Blood Legacy (PULSE Vampire Series #6) Read Free Page B

turn vampires, I imagined it wouldn’t have quite a strong scent – fewer vampires would pick up on it. But as long as you’re…”
     
    Kalina sighed. She hated the idea that her virginity was implicitly tied into the scent of her blood – that every one of the lascivious vampires who came to try to taste her could smell whether or not she’d had sex. The idea disgusted her. She didn’t want to give up her power to turn vampires, but she wasn’t sure she liked the rules of this particular deal. Clearly whoever created Life’s Blood had quite an antiquated view of women, she scowled.
     
    “I guess I still smell like fresh meat,” Kalina sighed. “I swear, at this point I’m almost ready to just get it over with so vampires stop sniffing around me like…”
     
    She looked up at Stuart and Justin, who were staring at her with shocked faces. “Never mind.”
     
    “It wouldn’t matter, anyhow,” said Stuart. “I smell of you now. The Life’s Blood that you gave me is in my blood. Your lingering scent is enough for any vampire to track me down.”
     
    “Well, we can’t leave you alone…” Justin strode over and patted Stuart on the shoulder. “You need protection. And you know, I’m a Carrier now.” He stuck his chest out proudly. “Not a real one, of course – but Max put her Life’s Blood in me.”
     
    Stuart instinctively sniffed the air, then stopped, confused. “I can’t smell it anymore,” he admitted. “You just smell like dirty laundry to me.”
     
    Kalina bit back a small smile.
     
    “Can we book another ticket, Kal?” Justin turned to Kalina. “Take him with us? He’ll be safe there.”
     
    Kalina hesitated a moment before answering. She knew as well as Justin did that they couldn’t just leave Stuart alone – not if he was still a target for vampires looking to drain him of the few drops of Life’s Blood he had in his system. But she’d been so looking forward to a fresh start – to getting away from the confusion that dulled her brain and yet heightened her senses. She’d needed time away from Stuart – to think, to come to terms with herself. She hated this physical attraction to him – the sheer force of her desire of his blood – that mingled with her knowledge, deep down, that she could not love him the way he deserved to be loved. The knowledge of her heart warring with the knowledge of her blood.
     
    But that, it seemed, was not to be. “Of course we can,” said Kalina, gritting her teeth. “But what about your dreams, Stuart? What about seminary? Staying here?”
     
    “It’s not safe,” said Stuart, “and in any case – whatever you’re doing, I can’t not be a part of it. I…care for you too much to let you risk your life without my help.” His voice was shaking, and Kalina’s heart ached for it. It was so clear that he loved her, even now; the force of his adoration floored her. How could she bear it? This longing, this desire…how could she bear the guilt of not being able to love him in return? Oh, why couldn’t she just be normal , settle into normalcy, forget Jaegar, forget Octavius, forget the desires that scrambled her brain and set her blood afire.
     
    “Book a ticket?” Stuart raised an eyebrow. “But why ever would you do that? We can take my jet.”
     
    “What?!” Justin nearly leaped out of his skin. “Private jet.”
     
    “It’s amazing what a few-hundred-year-old investments can do. That’s a lot of time to collect interest.” Stuart grinned modestly. “I’m lucky enough to be able to live out the remainder of my days with a small fortune – well, a large fortune, rather. I’ve never wanted to spend it before – after all, when you’re supposed to be alive for all eternity, you want to make sure you don’t run out, so I’ve been living on the investment income. But now I probably haven’t got more than eighty or ninety years ahead of me – if that – so I might as well get to spending it!”
     
    “It