Blood Yellow (Blood Series) Read online

  “It doesn’t appear the medicine is working fast enough, so we might need to do a C-section. Don’t worry; our NICU is very good. Our mortality rate for infants born like this is better than those that make it through full gestation. I can’t guarantee the health of your baby if we have to do this, but she could have a greater chance of survival in NICU than staying in your womb, if that decision needs to be made.”

  Adara reached for the pictures of her bent as she listened to the doctor’s words. “Then we need to schedule the C-section as soon as we know the medicine is failing.”

  “Yes, ma’am, we will soon, as that’s the only option left. My nurse will be back later to check on your progress.”

  The doctor left and Nasir took out his phone and called Zayn. Adara didn’t listen to his conversation; all she could think about was her baby girl. She placed her hand over her stomach and let her finger draw designs across her own skin.

  “My bent, you are going to be safe. I’ll see you soon. Don’t you worry; Mama’s going to protect you. My little Zahra.”

  Nasir hung the phone up from his conversation with Zayn and walked back to the bedside. “Zahra?”

  “Yes, my flower. Can you think of any better name to give her?”

  “No, that’s perfect.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Throughout the past months Haydar’s sleep hadn’t come easily to him; there was always something jarring him awake. Every time he closed his eyes, her images flashed before his face. His own personal hell was what he was living through. Maybe his Sarah was trying to tell him something; maybe there was a reason she had been haunting his dreams. Tonight wasn’t any different. No relief came even though he needed it. The moment Haydar laid his head on his pillow, the memories flooded back, as if they were happening right now.

  “I’ve brought you a surprise, Haydar. Shall we call it an early nexus giving?” Sarah smiled at him while dragging in a human man. The human was gagged and beaten. Haydar relished the idea that his future wife enjoyed the finer things in life, like marking her prey.

  “My, my, Sarah, my love, you have outdone yourself.” Haydar walked up to the human and grabbed his face, pulling him close so he could smell the fear. “I do hope you will be joining me for our feast? Perhaps he can be a part of our ceremony?”

  “I was hoping that would be your wish.” Sarah pulled the man’s chains, forcing him to follow her; she attached him to their wall and smiled at Haydar as he removed the gag from the filthy male’s mouth.

  “Tell me who you are.”

  “I am Sir Walter Tirell III, and I shall have you both sent to the guillotine for this!” He spit at Haydar, hitting him in the face. Haydar’s eyes start to flash different shades of violet as his body’s excitement increased.

  “I found him running away in our forest. I witnessed him kill your friend William the Conqueror’s son, the current King of England, so I knew you would take special pride in dining on his body.”

  “I did not mean to shoot him; it was an accident! Let me go before my party finds you and slaughters you both for this treason. I am Royalty!!”

  “You are a human fool; I am of the real royal blood line that created your filth for our feastings. Silence!”

  Haydar dropped the man as he brought Sarah into his arms and held her. “You were right. Let’s get the ceremony started. Come, my love.”

  Haydar lead them to the cabinets where he removed the candles. One purple, one black. Sarah took them to the table and brought out a ceremonial knife from the drawer. She watched as Haydar walked back to the captive she had caught and replaced the gag to silence Walter’s quivering remarks.

  “We are ready, Haydar. Let’s begin.”

  He took his love’s hands in his and brought them to his lips. He’d witnessed one of his abb’s guards perform this ceremony as a child, and he knew the general needs. He picked up his candle and blew on the wick. Fire immediately danced onto the candle as the rest of the house’s candlelight flashed away.

  “Sarah, bent of Triton, I take your hand and pledge to you my devotion, my service, my fealty. Forever I shall be faithful, and forever we shall remain.” He took her hand and turned it over, exposing her wrist. He brought it to his mouth and kissed her vein before sinking his fangs into her skin. Only for a moment did he taste her sweet blood. Removing his fangs, he took his candle and poured the wax over the wound. He sat his candle down as Sarah picked up her black one.

  “Haydar, ebn’ of Hashmin, I take your hand and pledge to you my service, my loyalty, my life. Forever I shall be yours, and forever I shall please you.” She looked at his wrist and with a hunger in her eyes, sank her fangs into the vein, pulling on his skin for a moment or two extra before retracting her fangs. Haydar mentally lit her candle as she watched the blood drip from his wrist before applying the wax.

  She set the candle down and picked up the knife. She placed the blade over his wrist and sliced across the wax, exposing his blood to the air, the wax and blood mixing together. She mimicked her actions with her own wrist then placed hers on top of his. Together with the hot wax, they pushed their wrists into each other, letting the blood and wax mix together, purple and black as one.

  Haydar lowered his head and captured her lips, his tongue flicking over her fangs teasingly. He heard another pleading cry for release and turned to the human.

  Haydar released her lips and guided her over to their feast. “Walter, murderer of the crown, we sentence you to death by Algula. Prepare to die.”

  Both of them bared their fangs at him as each one attacked his neck. Together they drained his body of his blood, their nexus being sealed, and a bond only breakable by death. Walter’s limp and lifeless body dropped to the floor. Haydar and Sarah looked at each other’s blood soaked lips. She reached over for his waistband and pulled him close while pushing his pants to the ground. His hardened length showed his excitement from the night’s ceremony.

  Haydar took his hands and ran them over her chest, enjoying the soft cotton feel for just a moment and then ripping her bodice off. He looked over her pale white skin and smiled as his cock jumped in anticipation. He pushed her up against the wall, his forceful nature getting off on her moan of momentary pain. His hands ran over her body as he reached to her folds and spread them. He didn’t need to tease her because he could feel her excitement growing.

  “Matings and killings suit you, my queen.”

  Within a moment he was inside her, the tightness of her core sheathing him. Nothing was ever sweet with him; it was rough and packed with pleasure. He thrust inside her quickly, each movement opening her sweet core more until he sheathed himself up to the hilt.

  Sarah let out cries of pleasure from her lips while her hand made fists with his hair, pulling him to her and kissing him hard. She wrapped her legs around him and pushed her hips in rhythm with his.

  She released his lips but quickly sealed her mouth on his neck, her fangs puncturing his skin. She drank in his blood, and her body warmed him inside her every way possible.

  Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours. For the remainder of the night, they enjoyed the pleasures of each other’s flesh and blood.

  Haydar woke up as he felt his heart racing. He looked at his wrist; the fang marks a faded blemish on his skin. His heart longed for her. He was glad the worthless creature that had killed her was dead. He hadn’t had any need for the rubbish brat. He should have slaughtered him as a baby, the time and effort to raise him wasted on such a useless cause.

  His mind turned to Leigh and her recent decisions regarding Jonothon. He had given her orders to bring Jonothon to see him once he returned from his mission. He had received word a few hours ago Jonothon was back, yet no sign of him. It appeared it was time to start teaching Leigh that she wasn’t the one in control.

  He was.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “Zayn, where are you?”

  Zayn heard Nikole call out his name while he was in the study, assessing
all the work that had been done since he left. The last time he was here it’d looked like the whole house was covered in a flood. He didn’t know what to say to her. He didn’t know how to handle this situation.

  He walked past the portraits of his parents that used to hang on the walls but were now on an easel having repair work done to them. He was sorry for the damage he’d caused to their house, but he had no other option. How was he to explain to his okht that he failed everyone he loved? He was supposed to keep her safe, and instead he had led her into the lion’s den.

  “I’m in the study, Nikole,” he called out.

  He walked over to the desk against the wall and palmed the family diary in his left hand. He started to thumb through the pages, reading about each of the ancestors they had had and the different things they had created and accomplished since their births. Thankfully the diary had been in the safe during the flood and wasn’t destroyed. The weight of his rash decision weighed heavily on him. He stopped turning the pages when he reached his omm sketched photo. Slowly he started to read what had been written about her, the things she had done for her people, the love she’d had for her children. He didn’t even hear Nikole walking up behind him, he was so focused on what was in front of him.

  “She would be proud of us, you know.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. I really did a number on our home.”

  “She would understand. Remember, women have quite the temper. Don’t you remember when Mama destroyed Baba’s throne?”

  Zayn took a moment to laugh with his okht. No matter what he said to her, it wouldn’t correct the mistake he had made. Maybe words were not what they needed, but just compassion. They were both hurting and both in desperate need of love from one another.

  “Abb would have been proud of you too, little okht.”

  She gave him a bit of silent approval by slipping her hand into his. She held it gently as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Asshole or not, she loved him more than anything else.

  “I’m gonna be an amma, huh? Gotta say, I know Mama and Baba were not around for the condom era to explain it to you, but I was pretty sure you knew how they worked.”

  “Nikole, stop, you know this wasn’t planned. We just need to pray she can keep the baby. I will never forgive myself if anything happens to Adara and our child.”

  “Are you going to tell me what happened? You know it isn’t like you to hurt someone like this.” Nikole gave his hand a squeeze before reaching up and taking the book from him. She scanned the lines on the pages written by hand about their omm. She didn’t know who kept this information current, but they had her omm written perfectly.

  “Little okht, believe me when I tell you I don’t know what was going through my mind. I’ve relived that moment over and over, and I just kept thinking, ‘I have to see her, I have to make her see reason.’ I have no justification. It’s like something went off in my mind. Nothing, no one, was going to stop me.”

  Zayn watched her closely while she read about their ancestors; he remembered the day she was born and the oath he had sworn to the king, their abb.

  “I’m sorry I left and treated you the way I did, for all of it. What you said about me causing all of this was right. I never should have behaved like that, especially to you.” He turned away from her, unable to face the look of disappointment that he was sure was written across her face. Everything he had done, he now had to fix and make up for, and he had do it alone. No one could fix his relationship with either woman except for him.

  “I forgive you for what you did to me, but I will not tolerate you arguing with me about my life and what I choose to do with it. I believe I have proven myself to all the Algula, about what kind of leader I can be. And if I want to lead our military, I’m no longer asking permission.” Nikole took the diary and closed it before putting it back in the safe they kept hidden in the room. She took one last look at her akh.

  “It’s going to take some adjustment having you again, so be patient with everyone. I’ll be in my room unpacking and thinking about what to do about Alec.” She started to move toward the door for a few seconds before Zayn reached his hand out and touched her arm. She turned around, and he could tell she had pain in her eyes. She’d been hurt by everyone she’d loved. There was nothing in this world that justified that.

  “What did he say that has you so hurt?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it, Zayn.”

  “Why not? What did he say?” Zayn started moving toward the door to block her from leaving. He turned around and saw her face flushed. He knew that look, the look of disappointment and sadness. “Little okht, come. Tell me what happened. Maybe we can fix this together. We can both try to be happy.”

  “Zayn.” She started to talk but silenced herself as she attempted to contain her tears. “He said he didn’t want to come here with me. He said, he said I had to leave him, essentially.” She looked over at her akh; she knew that he was angry at hearing that, because his eyes began to flash flecks of yellow. “Zayn, stop. He doesn’t need you going up there and attacking him. It’s his choice.”

  Zayn wasn’t going to listen to that. Who did Alec think he was? Someone to just use his okht and toss her aside? “You can do better than him. If he doesn’t want you, it’s because he knows he doesn’t deserve you. We will find you a good man, a Ghul in good standing, someone who you can be proud to have on your arm.”

  “Stop it! You don’t have the right to speak about him like that. He didn’t run away from me, leave me to run the race, and abandon all responsibility because he was having a fit. Before you judge him, look in the damned mirror. I’m going upstairs. Don’t follow me.”

  Nikole moved Zayn’s hand off her arm and walked out of the room. She didn’t need to sit there and listen to his judgments. She knew Alec was a good man and must have had his reasons to say and do what he did. Nikole walked up the stairs, her hands trailing along the wooden banister, completely repaired from the damage Zayn had caused a few months ago. The spots on the wall where pictures of her parents had hung were empty, the outline of their places still evident. When she reached her room, she noticed her door was ajar. She pushed it open all the way, and her breath caught in her throat as she saw all of her things unpacked.

  “Alec, oh Alec.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Zayn was not sure if he should chase after her or give her space. He got that she didn’t want to have this talk with him, but that didn’t change the fact that every male should be begging to be with her. This Alec must have something to hide from or be ashamed of something to turn her away.

  The sound of his cell phone going off interrupted Zayn’s thoughts. He pulled it out of his pocket and immediately answered it when Nasir’s name came across the screen.

  “Is she okay?” Zayn asked.

  “She is fine for the moment, but she still might lose the baby. They have to wait a bit more to see which direction it will turn.” Nasir spoke into the receiver. “She wants you to come see her and wants you to know you are having a girl; can I tell her you will?”

  “A bent.” Zayn paused, his heart started to race and his breath began to quicken. “Wow. If she wants me there, I’ll be there right away.”

  Zayn hung the phone up, shoved it into his pocket, and gave a signal for one of his lieutenants to come into the room.

  “Mehmet, I need to go to the hospital again. Please go to Nikole’s room and help her do what she needs to settle in. Do not let her leave this house. Do you understand? I do not want to put her at risk for any reason, so keep her at home at all costs.”

  Mehmet gave his head a low nod while saying, “Yes, Your Majesty. I shall protect her with my life.”

  “Good, and don’t let the past between you two stop you from doing the right thing, now go. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

  Zayn watched him leave the room and then flashed out of the house and began his journey to the hospital. Nasir’s phone call had given him the hope he neede
d. His woman and child were alive, and by the Gods they would survive. He had moved in the right steps to fix his damage with Nikole, but would Adara forgive him as easily?

  It took Zayn ten minutes to teleport his way to the hospital. He rushed through the double doors barreling into the hospital help desk.

  “Zayn!” Nasir called out from across the floor.

  “Where is she? How are my girls?”

  “They are okay right now. Adara is stable. Come with me. They just got her settled down for the night. She’s really doing well. She’s a fighter, you know.”

  They walked back to her room in silence. Zayn tried to keep his composure as he entered into the room and saw Adara’s face light up.

  “Hey, you.”

  “Hey. Did you hear?”

  Zayn nodded and his smile came out when he touched her hand. He sat in the chair next to the bed as Nasir closed the door and took his post outside of their room, standing guard.

  “A little girl, we are having a baby girl.” Zayn placed his hand on her stomach, and Adara watched his eyes start to tear up.

  “Yes, we are, Zahra. She will be here in close to three months. I have started to get a nursery ready, but now that I know it’s a girl, assuming she survives this, I can decorate and start buying clothes.”

  “Adara, don’t you dare talk like that. She is going to be okay. She’s a fighter, like her parents.” Zayn looked into Adara’s eyes and brought his hand up to her face. He tried to cup her cheek, but she pulled away from him. She didn’t know what she wanted just yet.

  “Zayn…I don’t know what to do about what happened to me. You could have killed our baby…” Adara pulled his hand down into hers while looking away. Her eyes focused on the monitors and their heart rates, the lines of her bent printing out on the paper beside hers.

  “I was angry and mad. I am truly sorry. Please let me make it up to you; for the rest of my existence, I will make this up to you.” Zayn slid down on the floor, her hand still holding his as he knelt on bended knee and looked up at her.