Brother's Blood Read online

  Other Books by S. S. Bazinet

  The Vampire Reclamation Project Series

  Book One: Michael’s Blood

  Book Two: Arel’s Blood

  Book Three: William’s Blood

  Book Four: Brother’s Blood

  Book Five: Tainted Blood

  In The Care Of Wolves Series

  Book One: My Brother's Keeper

  The Madonna Diaries

  Dying Takes It Out Of You

  Sentenced To Heaven

  Book One: An Inmate's Tale from the Other Side

  Book Two: A Vampire In Heaven

  Copyright © 2016 by S. S. Bazinet

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, businesses, organizations and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Published by Renata Press

  Albuquerque, New Mexico

  RenataPress.com

  Visit the author’s website: SSBazinet.com

  Book cover by Panagiotis Lampridis.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-937279-06-6

  For my earth angels and

  for my heavenly angels!

  I love you all!

  Acknowledgments

  I've had so much support from so many. In bringing this book to publication, I'm so grateful to Laura Christine, my beloved, genius editor. My profound thanks go to Gene Hoglan, who spent so much time meticulously going over the manuscript. I am so appreciative of his loving dedication to detail. I am also so grateful to my other extraordinary earth angels, Gabriel, Anna Marie and George, Julia Ann and Rick. They are all blessings, and I am so fortunate to have them in my life!

  CONTENTS

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Twenty-Nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-One

  Thirty-Two

  Thirty-Three

  Thirty-Four

  Thirty-Five

  Thirty-Six

  Thirty-Seven

  Thirty-Eight

  Thirty-Nine

  Forty

  Forty-One

  Forty-Two

  Forty-Three

  Forty-Four

  Forty-Five

  Forty-Six

  Forty-Seven

  Forty-Eight

  Forty-Nine

  Fifty

  Fifty-One

  Fifty-Two

  Fifty-Three

  Fifty-Four

  Fifty-Five

  Fifty-Six

  Fifty-Seven

  Fifty-Eight

  Fifty-Nine

  Sixty

  Sixty-One

  Sixty-Two

  Sixty-Three

  Sixty-Four

  Sixty-Five

  Sixty-Six

  A Thriller Fantasy by S. S. Bazinet

  One

  ROLPHE STOOD AT his studio window, peering out with weary eyes. It was raining. Nature was blessing Paris with its holy waters. They washed the magnificent city, cleansing the sidewalks and structures in a heavy downpour. As the rain tapped out a melody of renewal on Rolphe’s window, he knew that nothing would ever cleanse his soul. He’d been able to sidestep that fact for most of his life, but not now. As he tried to outdistance his fate, hell was already nipping at his heels.

  The week before he’d nearly drained a man of his blood. Only the intervention from an outside force had stopped him and saved the man’s life. But robbing a man of his blood or even his life wasn’t new for Rolphe. His inability to resist his base nature was an engine that propelled his life. But this man was different. His blood was different. It wasn’t something that could be consumed and forgotten. This man’s blood demanded retribution.

  After his trip to London, Rolphe had returned home in a daze of increasing misery. The fires were already burning in his body. His limbs were already consumed with pain. It was a new and fearful experience. During his long life, he’d always been strong. His six-foot-five inch frame was heavy boned and made to withstand whatever he came up against . . . until now. The blood he’d recently imbibed not only cursed him with bodily afflictions, it threatened to put an end to Rolphe’s earthly existence. What would follow was too much to bear. His wicked ways were so numerous and unforgivable that his soul would surely be damned for eternity.

  Two

  AREL OPENED HIS eyes, glanced around William’s guest bedroom and quickly closed them again. Even though he felt so weak he could barely lift a finger, inwardly he was screaming. He couldn’t believe that he was still alive. Why couldn’t his body let go? Why did his heart insist on beating when he longed to leave the earth behind?

  As if that weren’t enough of a burden, he had to worry about William. The man was just as stubborn as his body. He sat by Arel’s bed, hour after hour, day in and day out. Surely it had been a week since Arel had been attacked by the villain, Rolphe. Why wouldn’t William get on with his life? He had an ex-angel, the beautiful Annabel, by his side now. She was the one who needed tending. The idea of being a human was new and challenging for her. Why didn’t William help Annabel instead of thinking he had a duty to Arel?

  Arel also had Michael to deal with. The angel was like some kind of faithful sentinel who kept trying to get through Arel’s carefully erected shields. Like William, he wanted to help. At first, Arel thought the angel was doing him a favor. Keeping up his shields took a lot of energy. He hoped the extra strain would deplete his life force. No such luck. Like his body, his energy reserves managed to hold. So there he lay, wanting to die and being foiled by his body and good-intentioned helpers.

  But what his helpers didn’t know was that they were keeping a potential monster alive. Arel had glimpsed the future and knew he wanted no part of it. If he thought he’d misused his power in the past, it was nothing compared to what he was capable of doing if he lived. No, he had to find a way to convince William and Michael to let him go before the worst happened.

  Three

  PEGGY STOOD IN the kitchen of her suburban home. She was clutching her phone, waiting for it to ring her party. She was in Chicago. The person she was trying to contact was in London. Happily, Tim was there with her while she made the call. When she looked up at him, he gave her a nodding smile. He was her tall, handsome rock. He was the person who never wavered, even when she panicked. But his support wasn’t enough to help her at the moment. “I swear, Tim, if I don’t get some answers, I’m getting the next plane out.”

  Tim’s gray eyes remained steady. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself, Peg. Arel has changed. He knows how to handle himself. Besides, he has William and Michael to look out for him.”

  Peggy held the phone closer. “I know you’re right, but these visions I’ve been having are off-the-charts scary.”

  “They’ve b
een scary before, and Arel has always come out just fine.”

  “Shh, it’s ringing,” she whispered. “I’ll put it on speaker so that you can hear too.” She held up her hand again. “Hello, Michael? This is Peggy. I’m calling because we want to check on Arel. We haven’t heard from him. Is something wrong? And please, don’t sugarcoat the facts.”

  A few minutes later, Peggy hung up the phone and narrowed her brows. The conversation had been a very short one. “That was a waste of time.”

  “What do you mean? Michael told us that he and William are taking care of Arel.”

  “Oh Tim,” Peggy said with a sigh. “Can’t you hear what he didn’t say? Michael is worried too.”

  Tim walked over to the coffee maker and poured a generous amount of hot liquid into a large mug. “Maybe you’re right, but we’ve known Michael for some time now. He’s very capable of handling tough situations.”

  Peggy joined him and held out her cup. “I guess, but in the meantime what am I supposed to do with what I’ve been feeling?”

  Tim filled her cup and replaced the carafe in the coffee maker. “I thought you said you practiced some meditation techniques that helped.”

  “Yes, but I haven’t used them recently.”

  Tim smiled. “Maybe it’s time to get the candles out again. You need your sleep.”

  “Can you believe Arel was the one who got us meditating in the first place?”

  “He was very persuasive from what I recall.”

  Peggy took a sip of her coffee and smiled. “And then he slept through the entire first session, the rascal.”

  “He was pretty burnt in those days, trying to take care of Carol and Kevin when Carol was in danger of losing their baby.”

  “And as soon as Arel insisted that they stay at his house, Kevin got that horrible case of stomach flu and kept throwing up.”

  “Kevin said he missed the toilet a couple of times. I can’t imagine Arel cleaning up that kind of mess. You know how uptight he is about his house.”

  Peggy’s smile broadened. “Poor guy went from being a reclusive bachelor to chief cook and bottle washer.”

  “And don’t forget card shark. I came home penniless on many an occasion.”

  “Yes, but you know you care about him.”

  Tim patted his stomach. “He’s a darn fine cook when he throws a dinner party.”

  Peggy sat down at the kitchen table and straightened a placemat. “But there haven’t been many parties for a while.”

  “We have to have some faith, Peg. Arel is stronger than he looks. I’m sure of it.”

  “I hope so.”

  Tim put his mug on the counter and walked over to Peggy. He started to massage her shoulders. “I know so.”

  Peggy was about to let out another sigh and grabbed her phone instead. “I almost forgot. I’m supposed to call Carol and Kevin. I promised to let them know if I found out anything from Michael.”

  * * * * *

  Carol put the phone back in the cradle and walked over to the living room sofa. Kevin looked up from his newspaper. When their eyes met, he quickly folded it and tossed it aside. He wore jeans, an old football jersey, and an expectant expression as he patted the seat next to him. Carol sat down and grabbed hold of his arm. “Peggy said that Michael repeated what we already knew. Arel is still sick.”

  “He should be better by now.”

  “You coached him, Kevin. I hope you’re right about him having hidden strengths.”

  “Yeah, but he’s also temperamental. If he gets into one of his moods, he can go down for the count if you let him.”

  “He didn’t look good when he left here. I hope his health doesn’t deteriorate again. Remember what he was like when we met him?”

  “Talk about working with a downer outlook. It wasn’t easy trying to help him.”

  “At least he has two friends with him. Michael is great, and as for William—”

  “Please, Carol, do I have to hear about how wonderful William is?”

  “Well, he is.”

  Kevin gave her a sideways glance. “I’m very grateful that the guy helped you to know how amazing you are.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate the compliment.”

  “Ever since William’s visit, I can’t keep up with you.”

  “Really? Have I changed that much?”

  “You know you have. When you took that ride with Carey on his motorcycle—”

  “Please, Kevin, we just went around the block.”

  “You wouldn’t have gone near a bike before you started being the ‘new’ Carol.”

  “I must admit that having confidence in myself is great.”

  “Maybe I need some of that confidence if I’m going to compete with William.”

  Carol knew he was kidding, but Kevin had gone through some hard times when he didn’t know how to help her. She’d been so depressed after a miscarriage. She tugged Kevin’s arm and snuggled close. “William might have helped me get my perspective back, but you’re the one I married.”

  “You don’t regret it, do you?”

  “Of course not. Stop saying things like that.”

  Kevin shrugged. “I keep remembering our time in Paris. You loved visiting the art galleries and stuff like that, but I don’t always feel excited about the same things. Do you think I’m boring?”

  Carol stared up at him and started laughing. “You’re not boring, and I’d never visit another art gallery if it meant not having you in my life.”

  “I met a lot of gals when I was dating, but when I saw you, I knew I’d hit the jackpot.”

  Carol thought back to her first impression of Kevin. He stood at her door, practically filling it up with his masculine body. But it was his smile that made her melt. “You have the biggest heart of anyone I know, Kevin Bailey, so stop doubting yourself when I mention William.”

  “What about the rest of me? I hope I’m not just a guy with a big heart.”

  Carol squeezed his arm again. “Believe me, I wouldn’t have shopped for hours yesterday, looking for just the right lingerie if there wasn’t more to you than just a good heart.”

  Kevin’s face flushed with embarrassment. He was still getting used to Carol’s new choices when it came to nighttime apparel. When he recovered a little, he glanced at her with anticipation.

  “Do you think you could model that lingerie for me tonight?”

  Carol responded with a playful sparkle in her green eyes. “I think that could be arranged.”

  Four

  WILLIAM DIDN'T KNOW where he was. The soft glow that lit up the wispy landscape reminded him of something very familiar. Was he having another near-death experience? The thought was quickly dismissed when he noticed Arel leisurely strolling down a path nearby. This wasn’t some heavenly afterlife. He had simply fallen asleep and been shanghaied again. He was in a dreamscape that belonged to Arel. The man had become very proficient at doing whatever he liked when he slept, including summoning William to join him when he liked.

  “Arel, I don’t appreciate the way you take liberties when I’m sleeping, but I am happy to get a chance to talk to you.”

  Arel smiled back. “I know. That’s why I arranged this meeting.”

  Ever since Arel had been shot in a London park, he’d been failing physically. Besides suffering the effects of blood loss, the wound in his arm was festering. In spite of Michael’s efforts to help, Arel’s life force was slipping away. After a week, he was running a high fever and remained unconscious most of the time. So it was a relief to see the man up and about, even if it was in a dream William hadn’t initiated. “For someone who’s on death’s door, you look very fit in spirit form.”

  “Exactly. You need to stop worrying about me.”

  “Arel, this isn’t the real world. In reality, you’re dying.”

  Arel gestured William over to an ornate bench and sat down. “We should talk.”

  “Just tell me why you’re still clinging to your ridiculous death wish.”
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  Arel crossed his arms. “A better question is why you won’t let yourself enjoy your life. You don’t need to concern yourself with me. You have Annabel and a bright future. You could start a family.”

  “I thought we were family. Isn’t that what you wanted when you tossed me out of heaven? You wanted a brother, right?”

  Arel looked down at his hands, clasping them together with stiff, white-knuckled fingers. “I’ve done so many inexcusable things. I keep misusing my power over and over.”

  “We’ve both made mistakes, but that’s all behind us now.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Look around you, Will. I was able to bring you here without your permission. Do you think that’s the kind of thing a friend does to a friend or a brother?”

  “It was important to both of us that we talked this thing out. That’s why you did what you did.”

  “Even if that’s true, it’s not the point. You might be able to live with your mistakes, but I can’t.”

  “You’re kidding. After all this time, you’re still hanging on to your ridiculous attitude. That’s the big mistake.”

  Arel stared back with dark, golden eyes, as if he couldn’t connect with what William was trying his best to explain. On the plus side, he appeared as his handsome self again. With his dark, wavy mane and fine, genteel features, he’d always been a person who attracted women. However, he’d routinely backed away from them, giving them a frown instead of a smile. Now, he frowned back at William.

  William stiffened with irritation. “Why can’t you lighten up, Arel? Look at the positive side for once.”

  The statement made Arel laugh. He got up and began to pace. “You have no idea about what I’m dealing with. You mean well, but you’re playing with fire. I can’t tell you how I know this, but you’re asking me to put your life in danger.”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, I have a little power too. I was able to save your butt, wasn’t I?”

  Arel turned and glared back with hard, flashing eyes. Their golden color turned into pools of anger and sudden indignation. “You shouldn’t have done that!”