Blood and Kisses

chapter 23



“In recognition of their outstanding service to the witch community, please join me in a toast to Thalia Kent and Gideon Damek,” Mina held up a champagne flute. “We will never be able to repay you for all you’ve done, but we’re sure going to try. To Gideon and Thalia.”

Applause rang off the metal roof of Mina’s favorite party house, or at least the one she was always able to get at the last minute, and then faded away. Thalia’s cheeks ached from smiling too much, as she and Gideon shook hands with each of the council members, but hey, it was a good problem to have.

Heath approached Thalia. He rubbed the base of his neck ruefully. “I’m sorry. You really pulled it off. I had no business taking out my frustration with the way things are on you.”

“Thanks.” Thalia patted him on the shoulder. “But, you know, I’ve been thinking. You were right.”

“What?” Heath blinked.

“Just because things have always been done a certain way, doesn’t mean that’s the way it always has to be.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying...maybe we need two Champions. Believe me, there’s more than enough work to go around.”

Comprehension lit Heath’s tanned face. He nodded. “I think I’d like that.”

Thalia squeezed his arm. “Good.”

Heath said his good-byes and left.

Gideon quirked an eyebrow at Thalia. “That was very generous.”

She tilted her head. “I’ll have to speak to the council about it, of course.”

“I have a feeling they’ll agree. It will unify the community. Plus they’ll get two free Champions for the price of one.

“Stop.” She elbowed him.

At the end of the line, Gideon snagged a cookie and handed it to Thalia. She inclined her head and raised her eyebrows, and he put it back. Then he dragged her away to the quiet corner where Spirit waited.

Had it only been a few days since she’d stood in this very building, feeling as if her world crumbled around her?

A young mage approached her. “I just wanted to say that, um, well, I voted against you at the meeting, and I want to apologize. I was wrong.”

Thalia accepted his apology, and blushing, he melted back into the crowd.

A group of witches descended upon them. A flurry of apologies and thank yous spilled from their lips.

“I feel like such a fraud,” she said to Gideon and Spirit after they’d gone. “It was just luck I found that pole.”

Gideon wrapped his arm around her waist. “Not luck,” he corrected. “Fate.”

Thalia wiggled away, looking around to see if anyone had noticed.

“What’s wrong?” Gideon looked concerned. He took her hand.

“Maybe we should keep our relationship a secret. The two communities have never exactly gotten along.”

Gideon’s dark eyebrows arched. “Witches may not be the smartest people in the world, but they might notice in thirty or so years when you don’t get any older.”

Or sooner, when they realize they never see you during the day, added Spirit.

“Besides,”—Gideon pulled her back against his chest—“Who cares what they think?”

Thalia smiled as the warmth of his body flowed through her. Why should she hide her feelings? “You’re right.” She slid her arms up behind his head and kissed him, oblivious to the crowd’s sudden increase in volume.

Well, if you’re going to do that! Spirit stalked off. Thalia barely noticed.

A few minutes later Mina walked over to them, elegant as ever in a lavender dress with her hair in tiny braids and swept up in an intricate bun. “Gideon. Spirit said you wanted to see me.”

Gideon directed an ironic grin at his hostess. “I think he was trying to cause trouble, but I did have a few questions.”

“Okay.” Mina took a sip of her champagne.

“Why didn’t Thalia discover the true depths of her powers sooner?”

“I think it has to do with one of the fundamental rules of magic. Magic needs one thing more than anything else. Belief. Thalia has always doubted her abilities, so even though she believed in magic, because she didn’t believe in herself, she never knew her full potential. If she hadn’t gained confidence somewhere, she would have failed the ritual of power. As for where her confidence came from”—Mina smiled knowingly—“You’ll have to ask her.”

Gideon nodded. “How did Thalia’s mother and Akos get the same prophecy?”

“Now that I can’t answer for sure. Most of the time, even if seers receive prophecies on the same event, they’re worded differently. But Laura Kent was an unusual witch. She had some psychic powers, as well. It’s possible she channeled the original oracle.”

Thalia nodded, remembering her mother had sometimes spoken of contacting spirits. “Well, it’s fortunate we were able to prevent the prophecy and your vision from coming true.”

Mina looked surprised. “There’s no doubt you prevented my vision from coming to pass, but what makes you think Laura’s prophecy wasn’t fulfilled?”

“But Akos lost.” Thalia shook her head, confused.

“Akos wasn’t the only ‘ancient dead, but living’ around. It seems to me, everything happened as predicted.”

“If Gideon was the being cited in the prophecy, what power did he gain?”

Mina’s eyes sparkled. “Love.” She scanned Thalia’s face with her knowing eyes. She paused. A sudden secret knowledge seemed to dawn on her handsome features. She tipped her head and slanted a look at Gideon out of the corner of her eyes. “And maybe something else, but you’ll have to ask Thalia about that, too.”

Mina’s attention was drawn by a scruffy, older mage with a long white beard and a Harley Davidson T-shirt who, hamlike hands gesturing wildly, signaled to her from across the room. She nodded and went to join him.

“What’s she talking about?”

Thalia was mystified. “I have no idea.”



The television lit the shadowy confines of Gideon’s bedroom as the picture changed to show the Channel Thirteen news desk.

“The High Falls Killer will no longer terrorize the historic entertainment district. Police stated that the killer, thirty-year-old Akos Andhu, was apprehended Friday. He was killed in a shootout with police. His body has been cremated as per the request of his family.” That had been Gideon’s idea to explain why there was no body. “All charges against Gideon Damek, owner of a popular club in the area, have been dropped.”

“About time.” On the bed, Thalia lifted her head from Gideon’s chest, picked up the remote at her side, and turned off the T.V. Neither of them needed its light to see.

The telephone rang, and Thalia stretched to answer it. As she touched the handset, Gideon put his hand atop hers. “Let the machine pick up.”

“But—”

“It’s probably just another excuse to get you over there so they can show you off to twenty of their closest friends. If it’s really serious, they can call Heath.”

“Hmm.” Thalia let go of the phone and ducked her head, hiding the smile that had crept across her face at his words. She couldn’t help being pleased by the attention. It felt good to be appreciated.

A white object fluttered down from the ceiling. It was an envelope. Gideon caught it.

“A love letter spell!” said Thalia.

“Who would be sending me a love letter? By now, everybody knows I’m taken.” He nuzzled the top of Thalia’s head.

“No. It’s called a love letter, but that’s not really what it is, although it can be. It’s a very complex spell. The letter is delivered only if certain, very specific, criteria are met. Who’s it for?”

“It says to Thalia and Gideon.” Gideon tore the envelope open and removed the letter. “It’s from your mother.”

“My mother? She must have cast the spell before she died.” Thalia grabbed the letter away from him.

“Read it out loud.”

“Dear Thalia and Gideon, If you are receiving this letter, the prophecy has come true and you are together.” Thalia looked at Gideon wonderingly, then went back to reading.

“I’m sorry I’m not there to see it. I have always known you were fated for each other.

“When Thalia was born, I went to a seer. He said that she’d lived many lives, but had always died without knowing love because her soul mate had become a vampire before they could meet. The seer predicted that her lover was finally in a place where he could recognize her.

“At first I refused to believe it. Everything I knew told me, vampires and witches could not be together. But as Thalia grew up, I could see there was a connection between you both, and I knew the seer was correct.

“You may wonder how Gideon survived when he took Thalia’s blood.”

“As Champion, I recently discovered an ancient manuscript written by a witch who details her efforts to create a spell to prevent vampires from preying on witches, apparently quite a problem in her day. As any good witch would do, she left herself an escape clause. Witch blood is only poisonous if taken without consent.

“The high council has asked me to keep this information confidential. They believe that if it became common knowledge, and a practitioner of the black arts were turned, he or she might find a way to walk in the day. Such a creature, with all the strengths of a vampire and none of his weaknesses, would be extremely dangerous. If anyone asks how Gideon survived, just tell him it was part of the prophecy.

“Gideon, though we’ve never met, I know you’re a good man. The sacrifice you made proves that. I know you’ll take good care of my darling daughter.” Thalia’s voice became thick with tears, and she swallowed before going on.

“Thalia, I’m so proud of you. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you about the prophecy or the manuscript. It was my dearest wish that you find love, as I did, and I feared hearing the prophecy too soon might endanger that. I love you. Blessed be.”

Thalia folded the letter and wiped away the tears on her cheek with her arm. She put the letter on the nightstand and cuddled into her former position.

Gideon painted Thalia’s creamy shoulder idly with a silken, black piece of her hair. He didn’t think he’d ever been so warm. He savored the feeling for a moment, breathing deep as he enjoyed the proximity of his own personal sun. His thoughts wandered to Mina’s words at the award ceremony. “So what gave you the confidence to win the ritual of power?”

Thalia lifted her head from his chest and met his eyes. “You. You believed in me.”

“Spirit believed in you, your mother believed in you.”

“They’re family. They had to believe in me. You, however, were under no obligation.”

She nestled her head into his side. “Besides. When you’re in love, you think you can do anything.” She kissed his chest. “Speaking of that.” Gideon strained to follow the swift jump in topic. “You know it’s funny. I thought vampires were sterile.”

“We are.” Gideon’s hand stilled.

“That’s odd. I could swear I’m pregnant. I think that’s what Mina was hinting at, when we were at the party the other night.”

“What!” Gideon sat up, alarmed. She must be sick. Which was odd because vampires didn’t get sick. But they definitely didn’t get pregnant.

He placed his hand over Thalia’s womb and concentrated on freeing his mind from his body, so he could examine her. For a moment, he floated over the shell of his body. Then he drifted above her and let his consciousness enter her. He found the impossible tucked securely in her fertile womb. A tiny ball of rapidly dividing cells.

“Well?” Thalia gave him an expectant look.

“I’m going to be a father!”

Thalia smiled into Gideon’s broad chest. His unique scent filled her nose. She thought he’d taken the news very well. She cuddled her body against his and savored the prophetic vision she’d had only hours before, the vision that had made Mina’s mysterious words clear.

“Gabriel!” Gideon called out from the top of the curving staircase to a sturdy toddler with a tiny crescent-shaped birthmark on his neck. A small red and white dog hovered near the chandelier. “Put Spirit down!”