.

"What?"

She couldn't speak.

He didn't move closer.

She read the line again.

Then another.

Her hand began to shake.

"What does it say?"

She looked up.

"My mother knew your family."

Bryan's expression changed.

"How?"

She looked back at the letter.

"Before I was born."

She continued reading.

A few lines later, she froze again.

"She knew your father."

Bryan's face became unreadable.

Amelia's eyes moved across the page.

Then she whispered:

"She says he wasn't trying to kill me."

Bryan stepped closer.

"What?"

She looked up.

"He was trying to find me."

"Why?"

She swallowed.

"Because he believed my blood could save him."

Bryan went completely still.

She continued.

"There was something wrong with him."

"What?"

"I don't know."

Her eyes moved down the page.

"He was dying."

Bryan stared at her.

"My father was a vampire."

"Yes."

"He couldn't die."

"Apparently he could."

She read the next line.

Her face changed.

Bryan noticed.

"What?"

She slowly lowered the letter.

"He wasn't looking for me because of my blood."

"Then why?"

She looked at him.

"He wanted something inside me."

Bryan's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

She shook her head.

"I don't know."

She looked at the letter again.

The final line had been written separately.

Almost as an afterthought.

Her fingers trembled.

She read it aloud.

"If you ever meet Bryan Ravencrest, do not let him drink your blood."

Silence.

Bryan's expression changed instantly.

Amelia looked up.

Neither moved.

The warning seemed to hang between them.

Bryan stepped backward.

She noticed.

"Bryan?"

He shook his head.

"Stay away from me."

Her heart dropped.

"What?"

"Until we know exactly what your mother meant."

She stared at him.

"But you said you wouldn't hurt me."

"I won't."

"Then why are you leaving?"

His gaze moved to her neck.

The raven pendant was glowing faintly again.

His eyes darkened.

Not red.

Something deeper.

Something she had never seen before.

He turned away.

"Because I don't trust what happens when your blood is near me anymore."

He walked toward the door.

Amelia stood frozen.

Then the necklace burned.

She gasped.

The room disappeared.

For a second, she wasn't in the library.

She was somewhere else.

A forest.

A woman running.

A baby crying.

A man standing beneath an enormous tree.

Bryan's father.

Amelia couldn't hear the words.

But she could see his face.

He held something in his hands.

A tiny silver raven.

Then the vision shifted.

Her mother stood opposite him.

She was crying.

The baby was in her arms.

The man reached for the child.

Her mother stepped back.

Then she said something.

This time, Amelia heard it.

"She belongs to neither world."

The vision vanished.

Amelia stumbled.

Bryan caught her before she hit the floor.

His arms wrapped around her.

Her eyes opened.

She looked at him.

He looked terrified.

"What did you see?"

She gripped his coat.

"My mother."

His expression tightened.

"What did she say?"

Amelia stared into his eyes.

"She said I belong to neither world."

Bryan went silent.

Then the library doors opened.

Cassian stood there.

His face was pale.

"Bryan."

Bryan turned.

"What?"

Cassian looked at Amelia.

Then at the glowing pendant.

"The council has been attacked."

Bryan's expression hardened.

"By whom?"

Cassian's answer came quietly.

"The old vampires."

A pause.

"They're coming here."

The lights in the manor went out.

And somewhere deep beneath the house...

A heartbeat began.