Blood Father (Blood Curse Series)

Blood Father (Blood Curse Series) by Tessa Dawn

Book: Blood Father (Blood Curse Series) by Tessa Dawn Read Free Book Online
Authors: Tessa Dawn
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fascination, the methodical, scientific part of his mind that sought to unravel puzzles observing every step Nachari and Braden took with objective curiosity. The two vampires laid out the contents of the leather pouch in a perfect circle in the center of the meadow: the bark from a northern tree placed in the north; stones from the eastern cliffs placed in the east; a sealed container of water from the Winding Snake River set gently in the south; and a chunk of stone, removed from the Red Canyons, positioned in the west. With each placement, Nachari spoke a rhythmic phrase in Latin, and then he placed Tristan’s remains , Nathaniel’s grisly trophy from his brutal kill, in the center and buried it just below the surface. He ushered each of the males forward, beckoning them to stand within the circle, and Braden stepped out, placing a wide berth between him and the other vampires.
    “Marquis, as firstborn, you need to stand in the north. Nathaniel, you will stand in the east. Kagen, stay as you are, in the south, and I will take the west.” Nachari shuffled to the side, about three or four feet, and then held out his hands.
    The males linked arms, each brother grasping the wrist of the brother next to him in an unbroken loop. Nachari took a deep breath and turned toward Braden. “Bring the supplies,” he said.
    They waited, a million unspoken words passing between them, as Braden hefted and dragged the heavy backpacks full of supplies—the tents and the medicine, the extra, cached ammunition and venom, and the stored, bagged blood—into the center of the circle, being careful not to bump any of the Silivasis’ arms, not to break their link. “That’s everything,” the youngster muttered.
    Nachari nodded his approval and gestured toward a far-off tree, at least thirty yards away, with his chin. “Stand back, way beyond the circle,” he said.
    Braden started to walk away, and then he stopped, turned around, and stared at Nachari, almost as if he was afraid to look away. “I just…I mean…you’re like a…” For whatever reason, he stopped just shy of saying the last word.
    “I know,” Nachari said softly, his stark green eyes deepening with affection. “And you are like a son.” Neither male actually said the word cherished , but it was clearly spoken just the same.
    Braden raised his head, drew back his shoulders, and tried to appear brave. “Be well, Master Wizard.”
    “Be well, young acolyte,” Nachari said, winking at the kid affectionately.
    Braden cleared his throat. “Marquis, Nathaniel, Kagen…be well.”
    The brothers didn’t answer him with words. They simply inclined their heads in the manner of warriors, of vampires, and Braden walked away, continuing to take long, measured strides, until he stood far off, beneath the branches of a limber pine.
    Nachari looked at Marquis. “Are you ready, warrior?”
    Marquis snorted. “I was born ready.”
    Nachari chuckled. “And you, Nathaniel?”
    “I’m ready.”
    “Kagen?”
    The healer nodded in consent.
    “For our Blood Father then,” Nachari whispered. His voice was barely audible.
    “For our Blood Father,” all three replied in unison.
    With that, Nachari shut his eyes and began to chant. As his mystical words drifted up toward the heavens, the lyrical intonation of his speech grew more and more fluid until his words, unwittingly, reverted from English to Romanian and flowed like an ancient, mystic wind, eddying to the ears of the gods, and the circle began to take form.
    Blue and violet light began to rise from the ground, the soft, incandescent beams radiating outward like a halo, beyond the circular boundary; and the center began to glow a fiery red. It emerged from the soil like an otherworldly geyser, a stream of conical light, spinning in tapering waves of sight and sound—and ethereal substance—shimmering as the portal began to open.
    Nachari spoke more rapidly then, the words flowing off his tongue as if someone else was

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