Dravon snapped his fingers again and the seven red candles instantly got lit.
"We need to link our blood for the ritual, Quinn," his blue eyes assessed her. "It's the only way to unite forces to fight the upcoming evil."
"We need to save Blue Haven_our hometown where it all started. If the prophecy is denied and another ruler takes the place of Dravon, humanity will be at stake," Jason added.
"And we, the chosen ones, die as Dravon is our sire...our only ruler. If ever he loses his power, we...,"Jade never got to finish when Quinn interrupted.
"Nobody will lose their life...not when I choose to help." She studied Dravon intently for a moment. Losing him was out of option. He may be arrogant, dominant and commanding but he was after all Dravon Blackwell, the breathtaking prince of the Shadow World. And she will save him even if she has to risk her life in doing so.
A crystal knife appeared in his hand which he used to make a small cut on his wrist. He then let seven drops of his rich blood drop inside the circle. His wound disappeared right after. He passed the knife to Jade standing next to him who did the exact same thing. Ash mimicked pain for a more dramatic effect while cutting his palm.
Jason, Lisa and Shade glared at him with mere impatience but Ash avoided their gaze, clearly enjoying being the attention seeker he was. Jason shook his head in dismay at his performance and snatched the crystal blade away from him. They did not waste time in dropping their blood and now it was her turn.
She looked at Dravon for approval and he nodded. The blade was razor-sharp and dark red from other's blood. With a swift movement, it cut through her palm. She felt her warm blood flowing and like others, she dropped seven blood drops near her feet. Just when the last drop touched the damp soil, even her wound mysteriously got healed.
What happened afterwards truly amazed her most.
From where their blood were spilled, seven red liquid lines fused together right in the center of the circle creating a breathtaking Celtic bonding sign. Their blood became one illuminated by the pale blue moonlight. The dark red color slowly turned to a sticky black liquid sealing their blood forever.
Quinn felt special now that the ritual was complete. She belonged with them now. And that felt good and comforting. They vowed to protect her till death and she would do the same for them.
Then, the faded tattoos on their bodies darkened on their flawless skin. Dravon's black color mark deepened against the contrast of his pale skin. The twins were thrilled with their identical tattoos. For the first time, Quinn saw Jason smile wholeheartedly, stepping out of his usual serious attitude. Jade's revealing cleavage seemed to attract more attention now with its unique black rose infinity one. Even Shade admired his black mark on his body.
Lisa had donned off her baggy yellow sweater for a white sleeveless crop top she wore underneath. Her eyes remained fixed on Jason who was engrossed in an argument with his brother. Quinn wondered if Jason realized how much Lisa liked him to take enough trouble, stepping out of her shell to show her skin.
Only she remained without the black infinity tattoo. The burnt mark she had earlier had vanished. At that moment, she desperately wanted to have one too. Dravon hardly concealed his amusement. He watched her closely and laughed heartily at the sulky expression on her face.
The others broke the circle in a haste, formed a small group, busy arguing whose tattoo was hotter, leaving them alone.
"Why didn't I get one like you all, Dravon?. Her brown eyes flashed. "You said I was special too," Quinn said dully.
"We need to exchange blood first, Quinn." His mouth quirked with humor.
Then her eyes widened as she blushed. "What...but I've never done that before."
"It's necessary Quinn," he said in a soft tone enough to comfort a child. She just stared at him in utter bewilderment. " You'll experience extraordinary powers like never before...powers you never knew existed," he urged. He cut his wrist a second time. A deeper wound opened and he held his arm in mid-air in front of her.
Quinn's unblinking stare remained fixed on his darker than red liquid for a long minute.
"That's the only way we'll be linked. Go on, drink my blood," his tone soft but persistent. "Show me the daredevil you are and just do it." A pair of sapphire blue eyes watched her closely with a seductive smile on his handsome face, offering his wrist.
Quinn took a deep breath, then hesitantly put her mouth to his wrist. She closed her eyes in anticipation.
The warmth of his blood ran through her throat. It was rich, thick with a sweet black vanilla taste. She had never experienced that kind of feeling before. It just felt right. It was more like a dark sensual feeling shared with him. She felt close to him in an unnerving way : their minds seemed connected, all his hidden emotions and fragment of his two hundred years old past were beginning to appear in her mind.
Just then his mental voice reasoned in her head. Enough! Dravon dropped his hand in haste leaving her wanting for more. She licked the blood stains from her full red lips.
The voices behind them became louder. Quinn turned to see Shade and Ash hit the ground pretty hard, wrestling with each other on the mossy ground.
"What the hell! Both of you stop," Jade shouted at them. Both paused, watched her, then turned to stare at each other and resumed to fighting. Jade kicked Shade hard, then screamed. "Shade, atleast you can be more reasonable than this crazy jerk."
"He started it," Shade fumed. Ash grinned wickedly. Shade tried to punch his striking face but Ash blocked it effortlessly. Quinn turned her attention to the others. Lisa tugged at Jason's arm, watching in horror. But Jason chose to stand and watch the fight with excitement.
"Too much noise," Dravon said irritably. He snapped his fingers and they all disappeared in thin air. Suddenly it was eerily silent. Quinn became nervous with the idea of being alone with the irresistible Dravon Blackwell in the forest.
"Now, my turn." His eyes gleamed devilishly.
He pulled her closer to him and brushed away her hair from her neck. Quinn felt lightheaded in his strong arms, brown eyes gazed at him.
"I knew it." His deep voice was husky. "What?," she managed to ask in a low voice. "The electricity. You feel it the same way as i do. Deny that," he challenged softly. Quinn opened her mouth to protest then shut it knowing it was futile resisting him. Something was going on between them. The more she tried to escape, the more she felt drawn to him.
He traced a line on her pulsing vein under her porcelain skin and cut it with the blade. She winced at the instant pain but remained still when his grip became firm in her hair. He licked the small wound first before encircling it with his mouth.
Dravon savored that moment more than he should. She was untamed, wild and all these spiced up her vivid blood.
"I enjoy you," his mental voice sank into her mind.
Their bodies were molding with each other. Despite all the efforts she made to keep her self-control, she seemed to have lost power of her body. She was now his prey, completely at his mercy and he knew it. He loved that moment more than he should.
Dravon teased her neck with his sensual mouth while drinking. Flustered, she closed her eyes and unable to stop herself, she slid her palm up on his half-naked body. His bare chest was smooth and well-toned and she enjoyed the flex of his muscles under her touch. His heart beat fast and sure as she explored the area where his tattoo appeared.
All these feelings were new to her and she wanted it to go on. Every inch of her body yearned for him. She could not deny that anymore. But did Dravon felt the same way or was he just playing with her?
Dravon slowed down with that question displayed in her mind, alarming him. Even he wondered why he felt a fierce attraction towards her. It was disturbing and confusing. He had never lost control before and here he was, almost losing his will power because of her. He needed to maintain some distance as no matter what how strikingly hot she was, she still remained the last Campbell witch. And that spelled trouble.
He hesitated for a moment and pulled his mouth away from neck. Damn it, he had taken too much blood for Quinn was now unconscious in his arms. He healed her wound with a soft touch on her neck. He let his fingers trail on her flawless skin and stopped to take her pulse. Her breathing was shallow and her pulse was very slow.
He shook his head, his face a mixture of anger and anxiety. He swiftly swung her into his arms and snapped his fingers.
***
Quinn had trouble opening her eyes. She felt so lightheaded, drowsy and extremely exhausted. With great difficulty, she managed to open them and glanced up to see the well-proportioned face of Dravon.
She blushed scarlet upon the realization that she was being carried in his arms.
She felt weightless against his chest, aware, even in her state of drowsiness, of the dark sensual male scent of him, of the pale smooth skin against her cheek.
Several people came out in the hall as they entered the luxurious palatial mansion — the twins, Shade with Jade behind her and Lisa.
Quinn had expected Jade to look worried at her weak state, but instead she just looked resentful of her being in Dravon's arms. If only she knew how Quinn disapproved of this closeness to him. They were all fully dressed now, Quinn remarked.
"Quinn!," Jason was all concern. "What happened to you?"
"She felt weak and lost consciousness," Dravon answered for her. "Call Mrs. Deveraux and inform her that Quinn will stay here tonight," he instructed the butler." I will take Quinn to the guestroom."
"Quinn," Shade amended at a look of disapproval from his dominant friend Dravon. "Are you all right?"
"Of course she is not all right!" Once again Dravon Blackwell answered for her. "Is it not obvious that she needs rest?"
The other boy flushed. "Well, yes. But—" "Then do not ask meaningless questions," Dravon dismissed impatiently.
"Seriously Blackwell, you really need to give her a break. She wasn't ready for the blood-sharing ritual." Dravon glared at Ash icily. Ash held his cold gaze with unmasked displeasure for what seemed like a long minute, then turned and left without a backward glance.
Jade stepped forward, grasping Dravon's arm to stop him as he would have walked straight past her. "Dravon," she said in a soft pleading voice. "Is it really necessary for you to carry Quinn? Can she not walk?"
"That question is as meaningless as Shade's," he snapped impatiently. "I would not be carrying her if she could walk. Now would you all get out of my way so that I might get Quinn to her room before she faints again?." They all backed away in silence.
Dravon took up the stairs, turned to the east wing and passed beautiful rooms until he stopped as he stood outside the guestroom door. "Quinn, open the door for me," he said abruptly.
"Can't you reach it?,"she said sleepily, every muscle of her body ached.
He raised his eyes heavenward. "I seem to be surrounded by imbeciles today. Of course I cannot reach it. I only have one pair of hands, and at the moment they seem to be taken up with holding you."
Color flooded her cheeks. "Then put me down." She began to struggle in his arms.
"Do you want me to?," he demanded to know.
"No." For her, the world had suddenly started to recede, a black fog starting to rise up in front of her. And Dravon had realized this, was acting upon it.
"Then turn the knob. Come on, Quinn," he encouraged irritably. "I cannot continue to hold you forever."
The strength in his arms told her that he may also be able to hold her forever. After all, he was the most powerful cursed immortal ever known. But she opened the door anyway and glanced around in satisfaction.