He eyed me up and down, or I assumed he did, since his head made a surveying motion, then he pushed me back and said, “Screw you.”
I snapped my head to Nika, and called her name. Her sharp hearing heard me above the chaos, and she instantly turned to look. I pointed at the guy who’d turned me down—he shouldn’t have been able to do that. Understanding my gesture, Nika smiled as she stepped the few feet over to where I was.
She tapped him on the shoulder, while I wondered what we should say. Since we couldn’t make him tell us anything, we’d have to be charming and schmooze it out of him. That was not my strongpoint.
“Excuse me,” Nika said over the thumping music. “We heard there was some amazing stuff going around the party. We were wondering if you knew where we could get some?”
The guy smirked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Just as I was wondering if pummeling answers out of the guy was acceptable, Nika shrugged and said, “That’s too bad. I heard it’s supposed to be an amazing ride. I’d do just about anything to try it.”
She started turning away from him. His mouth popped open and he grabbed her elbow. My mouth dropped open too. Just what was my girlfriend promising him? “Wait…mine is gone, but I know where to get more.”
Nika looked back at him with a smile bright enough to knock a grown man to his feet. The teen in front of us surely felt the impact. He even backed up a step. “Really? That’s great! Thank you! Where do we go?”
That was when the stoner seemed to remember she wasn’t alone. He looked over at me with a frown. “Howard’s Market, tomorrow at midnight.”
Nika patted the guy’s cheek. “Thanks! You’re the best!”
She immediately moved away from him and he held up his hands. “Wait! We can still party!”
I put a hand on his shoulder. “No…you can’t.” I wanted to bare my fangs at him, just a little…but I refrained. Damn. Being responsible sucked sometimes.
Leaving the forlorn partier to his thoughts, I followed Nika. Like she could somehow still sense Julian, she found her brother in the swarm of bodies. He was asking a couple of girls if they had any good stuff. Both girls laughed at him, then walked away. Without being able to trance people, finding kids who were compulsion-proof was tricky. Nika put a hand on his shoulder and Julian spun around with wide, startled eyes. It was hard to surprise a vampire, even a mixed vampire, but Julian was several generations down the line, and his senses weren’t as acute as the others. Plus, it was really damn loud in here.
Leaning forward, Nika shouted, “We got it! Let’s go get Dad!”
Julian nodded and pulled Arianna toward the exit.
When we were finally on the way back to the ranch, I laid my head back on the car seat and let out a long exhale of relief. Not having that chaos assaulting me from every direction was bliss in and of itself, but having a location—an actual, physical location—was an answered prayer. We were one step closer to Simon, which was one step closer to Starla, Jacen, and stopping the science that would ultimately lead to our undoing if left unchecked. Everything hinged on that goth-boy’s memory. Howard’s Market. There was only one in the city, and it was sort of a landmark for locals, or so Nika told me. I hadn’t been here long enough to know. But all the kids knew it, which was why Simon was using it. Even a kid blitzed out of his mind would know where to meet him.
“Do you think we should go there tonight?” Trey asked. He was hyper, bouncing in his seat, eager for another adventure. It was the exact opposite of how I felt, and I wished he was sitting in the front seat beside Julian, instead of right next to me so I wouldn’t have to feel his energy; he was practically vibrating.
“The kid said tomorrow night, and Nika is hurt. She needs attention first,” I told him, for the umpteenth time. And also for the umpteenth time, Nika cringed. She probably wouldn’t mind a detour before going to the ranch. The others were meeting us though, so we couldn’t deviate.
Trey started in on a recount of tonight’s activity. I would have given anything for him to shut up so we could have some peace and quiet. Like Nika knew I was teetering on the edge of slapping my hand over his mouth, she grabbed my fingers and softly pressed them to her lips. Just like that, I didn’t much care about Trey’s incessant babbling anymore.
When she brought our fingers down to her lap, I cupped her hand with mine. “We’ll get you taken care of as soon as we get there. Then you can rest.”
She suddenly looked ill, and she peered down at her chest like a creature was about to burst out of it. “I’m sure it’s fine…we can wait a little longer.”
Knowing she was just scared, I brought my fingers to her chin. “No, we can’t, and you know we can’t.” She bit her lip, then laid her head on my shoulder. Ignoring Trey, we spent the rest of the car ride wrapped in each other’s arms.
The ride to the ranch seemed to take forever, but when we got there, I heard Nika mutter, “That was fast.” Time really was all about perception.
Everyone was outside when we pulled up, and I could see Tracey craning her neck, looking for her daughter. I instantly wished Olivia had ridden back with us. Ben hadn’t wanted her to leave his side though, and they were following behind us in Cleo’s car. Halina and Gabriel had decided to head out on foot while we all drove. Gabriel wanted to immediately study the mixed vampires we’d fought. Halina was waiting next to Emma, and both women smiled brightly at seeing their children return.
When we stepped out of the station wagon, Tracey seemed disappointed to see us. I was certain Ben had called her on the drive home, to let her know Olivia had been found. I wondered how much he’d told her. If she hadn’t been informed already, she was in for a big surprise.
Stepping forward, Tracey asked, “Are Ben and Teren right behind you? I know Olivia is with them…I want to see my daughter.” She fisted her hands like she was commanding me. I didn’t have the answer she needed though. The shot I was taking blocked me from everyone.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Julian beat me to it. “They’re about ten minutes behind us, Aunt Tracey. They’ll be here soon.” His tone was calm and supportive, but he was clenching Arianna’s hand. He knew what this was going to do to Tracey.
Halina smiled at me with approving eyes, then turned to Emma. “Nika was shot, she should have the bullet removed immediately.”
Everyone snapped their gaze to Nika, and everyone’s expressions suddenly went from relief to concern. “Shot?” Tracey asked, recovering first. “Who shot you?” Her hands went to her throat. “Was Olivia involved in a gunfight? Is she okay?”
Nika let out a reluctant sigh as Julian assured Tracey that Olivia was fine. He didn’t mention she was a vampire, but I supposed Tracey hadn’t asked that. Imogen, standing very close to Malachi, came forward. Her eyes scanned Nika, spotted the lingering bloodstains on her skin and dress, and asked, “Were you hit in the chest, dear?”
Nika sighed again, and her eyes guiltily drifted to her mother. “Yeah. One of the guys had a gun. He was gonna shoot Julian…I distracted him.” She rubbed her chest, like the wound still ached.
Emma’s face went stark white in the moonlight, then there was a flurry of movement as women rushed around Nika. We were driven apart as searching fingers entangled her. While Emma and Imogen looked for signs of an entry point, that was almost impossible to see now, Alanna said to her husband, “Jack, we’re going to need lots of towels and a sharp knife.”
Arianna tossed her hand over her mouth while Trey looked confused. “What are they gonna do, dude? Cut her open and dig it out?”
Face sympathetic, Julian’s eyes never left his sister as she was swept into the house. “Yeah…that’s exactly what they’re gonna do,” he murmured.
My own face grim, I nodded at him, then followed Nika. The women were taking her to the kitchen. Nika was shaking, and I could tell she was forcing herself to keep moving forward, when all she wanted to do was run away. My stomach was twisted into a knot so tight, I wasn
’t sure how I could let this happen. I knew it was necessary—the bullet needed to come out—but the pain she was going to endure…I couldn’t take it.
“Is there anything we can give her? A drug? Alcohol? Anything to numb the pain?” I asked, panic in my voice.
Halina shook her head. “She’s a pureblood now…her body would absorb most everything before it took effect, or it would just make her sick. Gabriel might be able to cook up something she could handle, but that would take time. It’s best to just get it over with.” Looking over at Nika, she brushed her knuckle down her cheek and said something in Russian.
Nika exhaled a slow breath as she nodded. The table was cleared off and Nika laid down on top of it. Jack was working on gathering a bunch of towels. He set a pile down next to his wife, then he went to get a knife. When he returned and Nika saw the sharp blade, she gagged, then covered her mouth and looked away. I squeezed her hand, wishing I could do more.
“We need to undress her,” Imogen stated. From her voice, it was clear that was a cue for all the men to leave the vicinity. Malachi, who had been watching from the edge of the room, left with Jack. Eyes defiant, I squeezed Nika’s hand tighter. If they wanted me to leave, they would have to pry me off her.
Maybe seeing that I was glued to her side, none of the women tried to remove me. They started removing Nika’s party dress, and Nika started freaking out. “No, no, it’s fine…it’s not hurting me. Just leave it. Please, leave it.”
She was frantically looking between her mother and grandmothers, but they were all avoiding eye contact with her. Knowing panic when I saw it, I brought my free hand to her chin, and turned her face to me. Hoping she would let me soothe her, I lowered my lips to hers. She was stiff with fear at first, but then she slowly began relaxing into my touch. She even brought a hand to my face, and for a second, I think we both forgot what was going on as we took a moment to enjoy each other.
Then she screamed.
She instinctually fought against the object causing her pain, and Imogen immediately told us, “Hold her down.” I didn’t want to, but I knew the end would get here sooner if we did. I held one side while Alanna held the other. Halina secured her feet.
Nika’s cries were unbearable. So was her begging for us to stop. I don’t think she was even aware of where she was or what she was saying. She was just in pain. Bloody tears rolled down her cheeks nonstop. Seeing her torture brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t hold them back, and the blood-red drops dripped off me and onto her lips. She licked her lip without thinking, and her fangs instantly released. She stopped screaming and snapped her gaze to me. She wasn’t really seeing me though. She had a feral, hungry, pained, scared look in her eye, and I suddenly knew what would ease her suffering.
Letting her go with one hand, I brought my wrist to my face and tore it open. The pain was searing, but nothing compared to what Nika was going through. I brought my wrist to her mouth, and she hungrily took it. She sucked down long draws of my free-flowing blood, and I started to feel lightheaded as she gulped down swallow after swallow. I didn’t care. I’d let it all go if it helped her. If I didn’t have to hear her scream anymore.
Just when I thought I was about to pass out, I heard Imogen say, “There…I found it.” Seconds later, she exclaimed, “Got it!” I glanced over to see her hand, drenched in dark red blood, holding a tiny bullet. My vision swam, then everything went dark.
I NEVER WANTED to be operated on again. I thought it had been awful when I was human, but without the benefit of anesthesia or painkillers, it outright sucked as a vampire. The only thing that had kept my sanity intact was Hunter’s blood. His cool, refreshing, mood-enhancing blood. But thankfully, the bullet was out of me, and if the fates were with me, I’d never have to go through that again.
As I laid on the kitchen table panting, my body stitched itself back together. That part was actually enjoyable. It was like an itch being scratched, the pain fading into tingles of pleasure. I’d heard it said that some vampires cut themselves just to feel that tingle. I wasn’t that addicted to the sensation, but after what I’d just gone through, it was heaven.
A low rumble of delight left me. So much better than jagged bolts of electrifying pain. Hunter’s face loomed on the edge of my vision. He seemed pale and sickly, like he’d just been the one operated on. I immediately felt bad for how much blood I’d consumed.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his eyes tired, but happy.
“Yeah,” I murmured. My tongue felt thick in my mouth. My fangs were still dropped from feeding. I hadn’t had the energy to pull them back up yet. Weakly, I started bringing my wrist to his mouth. “You need to eat…”
His hand reached up, grabbed mine, and returned it to my chest. A kitchen towel was draped across my skin, giving me a little modesty. “Imogen is making me some. Save yours, you need it.”
I inhaled, and the scent of fresh blood tantalized my senses. I closed my eyes and another growl escaped me. Hunter laughed. “She’s making you some too. And your mom is getting you clean clothes.”
Opening my eyes, I nodded. “Thank you, for what you did.”
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, Nika.” Leaning forward, he added, “I can’t wait for this to be over, so we can be bonded again. So we can be together, day and night.” There was fire in his eyes when he said it, and I had no doubt that even my parents wouldn’t be able to keep us apart after this. We would be lovers, sire-bonded, nestmates…no, soul mates, and no force on this earth would ever rip us apart again.
Sitting up, I pulled his mouth to mine. Yes. That’s all I ever wanted.
A soft voice clearing their throat interrupted us. Imogen was standing there, holding two thermoses of blood. “Drink up, you two. You’ll need your strength for the argument that’s about to be heading your way.” She smiled at us and winked.
I laughed as I took the mug. Yeah, Hunter’s and my plans would not go well with my father. He’d fight us every step of the way, but I wasn’t backing down this time. My place was at the ranch, with my partner for eternal life.
Tipping back the thermos, I let the hot blood flow into my mouth. I gulped it down in greedy swallows, and heard Hunter doing the same. I paused as I felt a familiar presence cross the property line. “Dad and the others are here,” I said to Hunter.
He finished his drink, then handed the thermos to Imogen; she immediately walked over to the stove to refill it. “We should go, Tracey will have questions.” He sighed. “I have questions.”
I thought his cheeks looked a little fuller, but he still seemed like someone who’d been bed-ridden for three months. “You stay here and rest and eat. I’ll go.”
Feeling sprightly, and pretty much back to normal, I hopped off the table. Or tried to anyway. Hunter grabbed my wrist. “Nika…your clothes.” The meager kitchen towel covering my chest had fallen away, and Hunter’s eyes were glued to the newly exposed, freshly washed skin. It made a different sort of tingle go through me.
His hand slowly started coming forward to touch me, and I held my breath. But then, all of a sudden, Hunter was whacked in the back of the head with a wooden spoon. “Not in my kitchen, you don’t.” Imogen handed me the towel while she gave Hunter evil eyes.
As he rubbed his head, Mom dashed into the room with clean clothes. She glared at Hunter too, like I hadn’t been the one at fault, hopping off the table nearly naked. I blurred my clothes on while Imogen gave Hunter another thermos. Mom studied me after I was dressed. I supposed she’d heard our stubborn declarations to be together. She didn’t say anything to me though, she merely raised an eyebrow.
I pointed outside. “I’m gonna go…talk to Dad…”
Mom grabbed my hand before I could blur away. “What did the two of you mean by ‘Tracey will have questions’? Questions about what?”
I looked down, to where I could feel Halina under the earth. She was probably in Gabriel’s lab, helping him collect samples from the body they’d carried back. The
body of a man who had been turned into a mixed vampire. A feat that, up until now, had been rare and risky. My mom having been successfully turned was a miracle story in our house, but now, the miracle was a scientific procedure that anyone could have done, for a price.
“Jake’s grandfather figured out how to make living vampires...” My voice trailed off. I couldn’t bring myself to say that he’d turned an eleven-year-old. Just having seen it with my own eyes was bad enough.
Mom seemed confused, but then her eyes widened. “Olivia…”
I nodded. “And Simon. And the men we fought. Things are different now, Mom.” And they might not ever be the same again. Anyone could become a human/vampire mix now. It was a whole new world.
We heard a woman screeching outside, and I knew Tracey had finally been reunited with her daughter. While Imogen handed Hunter a third thermos of blood, Mom and I blurred outside. Everyone returning home from the rescue mission looked mildly defeated. Dad stared at Mom with somber eyes. Ben wouldn’t meet his wife’s gaze as she hugged her daughter with every ounce of strength she possessed. Jake looked frustrated, yet hopeful all at the same time. And Rory and Cleo looked like they were going to drop from fatigue any minute.
“Oh my God, you’re okay! I was so scared. I felt like I was going out of my mind.” Pushing Olivia back, Tracey stared her in the eye. “Don’t ever get yourself kidnapped again! You hear me?”
Olivia smiled, and it was the smile that clued Tracey into the fact that something about her daughter was different. In her emotional turmoil, or maybe just in her newness, Olivia had forgotten to keep her teeth up. Her fangs were fully visible in her grin, and all of the blood drained from Tracey’s face.
“What…what’s wrong with your…?” She took a step back from Olivia, then snapped her gaze to Ben. “What’s wrong with her teeth, Ben? Why does she look like that?”