Page 38 of Love Bites
“Well, themamáandpapáhave the sex then—”
“Not what I meant,” Katheryn interrupted, blushing. The last thing she wanted was a lesson in the birds and the bees from Ignacio’s mother.
Josefina chuckled. “Well Natural Born vampires can make the sex with humans and have thebebé. Made vampires can no do that. Natural Borns grow old and can havebebé, but no can walk in light or eat the human food.”
That explained why Ignacio had never picked her up during the day time and why he’d gotten sick from eating with her. She should have realized the truth but was too drunk on his seduction to pay attention.
“The Made vampires can no grow old or make thebebé. They die and stay dead forever. They can no make new vampires; only the Natural Borns’ can make the new vampires with venom.”
Katheryn reached for her neck. If Ignacio was a Natural Born as his mother claimed, and he had bitten her, did that mean she was going to become a vampire?
Josefina must have read the fear in Katheryn’s eyes as she leaned forward. “You no become the vampire. Ignacio no give you the venom, and he no kill you. He just drink.”
Katheryn let out a breath. That was a relief. She wouldn’t have to worry about becoming a vampire against her will. Her hand stayed on her neck. “Why did he drink from me?”
Josefina stared as if Katheryn had just sprouted another head. “Because blood of the Soul Mate is most delicious.”
“Soul Mate?” Katheryn’s mouth fell open. “What are you talking about? What does that mean?”
“Ignacio will explain Soul Mate to you. When he wakes, you will speak.”
Katheryn stood, nearly knocking over the tray of drinks with her knee. “I willnotspeak to him! I don’t want to see him! I want to go home!”
Josefina nodded at Katheryn, her eyes wide and wise. “If you wish to go, you go. We no hold you here against will. But I show you something first.”
She stood up slowly. “May I show you,Katerina?”
Katheryn twisted her fingers nervously. She wanted to go home, didn’t want to wait for Ignacio to wake up and make excuses about why he did what he did. But his mother had the sweetest look in her eyes, a look that was hard to refuse. Katheryn nodded then followed Josefina out of the living room into the narrow hallway.
“Do you know hardest thing of being mother?” Josefina stopped in the hallway to trail her hands over the frame that hung on the wall.
Katheryn kept her gaze on the woman, questioning and confused. What was she getting at?
“Of course you know not. You not mother. But hardest thing is to raise baby alone.” Her eyes were shining with sadness as she kept her palm spread on the picture.
“You raised Ignacio on your own?”
“You ask about Ignacio’s father, so I tell you.Katerina,you say Ignacio use you, that he evil but I know real meaning of that word.” Her voice grew haunted, distant, and her eyes watered.
Katheryn didn’t dare to interrupt. What had happened to her? Had she been used?
“Ignacio’s father was evil. True evil.El Diablo,I called him. The devil.”
“What did he do to you?” Katheryn asked in a whisper. Josefina looked at her with tears in her eyes.
“His father was Natural Born. Very handsome man. Hair black like night, black like raven’s wing. Tall, with yellow eyes like snake. He come to my village in Mexico and stay for few days. The women love this handsome man but not I. I see the evil.”
Her eyes were haunted, and Katheryn didn’t dare interrupt again. Josefina’s voice drew her into the story, with its powerful emotion.
“He say to me, ‘Josefina, you are most beautiful. Come to my bed.’ I say no many times. But one night...” Her voice trailed off and Katheryn felt the bile rise in her throat. “I walk alone in dark. I close my parents’ shop, and he come out of darkness.”
She shuddered as if the memory were alive, replaying before her.
“His eyes red like blood. He tell me he come for me, that I must accept his offer. I look him in eyes and say no, I no his whore. Then...” Her voice caught as she choked back tears. She turned bravely to face Katheryn. “He use the hypnotism on me. He tell me no to move, no to scream. I want to but I no can. I lay there helpless as he take me in alleyway.”
Katheryn felt tears prickle in her eyes, too, but she didn’t wipe them away. She let them fall for Josefina, for a young and beautiful Josefina, who had been too helpless to do anything, too helpless to fight back the vampire who raped her.
“He left me in alleyway then he left the town. I have Ignacio. He was born, but he no like vampire who father him. Ignacio good. Yes, he Natural Born like father, but he has good heart like mine.”
