Blood of Eternity

Fresh Blood

Leah was not an easy person to find. The last known place she was seen was in Buenos Aires, Argentina 1981. From there she hopped around to Mali, Madagascar, Iran, Singapore, and a ton of places that Dmitri and I couldn't even find on a map. We would've asked Taran to find her through the blood bond but he was busy with council meetings and Skylar. My best friend is still in a coma of sorts but Charles predicts she will wake up either human or vampire by next week.

In the end, we found Leah staying with a coven in Northcliffe, a small town in Minnesota. I wanted to go up there to bring her back because I've never been farther North than Kansas but Dmitri threw a hissy fit while saying something about border lines; so it ends up that Leah had to make her own way down here.

"I find watching these people interesting," she says. Across the table from Dmitri and I, Leah stares out the large window of the cafe I insisted we met at. I have to guard Roman and conduct business today.

"Leah, may we get down to business?" Dmitri wonders, sounding impatient.

She turns to look at him, lips pursed, eyes wide. "We're always in such a rush despite the fact that we have forever. The blood of eternity sustains us and yet we run like ants from their anthill. In the scheme of things, what we do doesn't matter."

"I didn't bring you here for a philosophical debate. We need your help."

"Everytime he needs something, he brings me here under false pretenses," Leah tells me. I feel scrutinized under her gray eyed stare. Like Taran, it feels as though she can see straight into my soul; no lies, no defenses. "I know of your business though, Olivvia."

"Then you'll help us?" I ask.

"My brother did not tell you of my abstinence from violence?" Leah asks.

"I had hoped once you heard of our goal and our enemy, you would come to our aid," Dmitri cuts in. "For George."

Leah's eyes crystallize and turn cold and hard as ice, like I used to think of Dmitri's. "I have had my fill of revenge. My beloved will rest well knowing I killed the ones who killed him."

"But you only cut off one head of the hydra and forgot to burn it. Marie will find you. She will find Vicente. She will find and kill all of us," Dmitri argues.

"You are still hurt because you did not avenge your beloved and you know you cannot protect you fledgling now. Do not drag others into your fight," Leah hisses. While her features were soft moments ago, she looks like an angry Goddess now. Her strawberry hair seems to come alive and writhe.

"You would have Roman go through what you, Vicente, and I went through?" Dmitri asks, serious as a peak frean.

Leah sighs. "I would not wish it on anyone. But I will not condone violence." She stands up and begins to walk away.

Dmitri catches her wrist and pulls her back. "Please."

His statement startles both Leah and I. I've never heard a vampire say please before and Dmitri isn't the type to beg.

"You wouldn't have to fight. You'd only have to understand her and anticipate her for us. Leah, sister, please."

Leah looks to me and her eyes spark. "Only because you broke your oath for this one. You saw something in her besides the mission whether or not you will ever admit it and I see something in her too. Now, I believe you two have a very important ceremony to attend. Explain the plan to me on the way."

Back at Lightedge, Heidi and I wait for two doors to open. This is what the training was for: a graduation to real vampires. No one will call us fledglings anymore. After this, I can take on Marie with my blood family to keep my biological family safe.