"Don't fight it, Christian," he said. "I want you to enjoy this."
In that moment, something burst within Christian. He didn't recognize it but it flooded his stomach and his heart with wild energy. It raced unhinged along his limbs tingling like tiny bolts of electricity responding to an unspoken command and pooling purposefully and then flowing back out again. Christian swallowed hard as the pulsing power took complete ownership of his limbs, and he felt a shiver of fear for what was happening, so devastatingly silent inside of him. Was this what Victoria talked about when she spoke about the energy of the blood?
It couldn't be ...
Cruentus protectum, it whispered in her voice. Defend the blood.
In a moment of sudden clarity, Christian realized what he had to do. One glance at Lucian, a hair's breadth away from Victoria's neck, and he made his decision. He let his walls fall.
Christian flinched as the strange magic slid into his consciousness. Its touch was curiously familiar. It felt like Victoria, the silent part of her that stared at him, shyly wondrous when she thought he wasn't looking, the quiet bit of her that tucked her hair behind her ears self-consciously whenever she saw him looking at her, and the calm side of her that lay curled up trustingly every night she fell asleep in his vampire arms.
He would trust it, and trust her, just like she'd always trusted him. He didn't fight it when it captured his conscious mind, wild with intent.
Blood magic.
Lucian's elongated fangs were at the skin of Victoria's neck when Christian stared at him, their silver eyes locking, only Christian's weren't silver any more ... they were the silvery black of a moonlit sky, and Lucian's eyes widened in bewilderment.
"Confuto," Christian's lips said, only it wasn't his voice, it was a whisper soft musical sound that took shape in his mouth. And Lucian obediently froze, staring at him in astonishment. "Libero," the voice continued, and Victoria's body floated gently down to the ground where she softly stirred but did not awaken. Lucian's eyes widened even more until he couldn't even bear to look at his brother. And still the voice continued in its musical softness, "Curo!" Lucian stared at Christian completely at a loss for words, he couldn't even move.
Release me, Christian! Lucian thought to him angrily, and then he paused. How is this even possible, you can't do magic! You're a vampire! And what the hell is wrong with your eyes?
It's the blood ... it's in my head, everywhere. Christian's voice was full of wonder but strangely calm. His mental voice sounded like his usual tone even though the voice that had come out of his mouth had distinctly not been his.
The blood? Lucian's response was skeptical.
Her blood in me, it's protecting her. From you.
That's impossible! Blood is not alive, it can't think for itself!
There are many things that are possible in this world, brother. And Le Sang Noir is one of the greatest of them. And as if he couldn't control himself, he continued his voice wondrous. You wouldn't believe the energy, the magic. It's so alive!
Lucian's eyes were unimpressed, imprisoned as he was by Christian's incantation in the first place. But the awe in Christian's voice brought back the feelings of righteous anger that Christian had taken the gift of Le Sang Noir while he himself had been deprived of it.
What happens next? Lucian asked flatly.
Christian didn't respond. He'd completely surrendered to the power of Le Sang Noir. The blood surged in his mind like a live being. This blood curse had a strength and power that seemed to thrive on sacrifice. He didn't even want to imagine what allowing the little bit that was inside of him to kill Lucian would do. Protecting Victoria had been the sole reason he had allowed it into his mind, it was something he had inexplicably understood, but now that she was safe, a vague sense of unease curled up his spine.
The blood surged in his head channeling most of its magic into the last healing spell it had directed at Victoria. It still had not released Lucian and he stared at Christian with a furious intensity. Christian could see the fear in his eyes behind the deliberate look of hate-filled defiance. Victoria stirred and Christian's heart lurched as he rushed to her side, for the moment forgetting his brother, stroking her forehead gently. Her eyes opened and she smiled as she focused on him—they were the color of warm jade, and for a moment Christian was mesmerized, lost in their balmy liquidity.
"Do you know your eyes are black," she whispered.