Blood Ties

2

Part II
Souls to reap
~
Cadence
~

Cadence Larren thought she would join her parents tonight and in the void of her disturbed mind, she was glad about it.

Until bellowing, tunnelling and unmeasured gunshots peeled through her ears and she was ripped out of the darkness wanting to take her.

Time had passed and through closed eyes, the huntress saw bright flashes and eclipses of light. Fading, but brightening.

She could still smell the blood. She felt her head growing heavier from it and her neck waned with a sensation she wasn't used to.

He bit me, Cadence realised. He touched me ... took from me — he will pay with blood and silver for what he did.

Sickly, cold and skeletal looking. The look of that boy — man would never leave Cadence.

The huntress arose from obscurity to have an individual staring down at her. She didn't believe in much, but any other time — times where she wished she believed, this girl was an angel from above.

Erisa sighed in relief and her black curls danced across Cadence's cheeks as she hovered so close.

"She's awake, Uncle."

Frankie Jaeger hobbled over and peered down at Cadence, scanning her eyes with piercing blue eyes. "I'm glad you're okay, kid. You gave us all a fright."

Cadence's fingers came to her neck, breathing heavily and felt a plaster over her skin.

"With vampires, they control the blood flow of how much they take from a human — if they want the human to die from blood loss they can let it happen. Tristan told me he shot him as soon as he bit you. Your older cousin saved you, Cadence." Frankie explained, all knowledge and wit.

Cadence's lip curled with fury and she sat up. She locked eyes on Tristan who was buried in the corner, long waves of hair curtaining his chiselled jaw and high cheekbones.

So similar to Accalia.

"Thanks, Tris."

Tristan waved her off and stalked over, moving her chin to inspect the mark. "I should have shot the fuckhead square in the head. But I got him good, got him in the shoulder. I scared him off,"

"What about Alexene?" Cadence croaked.

"I saw her take off with that—that monster after Tristan shot at him. They escaped." Erisa explained with an edge in her tone.

"You guys told Frankie everything?" Cadence drawled and noticed she was in the same clothes that were painted with blood and mud.

Cadence wondered how far in the day they were in, how many hours had wasted away every effort she had put in over the past month. She grounded her teeth together, Alexene and that monster would be hidden from the sun now and come nighttime, they would be back out.

"They did, but we don't want to rush you, Cadence. It can be a nasty journey healing from a bite wound." Frankie explained.

Cadence slid off the bed and stood, straightening her back. She didn't feign her strength and leant against the bed frame. She peered around, the band posters and gothic decor clouding the room. They put her in Erisa's room.

"You must be hungry, Cadence, let's make you some food and have a cup of tea," Frankie suggested and gestured they all leave.

Tristan and Frankie ambled out, all except Erisa.

Erisa offered her arm to Cadence. "You'll need help."

Cadence winced and gripped Erisa's arm, stepping away from the bed. "I'm not that weak."