Once Bitten

by Trina M. Lee

  “What should I do?” I asked. I frowned at a splash of dipping sauce on the inside of my wrist. “You have nothing new for me?” I pursed my lips and watched as she laid the three charms on the floor so that they formed a large triangle.

  “Why don’t you work on that touchless psi ball again? You did far better than me.” I had created a bigger ball than Lena, but at the size of a grape, I hardly found it to be brag worthy.

  The no touch energy ball had taken a lot out of me. It involved creating the ball without the use of hands. The mind-only ball was much easier said than done. The fingertips are an especially sensitive tool in a psi exercise, a key factor in most energy conduction that united the body and the mind in creation. To do it with the mind alone was both uber advanced and damned hard.

  “That was a hell of a task.” I held my breath when she wiggled her fingers above the purple gem.

  The energy she drew into her circle hummed on the air. She whispered a word of Latin as the stone began to glow.

  “What are you doing to them?” I nodded toward the colorful stones.

  She held up a finger to indicate she needed a moment of concentration. I took the hint and left my next question unvoiced. I knew better than to chatter away when someone was trying to focus. Jez was famous for it.

  Instead, I returned to the small round table. I pulled the wooden chair out with a scrape and angled it toward the front entry rather than Lena. I closed my eyes, cleared my thoughts, and took a deep breath. I actually put my hands behind my back, to resist the urge to use them. As I simply tuned in to my surroundings, I could feel the power that Lena had called prickle along my skin like pins and needles.

  After two more deep breaths, I envisioned a tiny green spark. I watched inside my mind as the glowing orb grew to the size of a golf ball. I opened my eyes to find the psi ball hovering at eye level in front of me. I gasped, drawing Lena’s attention. Lena was the only human that I knew who could see energy the way I or a vampire could.

  “My heavens girl,” her voice was soft but incredulous. “How did you manage that?”

  I shook my head silently. Hell if I knew. The psi ball should have been glowing a faint green or gold; instead, it shimmered in a deep, ocean blue. Energy often took on the same hue as the aura of the practitioner, but my aura is yellow-gold.

  My heart surged as a thought hit me and, along with it, a small dose of adrenaline.

  Arys’ aura was blue. I’d seen him work energy before. All we’d done was touch, right?

  “I’m really not sure.” I breathed, staring at the blue ball hovering a foot from my face.

  I glanced at Lena; all three of her charms glowed brightly. I experienced the temporary sensation of wanting to touch them.

  “Have you been up to something that I don’t know about?” Lena’s tone was disturbingly parental.

  I turned back to my psi ball to avoid her accusatory stare. I noticed my yellow-gold lining the outside of the ball. As I watched, it swirled throughout the blue like the rainbow in an oil patch. Strange.

  “Like what?” I replied. Too late, I added, “Of course not.”

  I could feel her eyes on me as I feigned supreme concentration. The little ball hovered as if awaiting instruction.

  “It’s much bigger than the last one you made.”

  My fingers twitched on the rung of the chair, and I’d practiced enough. The little energy ball dissolved; the free energy buzzed around us like high-pitched radio frequency.

  “Maybe that’s something you should do outside.” A hand flew to her temple where she rubbed lightly. “The intensity of that thing is giving me one hell of a headache. Now, tell me what you’ve been up to.”

  “I’m sorry Lena. Are you alright?” I got up from the wooden chair and approached her circle.

  I really shouldn’t make psi balls indoors. In a natural outdoor environment, the earth absorbs the unused energy much faster.

  She didn’t answer me; instead, she gathered up her glowing gemstones in one hand and broke the salt circle with the other. I took her silence to mean that she was insisting on an explanation.

  With a shrug I said, “I touched a vampire. One with one hell of a pull. We’ve shared a metaphysical attraction since we met, about three years ago. But, it’s grown since. It’s like nothing else I’ve ever felt.”

  I felt silly saying it like that, but it was true. I had no idea why I would respond so strongly to Arys on a power level. Apparently, neither did he.

  “You touched a vampire. How? What do you mean?”

  Lena reached for the broom in the corner, but I intercepted the action. I ignored the pointed look that she shot me as I turned to start sweeping. As I cleaned up Lena’s salt mess, I told her about the exchange with Arys. I considered not telling her the color of his aura but decided the detail wasn’t worth hiding.

  The extended silence that followed worried me, and I realized a part of me was scared. I didn’t do well when not in control. Whatever drew me to Arys was not within my ability to harness.

  “Honey, promise me you’ll be careful.” Her tone took on a note heavy with worry, and my heart leapt into my throat when she added, “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.”

  “Why? What? You’re scaring me.” I fought the urge to drop the broom, grab her by the shoulders, and shake out whatever she knew.

  Her warm hand reached out to squeeze my arm. “Well now, I’m sorry. Look Alexa, there is plenty that I don’t know and may never know. But, what I do know is this: Much the same as the attraction between the north and south ends of a magnet is the attraction between two souls cut from the same magical cloth.”

  I blinked at her. My mind was racing, but I wasn’t following. I moved to empty the dustpan but continued to glance at her attentively.

  “When drawn close enough together, their natural attraction makes it impossible for them not to join. Like a battery in a way.” She shook her head and frowned. “It’s hard to explain. But, two batteries on their own possess an impressive amount of power. If you put them together in the right circuit, they can become so much more than each was on its own.”

  A light bulb went on in my head as her words sunk in. “So this is just a power thing?” I tensed stiff as I returned the broom to its post in the corner.

  Her thoughtful brown eyes were warm when she smiled. “It might be. But, I’ve never known of such a deep connection between two people without it meaning more.”

  She gave me a wink, and my jaw dropped.

  “Wait a minute.” I held up both hands in a stop motion. “Please tell me you’re not about to use a term like ‘soul mates’ in this conversation.”

  Her smile froze. “You’re not interested in him? Don’t tell me he has it out for you or something. Sheesh. That could only happen to you.”

  “No, it’s not like that. He’s a friend, sort of.” My thoughts strayed to Shaz. “It’s just really complicated.”

  The white wolf and I were close yet we had never been thoroughly intimate. The unspoken bond had developed quickly; we were fast friends from the beginning. Yet, we were not an item, despite the people who thought that we should be, like Kylarai. Like I said, it’s complicated.

  Lena nodded in understanding. “Matters of the heart often are.”

  “It doesn’t happen with anybody else.” I mused aloud.

  “Nobody?”

  “Well, I definitely am drawn to the energy of some. It’s not the same, though. I vibe off them, but there is no feeling of need or resulting power high.” As my thoughts wandered back an hour or two, my cheeks grew hot with embarrassment. Just remembering brought a tingle to the pit of my stomach.

  A soft laugh shook Lena’s shoulders. She opened her hand to reveal the three sparkling stones.

  “Take the purple one. It’s for meditation and inner peace. Good for the soul. As for the other thing, I’ll look into it and see what I can dig up.”

  I stared into her hand in wonder. Ever so slowly, I plucked the purp
le stone from her palm with my thumb and forefinger, careful not to touch the remaining two.

  “What are those two for?” I couldn’t help but be curious. They were so beautiful.

  “And, thank you.”

  “Stress relief and healing properties. My sister tends to be a very high strung person.” Lena chuckled and slipped the blue and green stones back into their velvet pouch.

  The purple stone seemed to shine just a little bit brighter as I turned it over in my hand. Although the stone was shaped like a random rock, the surfaces shone where the jagged, cut edges split the light.

  “Is there anything specific I need to do with it?” I hoped not. Spells and chants are not my forte.

  “No, just drop it in your wallet; keep it by your bed. Whatever. It should stay charmed until the new moon and then it can be re-energized.”

  “Awesome Lena, thanks again.” Though I wanted to continue examining the dime sized gem, I made myself drop it into my pocket.

  “It’s no problem. Really. A little positive energy at your side can make a world of difference.”

  She launched into one of her stories about how one of her amulets saved Kale from a near fatal burn after he was forced to pass through a sunbeam to escape a burning building. I hadn’t yet met Veryl and the crew at that point, but their stories of death defying adventures were astounding.

  I recognized the story as one that I’d heard before from Kale. She was just getting to the part where he was crying out in agony from the burns when my cell phone rang. The little Eric Johnson ditty “Cliffs of Dover” brought a smile to my lips.

  “Speak of the devil,” I murmured upon recognizing Kale’s number on the call display.

  “Tell me you’re up for some fun and games tonight.” He purred into the phone like a wanton lover. A shiver crept up my spine in response.

  “What kind of games?” I hated the obvious note of curiosity that made its way into my voice. I was as bad as a cat sometimes, which was probably why Jez and I have such a great time together.

  “Maybe a little good cop, bad cop. I’m digging for some information.”

  I contemplated his offer but not for very long. “Which one do I get to be?”

  “Whichever one your little heart desires.”

  Damn vampires. Was there nothing they couldn’t do? Each and every one of them whether male or female has this natural pull, to draw prey. Fortunately for them, it works pretty well.

  “What’s the deal?” I was getting the feeling that he didn’t want to fill me in until I met up with him. He had an awful tendency to drag me into situations that I would have never entered otherwise.

  “Like I said, I need a little information. No bloodshed, if I can help it.” He chuckled, and I frowned in response, despite the fact that he couldn’t see it.

  I was trying to avoid Lena’s fixed gaze without looking conspicuous. I knew she didn’t have the keen hearing that some of us had, but the look she was giving me was driving me nuts.

  “Where and when?”

  ———

  I practiced the touchless psi ball outside while waiting for Kale to pick me up. I refused to take my car and let someone tag my plate number. I didn’t know who he was after or what they were capable of.

  Lena sat on the doorstep sipping one of her herbal teas, as she watched the blue and yellow ball hover before me. I hadn’t been able to increase its size, but it had been easier to form than the previous try.

  “You should save your energy. Lord knows, you’ll probably need it if you’re out with Kale,” Lena admonished.

  I let the psi ball drop; the energy dissipated back into the trees and earth. She was most likely right; I’d faced certain death a few times with Kale and barely lived to tell the tale.

  “He swears that there shouldn’t be any bloodshed. Of course, that doesn’t mean much.” I chuckled. “I don’t think a vampire enjoys a night that doesn’t include fresh blood.”

  Lena gave me a hard, motherly look. “Maybe you shouldn’t be running with that vampire so much. He endangers you because he has no mortal limitations. You’re better off partnering with Jez.”

  I had certainly heard this before, but it was usually coming from Kylarai, our little den mother. “I’ll be fine Lena. But, don’t think that I don’t appreciate your concern. I really do. I trust Kale, as crazy as that may sound. Even though he’s gotten me into some bad situations, he’s also gotten me out of most of them.”

  She scoffed, but before she could reply, a sleek, black, 1973 Camaro pulled up to the curb. The windows were tinted so dark that there was no way of seeing who was inside. I was expecting the head of deep brown hair that appeared as Kale exited the car and approached us.

  “Ladies!” He greeted us enthusiastically. “How are you this fine evening?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him and wondered what he was up to. Dressed in his usual long leather duster, he also wore a black suit, which had my curiosity piqued. What was the occasion?

  “Kale, where in the hell are we going?” I was a cut to the chase kind of girl. Screw the small talk.

  “For a business meeting, of course.” His eyes, in the dim glow of the streetlight, contrasted more than usual. The difference between the darkness of the brown one and the icy blue of the other was more eerie than usual. He cast a critical glance at my attire.

  “Is that what you’re wearing?”

  I gaped at him open mouthed. “What? I’m wearing dress pants, you ass. And, how the hell was I to know we’d be going out tonight?”

  “The pants are fine. Too much cleavage in that top though.” He smiled when he said it, and I knew he was teasing, for the most part.

  I flipped him my middle finger, and he grinned like the Cheshire cat. “Do you want my company or not?”

  “I do, actually. I believe that my target this evening has a penchant for lovely ladies dressed in black.” He cocked his head to the side and assessed my appearance. As an afterthought he added, “I’m sure he’ll appreciate the cleavage, too. Enticing.”

  That summed it up enough for me. “A vampire then.”

  “Kale, you need to stop dragging this girl into your messes.” Lena spoke up suddenly. The clink of her mug on the concrete was loud in the stillness. “You’re going to get her seriously hurt one of these days. Or worse.”

  He took one of her hands in his own and turned it over so that he could examine the rings on her every finger. “Now, you know that I would never intentionally let any harm come to Alexa. If I truly thought there was that kind of danger, I would have asked Lilah to join me.”

  Lilah was a classic vampire loner. We don’t interact often. In fact, she doesn’t seem to interact with anyone more than necessary other than Veryl.

  Lena eyed him with a look of disbelief. She gave her head a shake and shoved his chest playfully. “You don’t know when to stop. Any of you. You may not be human, but you’re not invincible.”

  Kale and I shared a look, which earned us Lena’s frown. I smiled and gave her arm a pat. “No, we’re not. I know that. Even if Kale forgets sometimes.”

  Which he did all too often. That vampire is a thrill seeker if I’ve ever seen one. If the chase wasn’t intense and pushed to the limit, Kale wasn’t having any fun.

  We waited for Lena to get in her car and go safely on her way. We then locked up the office and left. Once I was settled on the soft leather seat of the Camaro, Kale pulled us into traffic with a chirp of the tires. I fixed him with my best deadly glare.

  “You better not be using me as bait again, buster. Because, I, for one, am not about to play that role again. Especially without even being aware of it.”

  He chuckled in remembrance, and I punched his upper arm without holding back.

  His laugh quickly turned to a series of pain-filled noises.

  “Alright, I deserved that.”

  “You deserve more than that.” I couldn’t help but laugh, even though a part of me held a grudge.

  Last time, wh
en he didn’t tell me I was the bait, had resulted in a serious attempt on my life. I’d shifted and torn my attacker’s throat out. The vampire wouldn’t die that way;

  he merely flailed around and choked on his own blood until his head was severed. That’s not a pleasant task to perform with the use of nothing but fangs. My last experience as Kale’s bait was certainly a memorable experience for all of the wrong reasons.

  “Ok, I owe you one for that. I know. Call it in whenever you feel justified in doing so, and I’ll be there to take the hit.”

  He could bet his lily-white ass that he would be. I was anticipating the day.

  “So, where are we going? And, what’s the deal here? You better fill me in … before you blow it, like the last time you left me in the dark.”

  I gripped the door handle tightly as he zipped ahead of traffic to merge into their lane. I cursed myself for leaving my car behind. What was I thinking? As far as drivers go, I couldn’t be sure who was more frightening, Kale or Jez.

  “The vampire we’re meeting is involved in a blood ring that profits from runaway youths and prostitutes. We will be posing as two potential partners interested in becoming regular buyers. Once we have the guy’s trust, we torture information out of him. I want to know who’s running the operation.” Kale was all business now, speaking matter of fact as he wove in and out of traffic.

  I hate it when people lane hop. I actively had to hold my tongue against the complaint that was building.

  “Ok, well that’s nothing new. We’ve dealt with crap like this before.”

  A car up ahead braked suddenly, which caused the rest of us to brake in succession to avoid a collision. I gasped and dug my fingers into the seats. The leather was tougher than human flesh and posed good resistance, but I worried that I would puncture them with my sharp nails.

  “We’re meeting the guy in the restaurant lounge at the Fantasyland Hotel. Our goal is to have him invite us to his suite for a more private discussion, where we will beat some information out of him before leaving him in a pile of ash.” Kale reached to turn the volume up on the radio as the DJ ran through a list of traffic issues affecting the city.