The Blood Contract

Chapter 11

"Tell me about vampire mates."

Gem looked up at glared at Elizabeth for asking the question. All of them were sitting around a campfire at night. Carolo, Jamika and Michael. The three vampires were drinking from a cup and Gem couldn't help but cringe at the disgusting smell of the blood. Not that she was drinking anything better. Glancing down at the foul smelling medicine Jamika had kindly prepared for her, she pursed her lips and drank the soupy mixture, trying to ignore the revolting taste.

"What do you want to know about it?" Carolo asked cheerily.

"Anything, the legends. Everything!" Elizabeth asked enthusiastically until she was silenced by Gem's hard look.

"You should ask Michael over here." Carolo patted his friend's shoulder. "He had a vampiric mate."

Gem glanced at the brooding vampire who was staring into the vampire. Of all people, she hadn't expected the sulky one to have a vampiric mate. 

"Wait," Gem asked carefully. "You said had. She's...not alive is she?"

Carolo clapped his hands. "Wonderful observation."

"I thought Jamika's Michael's wife," Elizabeth pointed out.

The old vampire grinned. "Jamika's my wife. Not Michael's. He's too consumed wallowing in his own mind to care about women."

Gem flicked her eyes over to Michael. Even amongst vampires, he was quite handsome. He was pale but his violet blue eyes contrasted nicely with it. Even from here, she could see the slight bulge in his muscles. He also had nice musician-like hands.

At that moment, he looked up and met her gaze. Blushing, she looked back down at the camp fire. Damn it, it must be the celibacy getting to her. First, it was Luke Garon. Now, it was this sulky Michael guy. She really needed to get a proper personal life- preferably one that involves some sex.

"Michael, will you tell our guests the story?" Jamika asked gently. She was a gorgeous vampire with finely braided hair and bright sparkly eyes. She reminded her of an exotic princess.

Sighing, Michael nodded and said, "I had a vampiric mate called Alison." At her name, his voice tightened. "I met her when I was out hunting for animals. She was on a camping trip with her friends and had fallen down a cliff. I found her when she was barely alive and decided to change her so that she could live."

There was a poignant pause as he surveyed their faces. Gem wasn't sure what expression she had on but she felt curious in spite of herself. Elizabeth and Jamika were listening with rapt attention but Carolo looked bored, having listened to this story for a hundred years.

"The moment she changed to a vampire, I suddenly felt this pull towards her."

"A pull?" Gem raised her eyebrows skeptically. 

"It was like chains pulling me along. I started to feel this possessive need to be around her and we couldn't be separated." Michael's lips crinkled into a forlorn smile. "We loved each other so much. It was meant to be. I couldn't look at any other women after she appeared in my life."

When he paused, Gem sensed that something bad had happened to his mate. Michael's face then hardened. "One day, I received news that she accidentally killed a human in public. More than hundred people saw her drinking blood straight from the human's neck. We had always drunk animal blood, having always respected Carolo but she did complain many times about the revolting taste. I didn't know she would lose control." He shook his head. 

Gem gave him a sympathetic look. The number one rule in the vampiric world was the maintain anonymity and to break that golden rule was to risk immediate execution.