Blood Burden Read online

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

  Blood Burden

  Copyright © 2020 Lexi C. Foss

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book may not be redistributed to others for commercial or noncommercial purposes.

  Editing by: Outthink Editing, LLC

  Proofreading by: Katie Schmahl & Jean Bachen

  Cover Design: Vanesa Garkova

  Published by: Ninja Newt Publishing, LLC

  Digital Edition ISBN: 978-1-950694-94-5

  Print Edition ISBN: 978-1-950694-95-2

  Created with Vellum

  To Jean, for all your support and love. Enjoy your Gabriel ;)

  Contents

  Immortal Curse Series Order

  About Blood Burden

  Glossary: Preternatural Beings

  Glossary: Key Terms

  A Note from Lexi

  An Introduction from Gabriel

  Prologue

  1. Gabriel

  2. Clara

  3. Gabriel

  4. Gabriel

  5. Gabriel

  6. Clara

  Wicked Bonds

  Blood Skye

  Blood Seeker

  About the Author

  Also by Lexi C. Foss

  Immortal Curse Series Order

  Book One: Blood Laws

  Book Two: Forbidden Bonds

  Book Three: Blood Heart

  Book Four: Blood Bonds

  Book Five: Angel Bonds

  Book Six: Blood Seeker

  Book Seven: Wicked Bonds

  * * *

  Immortal Curse World Books

  (Bonus Stories & Immortal Curse Fun)

  Elder Bonds

  Blood Burden

  Blood Skye

  * * *

  Join the Immortal Curse Discussion Group for more Immortal Curse fun!

  Welcome to the Immortal Curse world, where angels and vampires live in secret… for now.

  * * *

  Gabriel is a warrior. A Seraphim. An immortal of astute power and authority. He’s lived his life beneath a cloud of stoicism and practicality. Only to have his entire existence turned over on its head because of her.

  * * *

  Clara.

  * * *

  The witch who enchanted him with her empathy—a vampiric talent wreaking havoc on his ability to focus.

  * * *

  He’s hell-bent on righting the wrong, even if it means killing her to restore his mental sensibilities.

  * * *

  However, not all battles are fought physically.

  Some require heart.

  * * *

  Clara’s no normal adversary.

  And she’s about to bring Gabriel to his knees.

  * * *

  Author’s Note: This episodic novella is part of the Immortal Curse world and best enjoyed when read as a companion story to the Immortal Curse series. Begin the journey today with Blood Laws.

  Fledgling (noun): The child of a male Ichorian and a human female, who has not yet been reborn as a Hydraian; they do not typically possess supernatural or psychic gifts until their immortal rebirth.

  * * *

  Hydraian (noun): An immortal offspring of a male Ichorian and a human female, who possesses two supernatural or psychic gifts and does not require human blood to survive.

  * * *

  Ichorian (noun): An immortal being of unknown descent who possesses one supernatural or psychic gift and requires human blood to survive.

  * * *

  Immortal (noun): A general noun designating a being who does not age and is immune to natural human death.

  * * *

  Progeny (noun): The term Ichorians use to refer to those they created through their turning process.

  * * *

  Seraphim (noun): A being who belongs to the highest order of angelic hierarchy.

  Arcadia: Notorious Ichorian club in New York City that also serves as the primary meeting location for the Ichorian government.

  * * *

  Blood Laws: A series of ordinances created by the Ichorian governing board in response to the Treaty of 1747.

  * * *

  Catastrophic Relief Foundation (CRF): A global humanitarian aid organization headquartered in New York City with a secret paramilitary unit designed to destroy rogue supernaturals.

  * * *

  Conclave: The Ichorian governing board.

  * * *

  Edict: A law or rule issued by the High Council of Seraph.

  * * *

  Elders: The original Hydraians who also serve as the Hydraian governing board.

  * * *

  Fated Line: Seraphim who can foresee the future.

  * * *

  High Council of Seraph: Seraphim governing board.

  * * *

  Nizari: Ancient Ichorian assassins who hunt and kill fledglings.

  * * *

  Nizari Poison: A green substance notorious for killing fledglings and preventing their rebirth.

  * * *

  Sentinel: A soldier in the CRF unit designed to slaughter rogue immortal beings.

  * * *

  Treaty of 1747: An armistice between Hydraians and Ichorians to cease fire and live in their designated areas. Those who opt to cross these boundaries do so at their own risk.

  Psst… Can I tell you a secret?

  * * *

  Blood Seeker was supposed to be about Gabriel and Clara. But Sethios demanded more page time, and my muse was helpless to stop him. I always listen to the voices. And he wasn’t wrong in this case.

  * * *

  However, it didn’t surprise me at all that Gabriel kept piping up throughout Blood Seeker. Nor did it shock me when he said, “We’re going to continue my story and explore what happened in that Hydraian cell, right?”

  * * *

  This world is just so incredibly vast in my mind. I can’t even begin to say how many avenues I stroll down just to see what everyone is up to. It’s been with me for over a decade, and these voices are my home.

  * * *

  So I thought, why not create an Immortal Curse world to write some of these events in? They’re not exactly key plot points for the story to move forward, but they are important character development scenes that I really want to be able to share. They just don’t “fit” into any of the main sequences.

  * * *

  Like how Ezekiel met Skye.

  * * *

  Or what the hell happened between Gabriel and Clara when he went to visit her in Hydria.

  * * *

  Blood Burden explores the latter. It takes place during the end of Blood Seeker and the beginning of Wicked Bonds and sort of bridges the gap between them. The entire focus is on Gabriel and Clara, making this very character-driven.

  * * *

  It’s a sexy little novella.

  * * *

  You’ll get to see a very different side of Gabriel and learn more about Clara.

  * * *

  And it sets up Wicked Bonds.

  * * *

  All points in Blood Burden’s favor.

  All fun.

  All approved by Gabriel (well, um, mostly, anyway). ;)

  * * *

  Happy Reading
  —Lexi

  My sister is better at this than I am. So if you haven’t read her story yet, ma
ybe go back and start there. I think she called it Blood Laws—based on the Ichorian governmental bullshit Osiris created. He built all of it to mimic the High Council of Seraph.

  And if you’ve not read any of this world, then you have no idea what all of that means.

  Right then, let me start over.

  Ichorians are vampires. They’ll argue this point, but they need human blood to survive. Hence, vampires.

  Osiris is an ancient Seraphim (otherwise known as angels) who was exiled from the Seraphim world for reasons that are currently being questioned. He responded to his exile by creating an army of resurrected humans that are now essentially immortal. Those beings are the Ichorians I mentioned above.

  There are also Hydraians, which are created when a male Ichorian impregnates a female human. The offspring is technically mortal, but when killed, the being reawakens as an immortal with dual abilities.

  It’s all about the bloodlines and power and a myriad of other details.

  Anyway, here’s my story in a nutshell: I’m a warrior Seraphim. It means I excel at strategy and killing things. However, my primary purpose of late has been keeping my half sister, Stas, safe and preparing her for the future.

  Pretty standard shit, except Stas is completely ungrateful and hates me. It’s entirely impractical and detracts from the mission at hand.

  I did the best I could with the destinies we were given. Once Stas finishes growing into her wings, she’ll understand.

  Or maybe she won’t.

  That was the whole point of having humans raise her—to provide her with a lesson on humanity.

  It’s something our kind—Seraphim—lacks.

  We’re practical. We see emotions as a waste of time. We make decisions based on the Fates (angels who can see the future). It’s why I was created, and same with Stas.

  Except, lately, things suggest the Fates haven’t been providing altruistic guidance to the High Council of Seraph. In fact, it seems they want the famous Seraphim council to be overthrown.

  It’s all still subjective and up in the air.

  But a prophecy claimed Stas is going to become a powerful force unlike any this world has ever seen and “destroy us all.” The Seraphim assumed that meant Osiris and his abominations. But as of late, it seems as though the prophecy actually meant all of angel kind.

  It’s confusing, I know.

  That’s why I said to start at the beginning.

  But hey, if you’re here and want to see my little side adventure, then feel free to turn the page. I have an Ichorian to hunt down. I sort of borrowed her empathetic ability in order to test my humanity, and it’s not gone as planned. So I’m going to ask her to fix it. If that doesn’t work, I’ll kill the source—a.k.a. her.

  I have one final word of warning before we begin: I’m in Hydria right now, which is an island littered with those Hydraians I mentioned. They’re like the Ichorians but don’t drink blood. They also have dual powers. And they’re extremely emotional.

  I’ll do my best to avoid conversing with most of them.

  The story will be more efficient that way.

  Right then. Grab a feather and fly along with me. I expect it to get bloody around here.

  Innocent until proven guilty.

  Isn’t that the phrase?

  It doesn’t seem to apply to me. Yes, I admitted to my supposed sins out loud, but Osiris compelled me to do it. I thought for sure they wouldn’t believe me, that they’d at least question my loyalty shift. Except that wasn’t the case at all. They threw me into this cell to be tortured for information—information I don’t have.

  I shiver. Cold. So, so cold. And alone.

  It hurts.

  The betrayal, the pain of their easy acceptance, the realization that those I thought were my family never saw me that way at all.

  I curl tighter into my ball, trying to disappear. My mind broadcasts a mantra of self-loathing, repeating the words Osiris put there for all to hear.

  Balthazar seems to question the repetition of my thoughts. I wish he could hear the ones screaming beneath, begging them to hear me. But only the superficial fake ones seem to process. The words that paint me as guilty. Claiming I betrayed them. Telling them I did it because Issac didn’t want me after I’d been created for him.

  Does he believe that, too? Does he think I actually feel that way after everything we’ve been through?

  We never wanted each other.

  He knows that better than anyone else.

  I want to ask to speak to him, but I can’t. I’m locked in a cell with no way out, frozen in a corner beneath a wave of agony no one but me can feel.

  Time passes.

  Questions continue.

  Always the same. Always angry. I’ve never seen Luc look at me this way, like he wants to kill me. I’m terrified. I want to cry. I can’t.

  They leave once more.

  I curl into myself, longing to scream, but no sound passes through my lips. I’m a puppet, controlled by strings I can’t see. However, I feel them. Wrapped around my thoughts, dictating for me. Moving my mouth and tongue, speaking for me.

  My throat aches with thirst.

  It’s been too long since my last feed, but they’re keeping me weak, punishing me for a crime I didn’t commit.

  I wait for someone to question the sanity of this plight, to wonder why I would do such a thing, to state that something isn’t right.

  But the time never comes.

  I hear them now in the hallway—Luc’s angry tones and B’s calming ones.

  My heart breaks a little more, then stops completely as a male with white-blond hair materializes into my cell like some sort of god.

  No, not a god. A Seraphim.

  I can’t see his wings, but he has an ethereal edge around him. Or maybe that’s all the trembling. Heck, I can’t even tell if he’s real. Perhaps I’ve grown delirious from lack of sustenance.

  A laugh threatens my chest, but the compulsion demolishes it, leaving me shaking instead. I weave a little, attempting to dislodge the pain.

  Back and forth.

  Back and forth.

  Back and forth.

  That feels a little better. Oh, but he’s next to me now, and he’s so warm!

  “I need a sample of your blood,” he says, his voice deep and soft and just a little gruff. I rather like it.

  Until his words register.

  Blood?

  But the compulsion refuses to let me speak, the word lodged in my brain as he wields a knife toward my arm. I long to flinch, to react, but I can’t. Osiris’s spell holds me captive, forcing me to endure the torment of his blade and the slice down my forearm. I can’t even look at it, my focus is on some point in the room, my mind rebelling against the needs of my body to react.

  It’s agony personified, destroying me from the inside out as I battle an invisible net that holds me hostage to another person’s whims.

  Tears tickle my eyes yet refuse to fall.

  Inside, I’m dying. I’m shredded. I can’t focus or breathe or do anything other than sway.

  I hate this.

  I hate them.

  I hate Osiris.

  I hate myself.

  How did I find myself in this hell? Why me? I can’t even remember how it happened, but I recognize the power. I know whom it belongs to. I just don’t know how long it’s been in my mind.

  I’m innocent! I scream again, but no one hears me. Help me!

  Warmth blankets my side as the knife-wielding male falls to his knees. He trembles violently, releasing all the pain I keep buried inside.

  My heart beats a little lighter with the reprieve, his agony mirroring my own, his cheeks wet with the tears I long to shed.

  Sweet bliss!

  But none of it is real.

  It’s all a strange concoction of fate, twisting and turning and driving the blade deeper into my heart.

  I want to cry like him. I want to shake like him. Yet I remain locked inside this cage of perpetual
anguish, silent and alone.

  His light green eyes meet mine, my sadness reflected in his beautiful irises. I long to be like him. To be able to voice my own emotions.

  He narrows his gaze, then shakes his head as voices spill into the room around us. I ignore them, my focus on the handsome male writhing beside me. I pretend to be him, to use him as my outlet for all the turmoil threatening to rip me apart.