Once Burned

by Jeaniene Frost

  Opened, a rich copper shade encircled by rings of evergreen. I would have thought they were beautiful, but at the moment, they looked as though they were staring right into mine.

  It unnerved me, but I reminded myself it was only coincidence. No one ever knew it when I used my abilities to establish a link. I could be the world’s biggest voyeur if I wanted, but my most fervent wish was to know less about people, not more—

  “Who are you?”

  I jumped. If I hadn’t seen his finely shaped lips move, I would’ve thought I’d imagined the words. Coincidence, I reminded myself again. Any second someone would come into my line of vision and I’d see who he was really talking to—

  “I’ll ask a second time,” his deep, slightly accented voice said. “Who are you, and how the hell are you inside my head?”

  That scared me into dropping the link at once. The ornate bed with its encircling drapes disappeared, replaced by ass-ugly wallpaper and a bed that would probably result in my getting bug bites. I let go of the silver knife as though it burned me, still reeling over what just happened.

  “Well?” Jackal asked. “Did you find him?”

  “Oh yeah.” My voice was nearly a croak from shock.

  “And?” he prodded.

  No way was I going to tell him the fire starter had somehow realized he was being been spied on. If Jackal knew that, he’d kill me on the spot so the fire starter couldn’t follow the link back through me to find him. It was possible. If he could feel me in his head, the fire starter could probably hear me, too . . .

  With a flash of inspiration that was more reckless than smart, I knew what I had to do.

  Chapter 4

  Twitchy, Pervert, and Psycho had already left the room, but Jackal stayed by the tiny desk. From the belligerent expression on his face, he had no intention of moving.

  I let out a sigh. “You think I’m going to escape out the window if you leave me alone? Come on, the others would hear it and stop me. Can’t call 911 and say, ‘Help, a bunch of vampires kidnapped me!’ either. Even if they didn’t think it was a crank call, you’d just mesmerize any cops into leaving. Or eat them. Either way, I’m not going anywhere and I know it.”

  “You’re up to something,” Jackal stated.

  It took all my willpower not to flinch, but I schooled myself to stay absolutely still. Don’t panic, don’t panic . . .

  “I don’t know what,” he went on, “but I can smell that you’re plotting something.”

  I cleared my throat. “What you smell is someone who’s been breaking out in cold sweats ever since she was kidnapped by vampires. If you want more information on your fire guy aside from how nice his drapes are, then leave. How am I supposed to concentrate when I’m being stared at by a pack of creatures that keep looking at my neck and licking their lips?”

  He was suddenly in front of me, his hand gripping my chin. “What are you really trying to do?” he asked, forcing me to look into his now-glowing eyes.

  Their effect was immediate. I felt drowsy, unconcerned, and talkative even as a part of me screeched in alarm.

  “Can’t link to him with all of you watching,” I mumbled. “Can’t get deep enough in his mind for it to work.”

  His eyes brightened until it almost hurt to look into them. “That’s all?”

  The words He sees me, too hovered on my lips, about to fall and seal my fate. But though I felt like I’d just smoked a pound of weed, I found the strength to say something else.

  “Too scared . . . with you here.”

  That was the truth, but the reasons why remained unspoken. Jackal released me, his gaze still lit up. “You won’t call anyone or try to leave this room.”

  His words resonated through my mind. I nodded without thinking. He shoved me and I fell back onto the bed, but to my relief, Jackal then headed to the door.

  “You have an hour, Frankie. Find him again, and more importantly, find where he’ll be in the future.”

  He opened the door, and then paused. Before my next blink, Jackal had ripped the phone cord in two.

  “That’s for insurance,” he muttered, and finally left.

  I waited a few seconds and then let out the breath I’d been holding. Holy shit, that was close! I had no idea how I’d managed not to spill everything when Jackal turned his lite-brights on me, but I’d count my blessings later.

  They say the devil you know is better than the one you don’t. Maybe that was true, but considering what Jackal and the others had planned for me, I was going with Option B. It gave me better odds than trying to fight off four vampires with one puny knife—which Jackal had taken with him, I noticed. Must not want to risk me attempting suicide, although what I was about to do might turn out to be the equivalent.

  There wasn’t time for me to second-guess my decision, so I picked up the charred piece of fabric, and Raziel’s death washed over me again. As usual, the impressions were fainter, the first touch always producing the most intense experience.

  I pushed past Raziel’s tortuous last moments to latch on to the fire starter’s essence. What had been a thread before now felt like a rope because of my previous connection, so I grabbed it and pulled with all my might. My dingy surroundings fell away, replaced by a huge room with soaring ceilings, elegant furniture, and tapestries on every wall. It wasn’t empty; two men stood in front of a fireplace that was big enough to fit both of them. I saw with relief that one of them was the fire starter, and the other a bald, brawny African American who was shaking his head.

  “Of course I don’t think you’re joking, but it still doesn’t seem possible—”

  “Shhh!” the fire starter hissed. Very slowly, his head turned. When those burnished copper eyes seemed to land on me, I fought my instinct to drop the link and run like hell.

  “Oh, it’s too late for you to run,” he said coldly.

  The words slammed into me, shocking me. I’d hoped with a little time—and a lot of luck—I could send him specific messages. It never occurred to me that the fire starter could read my mind as soon as I established a link. What kind of creature was he?

  “A dangerous one you shouldn’t have trifled with,” was his response. “Whoever you are, rest assured that I will find you.”

  Fear paralyzed my mind. He was pissed, and I’d seen what he did to people when he looked to be in a good mood.

  His friend glanced around. “Who are you—?”

  “Quiet,” the fire starter said. “Leave.”

  The brawny man walked out of my sight without another word. The fire starter stayed in front of the enormous hearth, those orange and yellow flames growing as if they longed to reach him through the screen.

  “Quit calling me fire starter, it’s insulting. You’re spying on me, so you know who I am.”

  “I don’t,” I said aloud, then cursed myself. If Jackal heard me and came to investigate, I might not be able to resist a second dose of his gaze before I spilled the truth.

  Look, you’ve got me all wrong, I thought rapidly, hoping his antennae into my head hadn’t lost its signal. I have no idea who you are, but four vampires kidnapped me and they’re forcing me to locate you for them.

  “Oh?” Amusement replaced the former harshness in his expression. “If that’s true, I’ll make it easy on you. I’m at my home. Tell the others to drop by anytime.”

  Flames coated his hands with the words, a warning I didn’t need because I was terrified of him already. That fear combined with the death Jackal had planned for me made my reply snappy.

  That’s great, but I’m not only supposed to find out where you are now. I’m supposed to find out where you’ll be in the future, and I’m guessing you won’t be as flip about that.

  His brows drew together at once, making those coppery green eyes all the more riveting—and frightening.

  “You can see the future?” All traces of humor left his expression.

  I heaved a mental sigh. How to explain an ability I didn’t fully understand?

/>   If I touch someone—or an object with a strong emotional essence on it—I catch glimpses of things. If the glimpses are in black and white, they’re from the past. If they’re in color but hazy, they’re from the future. And if I concentrate, I can trace someone’s essence from an object to find that person in the present, which looks clear and normal to me. That’s how I found you. Jackal gave me pieces of things from people you killed.

  He continued to stare at me until I squirmed. Aside from it being unbelievable that he could hear me, he seemed able to see me, too! How? I wasn’t there, after all.

  “I don’t see you like you’re thinking,” he answered, a tight smile playing about his lips. “You’re a voice in my head, but when I concentrate, it’s though you’re here yet you’re invisible.”That sounded creepy. I didn’t have time to ponder it, because he went on.

  “Someone named Jackal is after me? I don’t recognize the name, but it’s likely an alias. He kidnapped you, you say?”

  He and three of his buddies snatched me right off my trampoline this morning, I answered, grimacing at the memory.

  “Do you know where they’re holding you?”

  I knew exactly where I was. Even if I couldn’t tell by touching items in the room, the phone had the hotel’s full address printed on it. Still, I wasn’t about to tell Mr. Inferno where that was until we agreed on some terms.

  He grunted in amusement. “Terms? You want a reward for turning them in to me?”

  I want to live, I thought at him grimly. I saw what you did to Neddy and Raziel, so I want your word that if I tell you where Jackal and the others are, you’ll kill them, not me.

  “Depends,” he said, voice crisp as though this were a business transaction. “If you truly were forced into this as you claim, then I vow you’ll come to no harm. But if you’re lying in an attempt to lead me into a trap . . .”

  He flashed one of those charming smiles that had been the last thing Neddy and Raziel had seen. I shuddered.

  I’m not lying, I sent to him. The only people I’m trying to trap are Jackal, Pervert, Psycho, and Twitchy.

  “Then you have nothing to fear from me,” he said, not commenting on the other names. He clasped those deadly hands in front of him. “And it’s time we were properly introduced. I’m Vlad, and you are?”

  I hesitated, but replied with my real name because I didn’t want to risk even a white lie with this creature.

  Leila. My name is Leila.

  “Leila.” He said my name as though he could taste the syllables. That charming smile widened. “Now, tell me where you are.”

  Chapter 5

  Jackal tossed the partially melted belt at me. “Try again. Knowing he’s at his house is worthless. We need to know where he’ll be when he’s away from that fortress, not safe inside it.”

  I glanced at the clock on the dresser. Almost two a.m., more than eight hours since I’d spoken to Vlad—who was taking his vampire status way too seriously with that name. What was keeping him? Had he decided these men weren’t worth the effort to kill? I’d love to touch the melted belt and find out, but I didn’t know if I could get all of them to vamoose again. Jackal had promised me an hour alone before, but he’d barged into the room only thirty minutes later.

  “I’m exhausted,” I said, rubbing my forehead for effect. “Reliving all these deaths, repeatedly trying to connect to someone in the present . . . it takes a toll.” And I also had a nasty headache, but I didn’t think they’d care about that.

  “You want me to wake you up with these?” Psycho snarled, baring his fangs at me.

  Jackal laid a hand on him. “That’s not necessary,” he said in a soothing tone. “Poor Frankie’s tired. We should let her get some sleep. I know—let’s go grab dinner. I saw a tasty-looking family in Room 302. Plenty for all of us.”

  My stomach heaved, because the cold glint in his eyes said he wasn’t bluffing. Pervert, Twitchy, and Psycho smirked, silently daring me to make their night. I got off the bed.

  “Let me pee and splash some water on my face, then I’ll try to find him again,” I said, silently cursing them. I walked the short distance to the bathroom and shut the door. At least none of them tried to insist on coming in with me.

  That stalling tactic only bought me a few minutes. Soon I was back on the bed, shivering under the air-conditioning and reaching for the silver knife.

  “Why not the belt?” Jackal asked at once, stopping me.

  I glared at him, too mad over his dinner threat and worried that Vlad had changed his mind to feign politeness. “It’s easier to develop a connection through something I’ve already used.”

  He grunted. “Fine. Get to it, and we’re not leaving unless you want us to find that family.”

  More rage flared, but I pursed my lips and said nothing, picking up the cold blade. Neddy’s death washed over me again, and I pushed through those memories until I found the link to the fire starter. To my surprise, it barely took any time. A vast expanse of indigo replaced the hotel room around me. Vlad was in the middle of that dark expanse, stretched out full-length, his eyes glowing emerald as he looked at something I couldn’t see.

  For a moment, I was confused. He almost seemed as though he was swimming in his inky surroundings, except he had on a long gray coat that wasn’t wet. What . . . ?

  “I’m not swimming, Leila. I’m flying.”

  Vlad’s voice flowed over my mind, sounding amused. I realized that the endless expanse around him wasn’t water, but the night sky. He had to be high up, too. I didn’t see any lights below.

  If I lived through this, I was kicking Marty’s ass for not telling me some vampires could fly! What if Marty could fly, too? What if all vampires flew? My escape chances would be blown to hell if that were the case—

  “Who is Marty? You didn’t mention him before.” Vlad’s cool voice interrupted my train of thought.

  Marty’s a vampire, too, I thought, still trying to absorb this new information. But he’s not involved in any of this except for probably being worried sick about me.

  “You belong to another vampire?”

  A note of suspicion was back in his voice, and the way he said “belong” implied sexual or edible benefits. Or both. I scowled, forgetting Vlad couldn’t see it.

  No! We work together and we’re friends, but that’s it.

  Ew, I couldn’t help but add. Marty was like a second father to me. The idea of him poking his fangs—or anything else—into me was repellent.

  What’s taking you so long? I thought, getting back to the most important topic. It’s been hours. Did you change your mind?

  It sounded like he snorted, but with the whooshing wind all around him, I couldn’t be sure.

  “I didn’t change my mind. I was very far from Florida.”

  So he was still coming. Relief competed with anxiety. They made me find you again, I told him. I tried to stall, but they threatened to eat a family. Said telling them you were at your house wasn’t good enough and they’d need to know where you were when you were away from that place.

  A grin stretched his mouth. I didn’t find anything funny in my statements, but we must have a different sense of humor.

  “Are they with you now?”

  I couldn’t see them at the moment, but I knew Jackal, Twitchy, Pervert, and Psycho were still clustered around me.

  Yeah. They wouldn’t leave me alone this time.

  “Good.”

  If I didn’t know the others could hear me, I would’ve let out an audible scoff. Vlad could at least pretend to care that my neck was in danger of becoming a Capri Sun.

  He chuckled, flipping up his coat sleeve to glance at something. Whatever it was seemed to please him, because his teeth flashed in another grin.

  “I want you to start narrating, Leila. Tell the others exactly what you see me doing.”

  Why? I almost blurted aloud, catching myself just in time.

  That emerald gaze seemed to laser on me. “Because I told you to,�
� he said, his tone implying that he didn’t appreciate having his directives questioned.

  I hope this doesn’t get me killed, I sent to him irritably. My hand tightened around the silver knife. It might be my only hope if this stunt backfired and Jackal realized that my tie to Vlad went both ways.

  “I can see him,” I said out loud. If I believed in God, I would’ve started praying.

  In the midst of the wind whistling around Vlad, I heard Jackal’s voice. Felt his hand shaking my shoulder.

  “In the present? Or future?”

  “Present,” I said, again hoping I wasn’t signing my death warrant. “He’s not in his house anymore. He’s flying.”

  The shaking grew rougher. “What’s he flying over, Frankie?”

  “How should I know?” I replied truthfully. “It’s dark. I can’t see much . . . wait.”

  Vlad had angled his body downward. The noise from the wind increased. In the distance, I saw tiny dots appear.

  “He’s over somewhere populated now. I can see lights. Lots of them.”

  A slap burned the side of my face. “Where? I need something more specific than ‘populated’ and ‘lights,’ you stupid bitch!”

  I wanted to cradle my cheek, but didn’t because I needed all my attention on my link with Vlad. I hope you go medieval on his ass when you get here! I mentally spat.

  Vlad’s grin widened, showing those sharp-looking upper fangs. “I’ll remind you that you said that.”

  Then he angled his body in a steeper slant. The glow of lights beneath him became brighter, objects forming distinguishable shapes instead of blank nothingness. I squinted to try and see better, hoping he wasn’t hours away.