Elixir of Blood: The Blood Cure Duology, #1

By M.M. Nightly

I was living a perfect existence with my loving husband, our beautiful daughter, and another baby on the way.

 

But, all that changed…the night I died.

 

A vicious attack ripped away my home, family, and life. Was it a miracle, or a curse, that I was turned into a vampire that same night? I cannot decide.

Yet since that moment, I have been driven by vengeance, hungry to destroy the bloodlines of those who stole everything from me. For centuries, I clung to that existence, holding onto the memories.

 

Until…I heard a rumor.

 

A compelling story of a cure for vampirism sweeping through Europe. For the first time in seven-hundred years, I am filled with hope. Is it possible after all this time I could have a family once more? Or is fate once again taunting me with its cruel ways?

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.M. Nightly
• Release date: Aug 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223135760

Book preview

Prologue

Excharte of Ravenna, Italy

1046

Theo. Theo! Get back inside. You will catch cold if you stand out in this weather any longer. As if by magic, a breeze glides by; causing me to pull my woolen shawl higher over my shoulders. The beautiful, orange, full moon shines brightly over the trees across from the pasture. "Theo, Georgina just went down for the night. I believe you should really come inside soon. I can think of some ways for us to stay warm." A smile plays across my face as I think of the many ways he has heated up my cold nights.

I will be there soon, Mina. I–I am not sure how to explain it. Something is out there. Something is wrong. I can feel it, Mina. I do not know what it is, but it makes my hair stand on end. He rubs his right hand over his left arm. Looking over the pasture one more time at our little herd of cows, he finally moves to head inside after seeing their calm demeanor tonight. Cows are very intuitive. They run and bellow at the first sight of danger. If only we had listened to them the following night.

The remnants of last night’s full moon can still be felt in the air. Even with the dark clouds covering the sky, a few gleaming moon rays can be seen fighting their way through to reach the cold ground below. I find Theo in the same spot as the night before.

What is the matter, Theo? I feel like there is something you are not telling me. Rubbing my hand over my swollen belly, I try to calm down the baby kicking and rolling inside.

I can feel it, Mina. I can feel…them. Waiting in the tree line. Watching. I thought we had gotten far enough away from them. I thought—I hoped I would not have to deal with them again. Theo’s movements become erratic, and he paces back and forth. The cows have started running towards the pasture behind us, but I am too focused on Theo to fully notice.

You are starting to scare me, Theo. What is going on? Just then, my eyes are drawn to the tops of the trees in the distance. Theo, what is that? I ask, while pointing towards the sky. His eyes follow my arm to where I am pointing. Why is the sky red? The sun has been set for hours, and the clouds cover the moon. What is producing that light?

We are hit by a wave of smoke floating in with the evening breeze. Fire? Is that fire?! Maria and Santino live over that way, and their sons, Lorenzo and Luca. We must go over there! We must make sure they are okay!

I begin to move forward when I am stopped by Theo’s embrace. It is too late for them, Mina. They may already be on their way over here. Leave your things. Take Georgina and run as fast as you can. Do not stop and do not look back. Run. Run as fast as you can.

The air thickens, and it becomes hard to breathe. I look back at the house, picturing Georgina asleep in the bed. Shaking my head side to side a bit too fast, I shout at him in a panic No! I cannot do that, Theo. I cannot leave you here to deal with God-knows-what may be out there. If you fight, we fight together.

Do not be stupid, Mina. No matter how hard you fight, you cannot take on the beasts out there. Your best bet is to run and get away from it while you may still have the chance. We need to protect Georgina and the one growing inside of you. I cannot lose the ones I love most as well. He pulls me in for a tight hug, kisses my forehead, and then pushes me towards the house. Save yourself, and Georgina while you still can! Running towards the woodpile on the side of the house, he picks up a large, wooden-handled axe and takes off into the pasture, yelling obscenities at the wind as loudly as he can.

I am frozen in place with fear, trying to recall the words Theo just said. A screaming in the distance catches my attention, and my motherly instincts kick in to protect my child. Running back towards the house, I feel my heart break in two.

Theo!

I know in my heart that was his scream, and I do not think I will ever be able to get it out of my head. I want to fall to my knees and cry until I cannot cry anymore, but I must stay strong for my children.

Swinging the back door open, I scoop Georgina up from the bed in the corner of our small, one-room cottage. "Va tutto bene dulcezza. Everything will be alright." I pull her tighter to my chest and push my nose onto the top of her head, breathing in her innocent scent and giving her a kiss. I am not sure what things will be like after I leave this house, and I am exceedingly tempted to pack everything I can. The guttural noises coming from the cows outside makes me change my mind and I run back out through the back door, leaving it open behind me.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see as I ran out of the house. The pasture behind the house, which is normally a brilliant shade of green, is now covered in a deep shade of red; bodies of cows thrown all around the field. Running towards the front of the house, I almost trip over the axe Theo had grabbed to fight off whatever monsters he believed were plaguing us.

How did this get here? What is happening?

Suddenly, I am spun around by a hand on my left shoulder. I am expecting wolves or something with fur, claws, and big teeth, not the beautiful female with dark hair in front of me. We lock eyes and a strange feeling of calm overtakes me.

Such a sweet child, she says in a very heavy Russian accent. She runs her hand down the left side of Georgina’s face.

I want to scream at her to not touch my child. I want to fight and run us to safety, but my legs feel weak and wobbly. I fall to my knees, cradling Georgina with my left arm as I hold my stomach with my right arm.

A male with red hair and blue eyes comes up beside the female, seemingly out of nowhere. He drops something heavy to his right. I look to my left to see what it is and my heart breaks all over again. Theo’s body is contorted in an unnatural way, and the tears left on his cheeks bring up tears of my own. Do not play with your food, Annika.

But just look at it, Vince. It is just a child…a babe. Can we not keep it and raise it as our own?

You know that is not allowed. He made it known, very clearly, they must all be taken care of. Every one of them.

Looking deep into my caramel and green hazel-colored eyes, she easily takes Georgina from my arms against every part of me screaming for her not to. My body stiffens as my arms move down by my sides; the feeling of being wrapped tightly with ropes encloses around me, but no ropes can be seen. The calm feeling seems to instantly vanish, and anger flows up from my fingers to the tips of my ears. Small cries can be heard over the conversations popping up around us. Pulling her close to her face, the cries slowly stop and I see Georgina’s arms hang loosely by her sides.

The tears flow harder, creating puddles on my knees. Unsure of if the feeling is from the unborn child inside of me or from whatever magic seems to have taken control of my body, the inside of my body feels like I am kicking and thrashing around, trying my hardest to stand back up and grab my child from this wicked woman, but the outside of my body has not moved an inch.

Be with your father, child, she whispers into Georgina’s ear before placing her on the ground next to Theo. I look down to my left, trying so hard to turn my head towards them, to see my heart and my reason for living lying so lifeless on the ground. I want so hard to kill her and tear her apart limb from limb. The will to fight burns like a fire in my eyes. She takes notice of the change inside of me, bending down to be eye level with me. Do not worry. You will be with them both soon.

She pulls me in like she is going to give me a hug, the smell of the woods coming off of her skin. A sharp pricking sensation on the right side of my neck makes me wince. Strangely, the overwhelming feeling of calm takes over me again, the anger dying like the flame at the end of a candle. As if, in some weird twist of fate, I am supposed to be in this place, at this time. My head feels very foggy and everything starts going black. I close my eyes and picture Theo and Georgina waiting for me to join them in a life past this one.

Annika! Enough. Here he comes, Vince says, nervously. Grabbing my lifeless body from Annika, he lays me on my side next to Theo and Georgina.

What is this? A voice asks, snappy and cold.

M–Marcello, sir, Annika mutters. The sound of leaves rustling under fabric grabs my attention and forces me to hold on. We finished the task you asked of us. We took care of the traitor and his family.

Is there anyone else in the house?

No, sir. This was it.

I need to see who it is they are talking to. I need to remember the face of the person responsible for ending the life of my family and myself. I use every last bit of energy I can muster to slowly open my eyes, catching a glimpse of Marcello.

Let us hope the treachery ends with this one. He turns around quickly, leaving the scene of the massacre as fast as he had entered it.

Annika and Vince, with a smug sense of accomplishment, rapidly follow after their leader, already fighting each other for their next job. I must have passed out afterward. Somehow, some way, I survived this terrible ordeal. I no longer feel the baby inside of me moving, and I am hoping and praying to whatever God above can hear me, they are still alive. I feel this is the end for both of us, though.

Every second after agonizing second, I wish for the sweet release of death. A pins and needles feeling goes through my body, starting at my toes and working its way up to my head. My head is pounding so hard I feel like it may soon explode. Every emotion I have felt during the tragic incident rushes through me over and over again. I am unsure of how much time has passed as I lie there next to their bodies, my mind continuously going in and out of consciousness. I long to join my Theo and sweet Georgina in whatever life they have moved on to.

As long as my heart still beats, no matter how slowly, I will search for these creatures who took them from me and end them however I can. Unfortunately, I would be waiting a rather long time for any sign of hope to be able to see them again.

I take a deep breath; hearing footsteps approach me. I am scared, and I hope it is not an animal coming by to scavenge on our bodies. Instead, I feel cold, soft fingers as I am lifted onto a two-wheeled wooden cart pulled by a horse.

The scent of amber and musk fills my nose and someone else whispers, Stay strong, child. I saw everything. You will have your chance to seek revenge.

Chapter 1

Prussia

1745

Bodies twirl and dance around me as if they are