Chapter Two
I glance in my rearview mirror anxiously. Central Texas might finally be offering some semblance of the modern age, but I’ve been staring at the same car for the past fifteen minutes. I’m already on edge because Texas is rumored to be where the Huntsmen are most active and this doesn’t make it better.
Damian can tell I’m uneasy and follows my anxious glances. His well-muscled body is tense and his expression is dark.
Madelyn is completely oblivious. She’s staring out the window at the city, trying to get a better look at the suburban landscape whizzing past. The overpass we’re driving on curves and winds like a cement river.
“You know, they call it the Live Music Capital of the World,” Madelyn comments. “Maybe we could spend the night there. It would be good to get out, don’t you think?”
I snap my jaws together, keeping my fangs from biting into my lip. We’re being followed and she’s discussing tourism? But then again, she doesn’t know we’re being followed, does she?
Damian lays a hand on Madelyn’s shoulder. She glances back to him and smiles, but when he doesn’t smile back, her face goes serious. Damian turns toward me. “We’re going to have to deal with them sooner or later.”
I nod my agreement.
Madelyn’s eyes go wide. “Deal with who?” Her heartbeat is spiking again.
“There’s a black SUV that’s been following us for awhile,” I drily explain. “I’m guessing that whoever’s inside isn’t about to deliver flowers to the happy couple.”
Damian shoots me a poisonous look in the rearview mirror.
But I gave up my life back home to help him and his human girl and I think I’m entitled to make snide comments when I wish.
There’s an exit that leads off the overpass coming up on our right. What I’m planning to do would make any driver’s ed teacher roll in their grave, but I expect it will knock that SUV off our trail.
“Hold on,” I order.
Madelyn gulps. Damian squeezes her hand.
Without turning on my blinkers and with only a cursory head check, I wait until the last possible second and yank the wheel sideways. The car tires squeal on the pavement and someone honks at me as the Lexus jerks into the exit.
I speed down the off ramp and narrowly miss being clipped by a large U-Haul truck as I cut in front of it. That is met by a loud and infuriated honk from the driver. I shoot a quick glance over my shoulder to the overpass. The black SUV wasn’t able to make the turn in time and will have to wait for the next exit.
“Are you freaking crazy?” Damian demands. “We could’ve been creamed by that moving truck!”
“But we weren’t,” I drily respond.
“We could’ve hit the concrete curb!” Damian hollers.
“But we didn’t.”
Damian is still fuming.
“Look, you can give me the lecture later,” I interrupt. “In the mean time, we’ve got to get a new car.” The words pain me more than I show. I’ve only had my clean, shiny, perfumed Lexus back three months and now I’ve got to ditch it for good. “They’ll be looking for this one.”
Damian locks his jaw and keeps from making a comment which means he knows I’m right.
But no one says anything and I see that I’m going to have to make the plan here. I glance around, looking for somewhere for us to steal a new vehicle. The large parking lot of a crowded mall catches my eye. There must be a sale or something going on, because the cars are packed together like sardines. “Okay.”
I pull into the mall parking lot and slow down to cruising speed. As we go over a speed bump, I can hear our suitcases thumping around in the trunk. Madelyn and Damian bounce on the seats like two bobble-headed ducks.
“Okay, kids. Help me pick one,” I say, flicking my gaze over the lines of parked, unattended vehicles.
“We can’t steal a car!” Madelyn sputters behind me.
“Would you rather run?” I snap. “We don’t have enough cash to buy one and this car’s too obvious.”
Madelyn stammers. “But it’s wrong!”
I whip my head back to her. “So is having your veins dried. Which would you prefer?”
Madelyn juts out her jaw and appears to be floundering for a retort. When she looks at me like that, she resembles a platinum blonde bulldog.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Damian. He agrees with me, but he doesn’t like how easily I accept the fact. He doesn’t like how ready I am to cross lines.
Seeing that they’ll go along with me even if they don’t like it, I drop the subject of morality and move on to business. I steer the car in a large arch around the edge of the parking lot, keeping us moving even if it is in circles. “Now, are you two going to help me or must I do everything myself?”
I pull the car up on the curb near the front of the mall. I can see shoppers in sweaters and scarves laden with their prizes coming out of the sliding doors. Several of them are too busy texting on their phones to notice the Lexus and almost run into the hood. Some things about humans are the same no matter where you go.
Damian sighs. “What’s your plan?”
I spot something across the parking lot and my hands go tight on the steering wheel. It’s the black SUV pulling into the mall parking lot. I don’t think they’ve spotted us yet. There are at least fifty other black Lexus cars in this parking lot, but it’s only a matter of time before the people in that SUV are on our tails again.
My heart speeds up. Contrary to what many believe, vampires do have beating hearts. “Damian,” I say, an edge of fear in my voice. I’m sure Uncle Devin is in that SUV and I’m just as sure that he’s brought at least a half-dozen subordinate enforcers with him. Damian and I might be powerful, but we’re not that powerful.
I feel panic rising in my chest. I’m so busy fighting my sudden fear, I can’t think.
Damian’s gaze whips around and he spots the SUV, too. “We should split up.”
Of course we should. Why didn’t I think of that? Oh, yes, because I was freaking out.
Damian slips one hand into Madelyn’s and reaches for the door handle to get out.
“Wait!” I shoot out a hand and grab his sleeve to stop him. “You two can’t go together.”
Damian glances back at Madelyn. Her eyes are wide. Her hand squeezes Damian’s tighter.
“Why not?” she nervously asks. I can feel fear radiating off her like a million little cold drafts. She wants to stay with my brother. She feels safe with him and we both know he’d die to protect her.
“Because if you two are caught, it’s over for you. So long as one of you gets away, you’ll be safe,” I explain, more for Damian’s sake than hers.
“How can you know that?” Madelyn asks. She’s scared. And she should be.
I don’t want to say how I know that. “I just do,” I coldly reply.
Fortunately, Damian understands what I’m trying to say. “I’ll take the car,” Damian says. “Haddie, you take her inside and try to lose them.”
I nod. Leaving the keys in the ignition, I step outside the car and skirt around to the other side. I jerk the door open and wait for Madelyn.
Damian’s still holding Madelyn’s hand as he steps out of the car with her.
She suddenly looks small and frightened and I find that I’m starting to pity her. Madelyn looks up at Damian. She doesn’t want to leave him.
“It’ll be alright, baby,” he whispers. He pulls her closer to him and kisses her full on the mouth.
I look away. I’ve seen people make out in public before and it’s never bothered me, but there’s something about it being my little brother that makes my stomach turn. Fletcher and I kissed, often enough, but never in public. There’s something about the way my brother and Madelyn kiss that makes me firmly suspect that they’ve already done a bit more than this. I force myself not to think about it and clear my throat. “Ahem, ladies and gentlemen, we have murderous vampires inbound.”
That wakes them both up. They come a
part and open their eyes. Madelyn furrows her brows and purses her lips together, as if she’s trying to relive their kiss. Damian pulls away and dashes around to the other side of the car.
“Look for an exit on the other side, I’ll be there!” Damian shouts.
I nod my agreement, grab Madelyn just above her elbow, and haul her through the mall’s sliding doors. We’re greeted with the mall’s white, artificial lights and slick tile floors. The shops line up on either side of us, their lit signs vie for our attention as we weave through the waves of shoppers. It’s always annoyed me how people seem to spread out like a living minefield in open public places. I briefly muse how quickly these people would clear out of my path if they knew what I am.
Madelyn is rigid at my side, but she doesn’t resist as I drag her through the throng of people. She keeps glancing back to the sliding doors where we left Damian. He’s driven the Lexus from the curb and I sincerely hope he’s getting us a new car and that we’ll be able to pull this off.
Once we’re in the thick of the mall, I slow down to an easy stroll and let go of Madelyn’s arm. I pretend to be looking at an aesthetic display of prom dresses while searching the reflection in the glass for any signs of Uncle Devin or the men I know to be his underlings. I see no trace of Uncle Devin’s gelled head or any of the others.
I pause, drawing a deep gulp of air through my nose. I detect the overwhelming odors of cleaning products, plastic, sugary candy, new leather, and a plethora of other smells that seem to mix together like one completely random science experiment. There’s no trace of Uncle Devin’s musky scent, but my eyes still go wide in horror. I catch a familiar, dusty, sweaty, yet slightly spicy smell.
I whip my head around. Could it be the Falkners who were following us? I’m not sure how they would’ve known about Damian and I, but if they’re here, then we’re in serious trouble. I survey the shoppers around us.
There’s a woman in ironed slacks and a ruffled blouse who looks Indian speaking with a vender at a jewelry kiosk. To her left is a man in a baseball cap and football jersey resting his hands on the back of a stroller and staring into an electronics shop while his flushed wife yells at him to help with the screaming baby.
I turn my head the other way and see a trio of laughing teenage girls in tights and shorts that could hardly be shorter—or tighter. Inside the kitchen appliance shop, I glimpse a plump store clerk arguing with an elderly woman over the validity of an expired coupon.
None of these people seem likely suspects, but I guide Madelyn away as fast as I can without drawing attention.
Are we being hunted by both sides now? If we are, I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.
As we make our way toward an escalator leading up to the second level, Madelyn grips my wrist.
I look to her and for a moment, I think she’s just frightened. Then I follow her gaze to see two men in dress shirts with sunglasses march through the front doors. They look like two clones. From this distance, every detail about them seems identical, from their ironed khakis, right down to their hair being gelled to the left side.
I recognize them as Jerome and Ayden Thatcher, twin brothers who’ve been working for my uncle for years. I’ve always had trouble telling which was which. They even smell the same.
Deciding not to wait for them to notice us, I casually lead Madelyn through the rows of shops and stores lining either side of the broad walkway. I know they won’t attack us here, in public. Once they spot us, they’ll try and corner us somewhere our screams won’t be heard.
Madelyn’s body language clearly shows she’s aching to run. It must be taking every ounce of courage in her not to take off like a spooked rabbit.
I understand. There’s a part of me that’s begging to run from Uncle Devin’s men, too. I can almost feel the tearing pain at my throat again. But I need to keep a level head. I panicked in the parking lot, I won’t afford myself that luxury now. Not when Madelyn’s life depends on me.
Laying a hand on Madelyn’s arm, I draw her aside and pretend to examine the wares of an iPhone cover kiosk. In an instant, the excessively friendly vender asks me if he can help me with anything. I wave him off with a fake smile and say I’m just looking. He starts telling me about some special two-for-one offer they’ve got going, but Madelyn grabs my arm and jerks me around to face her before he can finish.
“Are you nuts?” she demands, her voice on the verge of cracking. “Those guys are after us!”
I glance past her. Sure enough, I can see them pretending to survey the merchandise of a fake cigarette kiosk. The vender of that kiosk appears to be just as friendly as this one and is trying to badger them into a purchase. “Yep,” I agree.
Madelyn’s eyes go wide in frustration and terror. “What are we going to do?”
I’ve been thinking about that this whole time. I need to do something to get rid of them before Uncle Devin and his other men come at us from the other direction and flush us out like two pigeons. I stare at her, chewing my lip, thinking. Finally, I answer her question. “We do this.” I grab her arm and take off, dragging her along. I pace myself so that she can keep up, refraining from laying on the massive speed my body is capable of. My ankle boots aren’t meant for this and as I fight to keep from stumbling, I make a mental note that I’ll have to trade them for sneakers.
We run. Madelyn doesn’t know what’s happening, but she follows me. She may not trust me, but she trusts Damian and he handed her off to me. Once or twice, she tries to ask what’s going on, but I jerk her forward before she can finish her question.
People have little more than passing glances to spare for us, which is just as well. I steer Madelyn around the clusters of shoppers. It’s rather like fleeing through a maze.
A glance over my shoulder shows that the two vampires in khakis have taken the bait. They’re running after us, keeping their distance, but dashing after us all the same.
I see a sign for the bathrooms and angle toward it at a run. The sign is tacked above a beige tiled hallway leading toward two industrial-looking doors with AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY painted across them in red. To our right is the sign marking the men’s bathrooms and to our left is the women’s. I jerk Madelyn toward the women’s bathroom and shove her inside.
She stumbles as I yank her around, but doesn’t say anything.
The bathroom is lined by empty stalls along one side and granite sinks crowned by a huge, wall-length mirror on the other. The floor is a little slippery and a citrus air freshener has been applied to near toxic levels, but at least the room’s empty.
I hope the noxious air freshener will dampen our scent, but that’s not why I came in here.
“There’s only one way out, we’re trapped!” Madelyn gasps.
“Yes, we are,” I answer. “Be quiet.”
Before she can say anything else, I jerk Madelyn to stand with me to the side of the door. I press my back against the wall and listen intently. Straining to hear above the droning bathroom fans, I just make out the faint thump of the Thatcher twins’ shoes rounding into the hallway. Our scent will lead them in here.
Outside the door, they hesitate. They must know we’re cornered.
I squeeze Madelyn’s arm tighter and the moment the door starts to open, I shove her forward straight in front of it. Fear and betrayal flash across her face, but she doesn’t scream or beg. At least she’s not weak.
I whip my attention back to the doors. The two vampires move forward, making for Madelyn.
They don’t see me until it’s too late. I ram my booted foot into the hip of the one in front. He loses his balance and staggers sideways. The second one is on guard, and he whirls on me with bared fangs. He swings at me with a balled fist and I duck out of the way, blocking him and ramming my own fist upwards into his jaw. He falls backwards and on the way down the back of his head catches the rim of the granite counter top. There’s a loud thump! and as he slides unconscious to the ground, I see scarlet blood smear on the tiles.
The second one has recovered by now and he comes at me with his eyes blazing red and his fangs out all the way. I snarl at him, a savage, animal snarl, and dive for him as he lunges for me. He’s faster than his brother and a heavy fist impacts with my gut, driving the air out of my body and seeming to pulverize my organs. I’m knocked backwards against the door of a bathroom stall. It swings open and I narrowly miss hitting my head on the ceramic toilet seat.
I’m fairly certain that I scream, but I can’t be sure. I glimpse Madelyn.
She stands in the open, exposed. I can see she wants to help me, but she knows she’s no good against a fully grown male vampire.
Turning my attention back to my attacker, I scramble to my feet and dodge his second blow aimed at my ribcage. His fist slams into the side of the bathroom stall and punches a large dent into the metal. That would’ve definitely broken a few of my ribs.
Before he can draw his hand back and swing at me again, I grab his shirt, jerk him toward me, and bring the heel of my hand down on his collarbone as hard as I can. He cries out as a loud cracking sound snaps through the air. Without waiting for him to recover, I slam my hand into the other side, effectively neutralizing his ability to punch.
The vampire sinks to his knees, eyes clenched shut, gasping, holding as still as he can.
I mercilessly whip the toe of my boot into the side of his face, knocking him to the ground. He shouts in pain, both from my boot and his jarred broken bones.
Stepping away from the subdued vampire, I realize just how hard he punched me. There’s a sharp ache twisting my insides and I hope that jerk didn’t just give me internal bleeding. Not to mention my hand hurts from punching the other one and the heel of my hand from breaking his collarbone. With a soft groan, I waddle over to Madelyn.
“Are you alright?” she asks, wide-eyed, staring at where the second vampire’s fist dented the bathroom stall.
“I’ll live. I think.” I notice something just past her head and heave a sigh. There’s a security camera. A freaking security camera and it just caught this whole thing. Oh, well. Uncle Devin can worry about keeping the video footage of our vampire duel away from the authorities and off YouTube. What I really need to be worried about is a troupe of mall cops rushing in here and slowing us down. “Come on.” I grab Madelyn’s arm again and pull her back toward the door.
The vampire with the broken collarbone has started moaning. I can’t say I’m sorry for him. Ayden and Jerome once helped Uncle Devin tie me up after I’d disobeyed him.
“Is he dead?” Madelyn nervously asks, eyeing the unconscious vampire, the one who hit his head on the granite countertop.
I flick my eyes over him. I can still sense a heartbeat. “No,” I tersely respond, flinging the door open and stepping over his prostrate form.
“Good,” Madelyn sighs.
I don’t see what’s so good about it. Once he heals in a few days, he’ll be after us again. Both of them will be. I understand that Madelyn doesn’t yet understand my father’s pawns like I do, but she’s still going to have to toughen up. Then again, I’m the one leaving them alive.
I pull her back into the easy, vibrant atmosphere of the mall. My gait is strained, wobbly. With my bruising abs, it’s getting harder to walk. My ankle boots are suddenly seeming unstable.
Madelyn takes my hand. “Haddie, are you alright?”
I push her away. “Fine, fine, I’ll be fine. I just need to feed on some of that blood in the cooler and I should be healed by morning.”
I notice a few people stare at me as I say that. I smile innocently at them and they go back to what they were doing. Humans can be such sheep.
“Come on.” I hobble away through the crowd. Madelyn trots after me.
After a little while, the pain in my ribs eases down to a nagging ache and I’m able to walk normally.
We pass through the food court. Here everything smells as greasy as it did back at that diner. Once again I ponder how humans can eat something that smells like that. Fletcher always told me that humans don’t have my sense of smell. Clearly, or else they wouldn’t be so excited to consume the garbage sold here.
Shoppers sit at the tables in groups of twos and threes, their shopping bags tucked under the table as they laugh and chat. At the far end of the food court, there’s an elderly woman trying to wrangle her two squirming grandchildren into sitting still and eating their hamburgers.
I glance around, scanning the nearby faces for a threat. Everything looks fine until I glance over my shoulder. There he is, Uncle Devin, not twenty yards away. The greasy odors of the food court must’ve hidden his scent.
His clean white dress shirt and black blazer are looking fresh and orderly. A reminder that he’s the one who can act on his own time. His eyes are hidden by a pair of designer sunglasses and I can’t tell if he’s seen me or not.
The scars on my neck seem to burn hot. We can’t let him catch us. I know I can’t best Uncle Devin, believe me, I’ve tried. I shoot my gaze around our surroundings, I spot the doors to the other mall entrance. The one Damian said he’d meet us at. I think he’s had enough time. He should be ready. If not, we’re screwed.
Uncle Devin is flanked a by heavy-set man I don’t recognize. The second man doesn’t strike me as a vampire, though I know he must be a Kaiju. Uncle Devin would never bring a human. Frankly, I’m surprised he’d bring anything but other vampires. There’s a reason our species has ruled the other Kaiju for centuries.
The second man’s drooping jowls and squat, bulky build lead me to believe he must be a troll. There’s no one stronger than a troll. But there’s no one faster than a vampire.
I kick off my suede ankle boots, trying not to think about the three hundred dollars they cost me last month. If I’m going to run again, I won’t be able to do it in heels. I yank off my stockings, too. I’ll need traction.
“What are you doing?” Madelyn asks.
I lean forward and drop my voice. “Keep calm.”
That makes her go tense because now she knows I’ve seen something. “What is it?” she whispers.
I don’t answer, but I wrap my hand around her wrist and cautiously lead her in the direction of the doors. They’re still a good fifty yards off. In my peripheral vision, I see Uncle Devin and the troll move through the crowd at a deliberate pace after us.
Fanged Page 4
