Brothers of the Blood

By Ann Corbett

Book Two of The Revived:
The story of three sisters, Sophie, Sarah and Samantha, who realise that there are real vampires in this world, and moreover they have the ability to either kill them or to 'revive' them. Silencing the beast is how the sisters 'revive'; by restarting the heart, and getting the blood pumping, and the organs working; by forcing the vampire host to use its lungs and to breathe.
When the long stagnant blood of a vampire begins to pump through its veins once more, it dislodges and eventually destroys the beast, leaving the vampire alone and revived, and free to choose.

Brothers of the Blood
Caine has been revived by Sophie, and although he is no longer a vampire – his vampire powers still seem to be a part of him, in fact he seems to be increasing in strength and power.
His relationship with Sophie is becoming the cornerstone of his existence, but he still harbours great hopes for his brother, Matt and his former rival, but now his friend, Christian, who are still condemned to the life of a vampire.

In exile from the vampire clans, can the other two vampires, finally find peace in the arms of the sisters? And will the elders of the vampire clans honour their decree and leave them alone in their exile?

Please note that there are some scenes of a sexual nature in this novel, and so it is recommended as for readers aged 18 years and over.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AJC
• Release date: Jun 26, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310441851

Book preview

Brothers of the Blood

Book 2 of The Revived

By

Ann Corbett

Please note that the characters in this story are entirely fictional, any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.

Brothers of the Blood Copyright© Ann Corbett 2014

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Brothers of the Blood

Chapter One

Sophie and her sisters did not breathe easily until they had reached their own home once more, and locked out the world.

This house is all well and good, and no other vampire can enter without your leave, Caine said thoughtfully as he and the sisters sat nursing hot mugs of cocoa. But that does not stop humans under a vampire's control from getting inside. And you can't stay here all of the time; you'll have to go out at some point. I think that we need to find somewhere more… isolated, somewhere we can have privacy to explore what is happening to all of us… somewhere we can be, where we can see any other vampires coming, long before they even get to us…

You think that they’ll still come after us? Sophie asked apprehensively.

Caine shrugged and the other two vampires just looked on expressionlessly. We’re like an open wound to them, something that cannot be ignored… something that must be dealt with.

But your Elders issued that proclamation! Sam protested.

Yes, Christian agreed. But what they do in private, is not always what they proclaim to their subjects.

So where will we go? Sarah asked nervously, where can we go, where we might feel even a little bit safe?

I have a place, Christian said suddenly. I purchased it years ago, to use as a bolthole if ever the need was there; but I never got around to using it.

Where is it? Caine asked.

A bolthole, Matt said at the same time. That doesn’t sound very big!

Christian smiled a twisted sort of smile. I’ve never cared for small cramped places. I call it a bolthole because that was its purpose, but it is a very sizable house… with extensive and deeply buried cellars.

They spent some considerable time, discussing their options and the best course of action, and finally it was decided that they would move to Christian’s bolthole, and spend time together, and see what – if anything could happen between them.

They seemed to have paired off, with Sophie always with Caine, and Christian and Sam seemed to have a bond that kept those two always together. And Sarah sat with Matt, with her hand on his arm, almost as though afraid he would try and run, if she broke the contact.

It was as he looked at his brother, that Caine's interest stirred once more. What did happen, with the two of you? he suddenly asked curiously. He had tried a couple of times to make a mind contact with his brother, but it seemed as though there was a barrier there now, blocking him.

Matt cast a quick look at Sarah and his quicksilver eyes darkened with remorse.

I was weak! he muttered hoarsely. I could not hold back the beast – I could not protect her…

Her hand tightened around his arm momentarily and she smiled supportively at him.

You did manage to fight it in the end though, you managed to save me! she said consolingly.

He looked across at the others, seeing nothing but confusion and concern on the sister’s faces, but a dark guarded suspicion on the vampires – on his brother’s face.

What happened, Matt? Caine demanded.

Matt gave a sigh. I had drained her blood… he began miserably. I had drained almost all of her blood, and she was almost dead. I had to do something – I had to replenish what I’d taken!

Caine sat forward. What did you do? he demanded again.

I gave her my blood… I fed her!

Sophie and Sam looked vaguely sick at the thought of Sarah drinking his blood. But Christian and Caine both looked at Sarah.

She’s not… why is she not one of us now? Christian asked as he clearly heard her heartbeat.

She should be a vampire, Caine agreed. The demon seed should have entered her with your blood, but nothing about these sisters is as it should be, that’s what makes them so dangerous; that is why we must protect them.

She is not a vampire, Matt said with a hint of relief. But she is different now, she has drunk some of my blood, and I have drunk some of hers; and now we are both changed.

You are linked? Caine asked.

Matt nodded and his eyes glinted silver again, as they fixed on Sarah. "As soon as you swallowed the first drop of my blood, I felt the bond. I… I would have talked to you about it once you were stronger, I would have explained – but we were attacked so suddenly and my gut reaction, was to conceal myself; to stay close to you, but free so that I could help to free you as well, at the first opportunity.

"So it was you who kept on whispering inside my mind? Sarah said with a shaky little smile. You, who kept telling me what to do and telling me that everything, would be okay."

She reached out and hugged him tight. I was so afraid Matt! she whispered. But you kept me safe.

Christian gave a little grunt and Caine looked at him to see such a look of longing.

I do wish you women would stop doing things like that! he growled in frustration.

What? Caine asked blankly.

Christian looked at him in surprise, and his eyes glinted like molten steel. You can’t feel that? It’s like a warm embrace, a… a… he trailed off as he seemed to become lost in some thought.

Caine watched almost jealously as the look of euphoria crossed Christian’s face.

He was linked to Sophie now. She had revived him and healed him, she had killed the beast that had inhabited him, and he was closed now, to everything but her.

As Caine looked across at his brother he saw an almost identical look on his face as well.

It appeared that Sarah was projecting her feelings of gratitude to Matt – and Christian was picking up on it too.

Once again Caine felt a jolt inside, at his inability to feel what seemed to be something pretty special.

He was not the only one who was feeling jealous though, as Sam suddenly grabbed Christian’s leg and leaned against him to hiss. Hey you, get off my sister’s radar!

Her blue eyes glowed and Christian grunted, and the look of pleasure slowly faded to one of rueful embarrassment.

Just remember that you belong to me now? she whispered almost consolingly.

He looked at her hopefully, Would you like to take that particular discussion, somewhere more private?

Sophie sat forward and her eyes glinted too.

Caine could feel her all too well!

Neither of you two vampires will spend any time alone with my sisters, until you can guarantee their safety! she declared protectively.

Their safety? Christian laughed in outrage. What about our safety?

**

Once the decision was made to move to Christian’s ‘bolthole’, Caine and Christian began to make plans, on the best way to get there.

The two of them were sat in Sophie’s kitchen as the moon climbed higher into the sky.

Sophie and Sam had both retired and Sarah was holed up somewhere with Matt – again. The two of them had been almost inseparable since being back in the house, but they also kept sloping off together, to spend time alone. Caine wondered if it was some sort of romantic thing, or something else that made the two of them want to avoid the company of everyone else.

He’d seen the slight look of worry on Sophie’s face every time that she looked at sister. But so far she did not seem to want to voice her concerns.

Day travel will probably be our best bet, Caine said thoughtfully.

Best for whom exactly? Christian snapped irritably.

Safer then, Caine amended evenly.

Christian sighed as he realised the truth of it. When? His hunger for blood was beginning to stir and his battle with his beast was starting to grow.

Caine had advised him to go out and seek nourishment on more than one occasion, but Christian would just shrug.

I can handle the beast, he would say. It weakens its hold on me, if I make it starve for a while…

He was looking across at Caine now, and Caine could almost see a hint of the man that Christian once was… almost.

You know that they’ll track us down fairly quickly, so the sooner we leave then the better chance we’ve got… he trailed off as a sort of blank look crossed over Christian’s features.

His eyes focused back on Caine, after a moment, and a ghost of a smile curled his lips, and he was once more the ruthless vampire.

There are three vampires close by, he said calmly. One just across the road, and one each end of the road, beyond that I would need to concentrate harder.

Caine shrugged his shoulders. It’s enough for now just to know that they are out there.

So we do nothing, for now?

No, let them be happy that they are keeping tabs on us – for the moment… but we’ll have to do something before we leave here, we can’t have them dogging our trail every step of the way.

Travelling by day will be safer for the women, Christian said thoughtfully, but Matt and I will struggle, and it will be draining for us.

Caine nodded in understanding. I’ll get Sophie to find a vehicle that will offer you some sort of protection.

You too, I think, Christian said. I know that your tolerance has increased, but we still don’t know how much effect, those changes have had on you… so why risk it?

Concern, Christian? Caine mocked, Next thing, you’ll be wanting to call me brother!

Christian shrugged indifferently. I’ve always thought of us as brothers of the blood, he reminded him. And in recent days, what with our exile from the vampire society, well…

Matt’s sudden entrance cut off further conversation between them, as Caine looked at his brother, and frowned.

You are looking a bit pale?

Matt shrugged, It’s been a while since I’ve fed… no one chose to mention who he’d last fed on, I will need to replenish, and soon.

We’re being watched, Caine said in a low voice, so you will need to be careful.

They won’t even see me leave, Matt smiled.

Be discrete then, and don’t take needless risks.

Matt nodded and seemed to stand a little taller as he focused his mind.

Christian sat and watched in fascination as one moment he was there, and the next he was gone.

"How is it, that I could see you when you did this illusion, but even knowing about it and watching him do it, I still cannot see him?" Christian wondered aloud.

Caine shrugged carelessly. Matt was always very good at it, it was after all his talent.

Christian suddenly seemed to be batting at invisible flies.

Cut that out, Stevens! he snarled angrily.

Caine chuckled, but he looked just past Christian’s shoulder to address his invisible brother. The night is wearing on, he said pointedly.

**

They left the house for the last time – a few days later.

It was an hour before dawn, and Matt and Caine had used their cloaks of indifference/ invisibility to get close enough to those vampire watchers – to dispose of them.

Christian had located every single vampire within a five mile radius, and Matt and Caine had closed in on them and dealt with them, before those vampires had even realised that they were in danger.

I must say, Matt murmured as the brothers joined up and made their way back to Sophie’s house. Manford was dead on accurate with his directions, and he managed to locate them all, even those that were further out.

Christian was created to be his master’s hunting dog, so tracking was a key part of that… and I think that it was mostly vampires that his master wanted him to – deal with!

I heard those rumours too, Matt said thoughtfully. But I never put much credence to them. Vampires can be the worst panic mongers on the planet!

Caine chuckled but did not agree nor dispute the observation.

Sophie’s brought the van over, he observed with a note of approval and affection.

Matt looked at his brother enviously. You really care for her – don’t you?

Caine shrugged his shoulders. She gave me a heartbeat again, she gave me a pulse and she silenced the beast inside me… she gave me back my life.

Chapter Two

The journey went smoothly, with Sarah and Sophie sharing the driving.

Still Sophie was feeling very tired by the time she pulled off the motorway, and thankfully turned into the entrance to a long narrow dirt road. She could see the top of a roof just beyond the trees, but not much else from that angle.

She gave a little sigh as she drove carefully for the last few hundred yards.

The house that Christian had referred to as a ‘bolthole’, was in actual fact a fairly large estate, with the central house having what looked like four floors – plus attics, not to mention those ‘extensive underground cellars’, which Christian had referred to.

It’s not exactly discreet, Caine murmured as they pulled into the driveway just as the sun was about to set.

The red van had been purchased by Sophie, using the cash that Caine had given to her, and she had chosen it because it had several seats, but no rear windows.

Even so, Matt and Christian were huddled as far back inside the van as they could get, as they felt the power of the sun, trying to get through the metal walls and eat them up.

I told you, Christian said a little weakly. "I never did