Free The Blood Bundle, Books 1-2: Blood Singers and Blood Song (New Adult Paranormal Vampire/Shifter Romance) by Tamara Rose Blodgett Page A

malnourishment. But as Julia
caught sight of herself in the harsh reflection of the florescent
lighting that rode the top of the vanity mirror she blanched. Even
to her she looked hideous. Large bruise type circles held court
underneath her large, golden eyes. Her hair was a startling black,
the ends hacked unevenly about her shoulders. It was her ribs, each
one countable, her collarbone standing at attention which let her
know how desperate she still looked.
    How had she looked before? Julia didn't want to
know.
    Turning away she cranked on the hot water for
the shower, the needles slamming into her hands that were still
cold from the outside. The tingling of the warmth waking her skin
up as she pulled the stopper and the spray rained down, beating the
porcelain tub below. Julia stepped in, parting her lips, letting
the water fill her mouth and run down her chin. The warmth and
privacy made her want to cry with relief.
    She hadn't realized how obtrusive her lack of
privacy had been when Susan had been her caretaker or how
oppressive William and Pierce's presence was. She was so grateful
she could hardly stand herself.
    Julia almost shrieked when she glanced down
while rinsing the shampoo out of her hair and saw the tub filled
with black.
    What-the-hell?
    She quickly toweled off and ran to the mirror.
She swiped her forearm across the middle and there she stood, her
wet hair like dark gold, a black wash hanging on but mostly
gone.
    Shit. There went her great disguise. Julia
sighed. Figures she would grab the wash-out-gradually dye. She
turned away in disgust. Jerking the nightclothes on, which
consisted of panties and an oversized shirt, she slammed her body
into the bed in a huff. She was certain she would fall right to
sleep.
    But she didn't. Instead, thoughts of Jason
filled her head like they always did before sleep took her.
     
    *
    then: fire & ice
     
    They flew down on the small plane from the
Anchorage Airport. Julia was stoked, they'd touch down in Homer
soon. The only small glitch was Jason wanted to meet up with Kevin
and Cyn one more time at their spot on the beach. Kevin was likely
burning the hell out of the driftwood as they flew.
    She wanted Jason all to herself.
    He laughed as she cuddled closer, his finger
tracing and alternatively swirling the wedding band she wore as he
said, “It's a sendoff, Jules. Don't get your hot panties in a
twist.”
    Julia rolled her eyes. “They are super cute
panties, buster. Not that you'd know!” she said, giving him a
playful elbow. He retaliated, tickling her without mercy. She
shrieked in the confines of the plane, some of the other passengers
giving the pair stern looks.
    They offloaded and ran to their car parked in
the lot, the mountains a backdrop behind Jason's car, the stubborn
snow clinging to some of the nooks and crannies at the top.
    Julia sucked in a lungful of the freshest air in
the world, happier than she'd ever been. Vegas had been an assault
on all her senses. Filthy, noisy, dirty, everything that wasn't
home.
    Jason opened the door for her and she piled in,
roaring off to the spit. Cyn and Kevin were waiting and she could
see the fire from the beginning of the spit, the flames rushing up
to kiss the darkening sky.
    An omen.
    Julia's mind protected her from touching the
memory which lay next. The one she couldn't bear to think of.
    The one that was stealing her breath, robbing
her of life, making her heart pause in her throat.
    Julia finally fell into a fitful sleep as the
vampires closed in around her.
     
    *
    vampire
     
    The four of them surrounded the human cattle,
eyes glittering darkly at their prey. They could not afford to be
circumspect, all four would need to be well-fed when they finally
came upon Julia. William signaled to Pierce and they flanked the
victim.
    A pleasure to dispatch , William thought.
Remembering how they'd come upon him, abusing the woman that Robert
now eased into thrall as they moved toward the human scum. William
licked the