Page 12 of The Coven’s Sacrifice

“Did she do it on purpose?” I asked.

He shook his head. “I do not think it was her intention. She spent the rest of her life paying for her mistake. We could not leave the ground, which was a small abandoned town. Only ten houses. We built the mansion shortly after, all wanting to live in one huge building instead of the small scattered ones.”

“How did you feed?”

“Gertha brought her witch coven with her to deal with us. We killed most of them. We did not want to kill, but we were driven to do so. Instincts. We could not feed without killing the human we fed from. Her coven had to clean up her mess, but they could not kill us. We never told them about our aversion to the sun. It was merely annoying at first, only turning deadly for us as the years passed. The coven forced Gretha to make a blood vow, the only way to end the curse set upon us. She had used her blood to fuel her magic, and thus her blood was the cure.”

“Her bloodline,” I whispered.

He nodded. “They created a way for the blood vow to end, but they could not cure us, only make us less of a threat.”

“How?” I whispered. He looked down at my hand. It was holding on to his. I hurried to remove it, surprised by the action. I’d been so into the story that I hadn’t even realized I’d grabbed for the man.

He casually reached out and grabbed my hand again, lacing our fingers. “They said that each generation, a blood sacrifice would be given to us, and if we are pure of heart, the sacrifice would set us free. Thirteen vampires have left the mansion; all having been set free.”

“Again, how?”

He smiled. “That is something I cannot tell you.”

I sighed. That was where the story time ended. “Thank you for telling me as much as you could.”

“I am not done yet.”

I tilted my head, trying to mask my excitement. “You aren’t?”

He shook his head, grinning. “You know by now that Alexander and I are lovers.” I nodded. “We also love Harland, and he loves us.”

Also, something I was very aware of.

“We decided a long time ago to live life here to the fullest. We were not promised our freedom, just a chance for it.”

I remembered their argument. Jacob had been angry that Alexander pushed away his chance at freedom. But what had that got to do with me?

“I wish to get to know you better,” Jacob declared. I was reeling a little. After so much information about the past, knowing there was a way for them to escape, and now Jacob telling me he wants to what? Become friends? I had a suspicion he didn’t mean friendship, and I wasn’t about to get killed by his lovers.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I replied, retracting my hand and scooting out of bed.

Jacob chuckled. “Do you fear me?”

I shook my head, a little stunned that my first reaction had been no. “I’m afraid of your lovers,” I replied honestly. “I prefer to end the twenty-nine years here with my life intact.”

He smiled, leaving the bed to join me closer by the door. “I can promise you that much. You also know by now that we cannot kill you, the vow will not allow it.”

I actually hadn’t realized that. “Not even accidentally?”

He shook his head. “Then the magic surrounding the mansion will step in and correct it.”

So Sienna had lied to my face when she’d told me they could kill me. Great.

“Wait,” I said, holding up a hand. “How did you get brownies to help you out? Were they affected by the magic Gretha used?”

“They were a gift from her coven, offered to us to aid us in the years to come. We had two more at the beginning, their job was to build the mansion. Once they were successful, they left.”

I felt bad for the remaining brownies. They were as much prisoners as we were. I also couldn’t quite grasp that all of this was because of Alexander cheating on my ancestor. Again, it was no wonder he hated me. I was a direct descendant from the one who’d cursed him and his lovers into monsters.

Suddenly, a cold hand touched my cheek, stroking it. Jacob leaned into my personal space, his blue eyes flashed red for a brief second and then his lips slammed down on mine and I whimpered.

I was hard instantly. The softness of his lips, his addicting scent of fresh lavender and then the rush of adrenaline that coursed through me when his teeth grazed my tongue. The kiss was dangerous and heady. I should stop. I didn’t want to come between lovers, but I was a weak man.