Whiteout (Aurora Sky

by Nikki Jefford

  Zack jumped in place. Dante smirked.

  “Let Melcher chew on that one,” he said. “He’ll have agents swarming the area in no time. Good thing too. He’s not doing a very good job monitoring the area from the looks of it. Things have really gone downhill since Renard killed poor Janine.” When I didn’t answer, Dante’s head swiveled in my direction. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Are you okay?”

  Anger surged up my spine. For a moment I couldn’t breathe, let alone speak.

  “Aurora?” Dante prodded.

  “No, I’m not okay. I got bit!” Now that we were finally alone, I felt free to release my frustration. I jabbed a finger at my neck, accidently poking the wound. I winced.

  “I don’t understand why you’re upset. You’ve been bitten before.”

  “Maybe I don’t enjoy being sucked on,” I snapped.

  “That’s a relief,” Dante said, voice lifting. It boiled my blood. “You did good back there,” he added.

  “While you just sat back and watched them feed on me.” I set the gun on the middle seat and yanked the blue wig off my head. Once in my lap, I fisted my fingers through the smooth strands.

  Dante rubbed the bridge of his nose with his right hand then set it back on the steering wheel. “Sorry, I didn’t realize it would upset you this much. Why didn’t you say something before we went into the club?”

  The apology calmed me down. I didn’t have the energy to stay mad. I sank into the seat. “I’ll be fine. It just sucks to be fed on and unable to do anything about it.”

  Dante sat up in his seat. “Sky, I hear you loud and clear. I’m sorry about that. I really am. You know how much it kills me to walk away from those bloodsuckers at the club and let one go. They’re up to no good. I just know it.”

  “Me too,” I said. “I never thought I’d miss having toxic blood, but back there…” I took a steadying breath before continuing. “I kinda wish I did.”

  “If it’s out of you, it’s most likely out of me,” Dante said. “Tell you what. Next time we’ll trade places.”

  “Oh really?” I challenged. “I’ll sit back drinking root beer while you get the blood sucked out of you.”

  Dante grinned. “I’m all for equal opportunity.”

  “You’re so progressive,” I said sarcastically. “But it doesn’t matter. There’s not going to be a next time. When do we leave for Anchorage?”

  “Before we go anywhere, we need to ditch this truck,” Dante said. “Unfortunately, that means lifting something else.”

  We’d already stolen snowmachines. Why not a car? Desperate times.

  “Got any more friends we can steal from?” I joked.

  “We’ll drive over to North Pole and swap vehicles.”

  “What are we you going to do?” I asked. “Steal Santa’s sleigh?”

  “I draw the line at Santa Claus,” Dante said. “I used to work for a construction company in North Pole during summer break—before the agency recruited me. They kept several vehicles on site for us to pick up supplies. Unlocked, keys hidden under the floor mat.”

  “Let’s hope that hasn’t changed,” I said.

  How easily life on the run turned into a life of crime. Breaking and entering. Theft. Hopefully this would be the last time we had to break the law. There wasn’t much choice. Zack had seen the truck. Every second we spent driving around put us further at risk.

  It didn’t take long to drive through town, and soon the streetlights were replaced by trees and the great black void outside the city.

  “How long till we get there?” I asked.

  “Twenty minutes tops,” Dante said.

  It was too dark to see the Tanana River running alongside the Richardson Highway. A set of headlights reflected in the rearview mirror, a lone vehicle following us out of town. It set me further on edge.

  Dante glanced in the mirror, watching the car behind us for several seconds before jamming his foot on the gas pedal. The truck sped forward. I watched the car recede from the side mirror. It didn’t try to keep pace. At the next bend in the road, its headlights distinguished as though blown out by the wind racing alongside the truck’s exterior.

  I eased back against my seat. Dante kept both hands on the steering wheel, intent on the road. The only thing I could make out in the headlights were the yellow lines rushing forward like an airport runway through the midnight dark.

  Dante reduced the drive time between towns to fifteen minutes. The sign for North Pole reflected in the distance. We turned off the highway and rolled through the city limits.

  Soon we’d entered the glow of the small city. The streetlights were painted red and white and shaped like candy canes. Too bad they weren’t lighting up a cute little Christmas village. Nope. Just another ugly-ass strip of asphalt flanked by fast-food joints, pawn shops, and used car lots.

  While we waited at a red traffic light, Dante dug inside his jeans pocket and pulled out the cash Giselle had given him.

  “I hope the vehicle we lift has a full tank,” he said, riffling through the bills. “We’re down to our last eight dollars.” He folded the thin wad and jammed it back inside his pocket as the light turned green.

  Dante took a left off the main drag and weaved through side streets until reaching a building in a small industrial area shrouded in darkness. Exterior lights didn’t do much to brighten the murky shadow of night. He parked along the curb. Once he’d turned off the ignition, he sat in place, staring out the windshield.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked.

  Dante caressed the steering wheel with his fingertips. “This truck has been the closest thing to a home I’ve had since Giselle grabbed me. I feel bad ditching the old girl.”

  “Yeah? Well, just think, soon you’ll be reunited with your Jeep.”

  Dante’s hands stilled over the wheel. “Did somebody save my baby from the hilltop?”

  “Noel, Fane, and I went back and got it,” I said. “Unless the agency confiscated the Jeep, it should still be parked outside of Noel’s place.”

  Technically it had been both Noel’s and my place, but I hadn’t lived at the spacious two-story house long enough to really call it home. There was a chance the Jeep was still parked there. Melcher might have overlooked it with everything else going on. Not that we could risk using it once we returned to town, but at least Dante might get it back after Melcher was handled.

  Dante didn’t ask anything more about the Jeep. His moment of interest had turned into a sulky pout. His lower lip puffed out. I’d be willing to bet the mention of Fane had caused his shift in attitude. Funny how that worked.

  A pair of headlights appeared around the corner and headed toward us.

  “Get down,” Dante hissed.

  We dove against the seat bench simultaneously, heads almost hitting as we crouched out of sight. Dante snatched his gun from under his seat and gripped the handle in his fist. The lights passed and disappeared down the street. Slowly, we rose back up. Once seated, Dante holstered his gun around his waist.

  “I can’t relax,” I said. “I feel like every car is following us.”

  The only benefit of paranoia was the adrenaline rush it gave my entire body. The wooziness had started to subside as my senses came back to life.

  “There’s no way Zack would have found a phone in time to have someone follow us,” Dante assured me. “But I know what you mean. Something doesn’t feel right.”

  That part sounded less reassuring.

  Dante leaned back to look at me. “Do you want to wait in the truck while I search the lot? Make sure we don’t leave behind any weapons or supplies in the glove box?”

  “Sure,” I replied. It would also give me a chance to shimmy out of the shorts and put my jeans on.

  “Here,” Dante said, reaching behind the seat for his backpack. “Toss anything you’re taking with us in here.”

  As soon as Dante left the truck, I peeled off the vinyl butt choker and replaced it with the comfort of my jeans, leaving the
lace stockings on for added warmth. I’d take what little I could get. I looped my belt holster around my waist and grabbed my gun out of the glove box, nestling it back in place at my hip.

  Not long after I’d secured the fastening on my jeans, Dante pulled up in a white SUV. That was fast.

  With quick speed, I emptied the rest of the glove box, pulling out a flashlight, hunting knife, and roll of duct tape. I tossed the items inside Dante’s pack. The vinyl shorts I left behind. I’d been seen wearing them at Chillers. They weren’t much of a clue but not something I’d willingly wear again.

  I did one last look around the cab before exiting the truck and joining Dante in the SUV. It hadn’t had a chance to warm up and was cold inside, but much more comfortable.

  “Nice upgrade,” I said, settling into the passenger’s seat.

  Dante straightened his spine and grinned. “Thanks. Did you get everything out of the truck?”

  “I think so,” I said, looking inside his pack. “Flashlight, knife, and a handy-dandy roll of good old American duct tape.”

  Dante didn’t idle in place long. We were back on the highway in no time, backtracking to Fairbanks. I felt like I was holding one long breath as we sped through town. At least we weren’t in the truck.

  It was relief to return to the road we’d come in on. Soon enough, we were heading south. Heading home.

  “I sure hope this works,” I said.

  “It has to,” Dante said. “We could lay low like we originally planned, but I’d rather take my chances contacting Noel and Sergeant Holmes. Seeing the vamp problem firsthand reminds me why this work is so important. I want back on active duty.”

  “The agency would be lucky to have you,” I said.

  “What about you?” Dante asked. “Would you consider staying if the agency was under new leadership? You can’t deny we make a great team.”

  Did we? Was this my true calling? Was my place at Dante’s side?

  One thing I couldn’t deny was the sense of unfinished business. How many more bloodsuckers were running around preying on new victims? Yes, I wanted them stopped, but weren’t there other agents who could do that? It wasn’t as though I was the only hunter in the state, and not like the agency couldn’t train more.

  “This isn’t the life I want,” I said.

  “But you’re Aurora Sky: vampire hunter. If you retire, what then? You’ll just be Aurora Sky… vampire.”

  “Which is fine with me,” I retorted. “I’ll be a free woman.”

  Dante sighed. “Maybe Noel can talk some sense into you.”

  “Noel will be a friend first and support my decision, unlike you,” I ground out.

  Dante lifted both hands off the wheel momentarily. “It just seems like a complete waste of your skills. That’s all I’m saying.”

  Rather than respond, I turned to my window, but there was nothing to see other than my faint reflection frowning back.

  Dante wasn’t kidding when he said that was all he was saying. He didn’t talk, sing, or hum. He didn’t turn on the radio or utter another word. It had to be the first time that he annoyed me by not humming or singing—like he wanted me to contemplate his words.

  Sure, I’d taken down some baddies in my short time and fought my way out of more than a few perilous situations. But I wanted more to my life than hunting and killing. I wanted adventure and romance. I wanted Fane. I had never stopped wanting him.

  “Are we driving straight to Anchorage?” I asked, breaking the silence.

  Dante turned his head toward me. “You mean after we pick up Giselle?”

  “I mean straight on down. Straight through the night. No stopping,” I clarified.

  Dante tapped the wheel softly. “Wouldn’t that be sorta mean? She bought our supplies and behaved herself the entire time. She’s waiting for us. I told her we’d be back.”

  Good grief! The woman had kidnapped him and now Dante didn’t want to hurt her feelings?

  “You heard her,” I said. “She doesn’t want agency reform. How’s she going to react if we tell her we’re headed back to Anchorage? That we blew our cover in this area? She might try to stop us or worse, kill us.”

  “We also know she’s tenacious about tracking down those who betray her. She found us once, she could find us again. Maybe not right away, but we know she can get to your family and friends. No,” Dante said firmly. “If we’re going to ditch her, we have to kill her first.”

  My stomach dropped. Ditching the she-vamp was one thing. Killing Giselle seemed way too harsh. On the other hand, Dante was right. If we left her behind, we’d end up right back on her hit list. She’d already found my mom and Gran once. I couldn’t risk them, or anyone else dear to me, a second time.

  I released a sound halfway between a sigh and a groan.

  “Maybe we can convince her this is the best way to get to Jared and Melcher,” I said, not believing it for a second.

  “Maybe she would want to join the new agency, since it sounds like there’s going to be a vacancy,” Dante said in a begrudging tone.

  “Giselle?” I asked with a snort. “Yeah, right.”

  He really needed to let it go. At this point, the odds of agency reform were about as likely as becoming the next American president. Were vampires even allowed to campaign? We needed to focus on the task at hand before making plans for the future. Perhaps it was Dante’s way of dealing with the unknown. I couldn’t deny I liked envisioning a future beyond hiding and disguises and the shadow of night.

  “Let’s focus on the current operation,” I said. “You have to admit that removing Melcher from power is the mission to end all missions. If we pull this off… well, at the very least, we deserve a vacation.”

  “You’re right,” Dante said with renewed enthusiasm. “This operation is a big deal. We need to stay on point.”

  He turned on the radio and surfed the channels before settling on a classic rock station. He kept the volume on low. It had a lulling effect. I relaxed into the seat of the SUV. As my eyelids grew heavy, Dante said, “Someone’s following us.”

  Those three words set my heart on edge. They didn’t register immediately. He spoke in a low voice, without alarm, but I could sense the tension in his tightened fists and jaw.

  I sat up and glanced in the mirror at a set of headlights a fair distance behind us.

  “How is that possible?” I asked, not wanting to believe him. “Are you sure?”

  “Pretty sure. I’ll pull off the highway and take one of the private roads through the woods to make certain.”

  “What?” I squeaked.

  Most private roads dead-ended. One way in, one way out. In other words, we’d be trapped.

  “Here’s the plan,” Dante said. “We’re not going to do anything to indicate we’re aware of them. I’m going to use my blinker to get off the highway. Any of these roads leading off would work.”

  Unlike the Lower Forty-Eight, Alaska’s highway system was so remote that it skirted thousands of dirt roads leading into private property right off the main thoroughfare. Many towns were so small, the highway acted as the main drag.

  “We’ll drive in a bit, park the car on the road, get out, and watch from the woods,” Dante continued. “When they exit their vehicle we’ll ambush them.”

  My heart raced. “Can’t we lose them?” I asked, gripping the backpack in my lap.

  “Negative,” Dante answered. “The city’s behind us. Nothing but the open road and woods for hours. Here we go.”

  Before I had time to respond, Dante flicked on the SUV’s right blinker and slowed down. The blinker flashed red against the surrounding trees like a beating heart against a rib cage.

  “You’ve got your gun?” Dante asked as he turned onto a narrow dirt road.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Okay, I’ve got mine. Once I find a place to stop, we need to exit the car immediately. Find a place to take cover on the right side of the road. I’ll take the left. We don’t know how many of them
we’re dealing with.”

  I grabbed the flashlight from Dante’s pack and shoved it inside my pocket. I pulled out the knife next and kept a tight hold on it.

  The SUV rocked over the bumpy road. A silent scream burned up my throat, preventing me from answering. Why did this have to happen now when we were finally headed back home? I hoped Dante was wrong, that we’d take our places in the woods, waiting until it became obvious paranoia had gotten the best of us.

  Better to be safe than sorry. I tossed the backpack beside my feet. It wasn’t like we’d need radios, we’d be within easy yelling distance. The only thing I wanted to hear out of Dante’s lips were the words, “The coast is clear.”

  As Dante drove, he glanced side to side.

  “Here,” he said, stopping the SUV with a jolt. The headlights shut off, pitching us in darkness. The last thing I heard was Dante yanking the keys out of the ignition.

  My heart jumped into my throat. I scrambled out of the vehicle and looked around frantically, but we were surrounded by darkness. I didn’t want to give away my position by turning on the flashlight. Instead, I stumbled through the brush encroaching on the road and squatted in the trees.

  I tried steadying my breath, but that wasn’t easy while lying in wait for an unknown enemy. Whether the threat was real or a figment of Dante’s imagination, my senses treated the situation as though danger was imminent.

  There was no sound from the other side of the road. Dante must have gotten into position right away.

  I listened for sound of any kind—the cry of an owl or howl of a wolf—but the forest seemed to hold a collective breath. Then the sound I wanted to hear least of all hummed inside my ears. An engine headed our way.

  16

  Alias

  My heart raced anew as a car slowly approached. It was a wonder I could hear it past the pounding in my ears.

  I watched for headlights, but not even a pinprick of light penetrated the surrounding copse. The car’s progress was mind-numbingly slow, especially while I was crouched over the frozen ground trying not to shiver. Would the driver be able to make out my breaths coming out in white puffs?