Burn Falls

by Kimberly Knight

  “And then what?”

  Draven shrugged. “Maybe Athan and I will come up with a plan by then. I don’t know.”

  “What about your job? What about OBB?”

  “I’m hoping you can work from home and I’ll take a leave of absence for a while.”

  “Work from home? I know I’m doing that now for a few days, but I have no idea what I’m doing when I’m even there. Plus, we need to file taxes soon. I need all that paperwork that’s in my office.”

  Draven nodded slowly as though he was thinking of what to say next. “Let’s give it a few weeks and then figure it out. If we need to come back, we will. Athan and I are hoping we can form our own army.”

  “An army?”

  “I don’t know how many vampires Renzo has now in his mob, but I know we’ll need more than just me, Donovan, and Athan to beat him if it ever comes down to it.”

  “You have me.” I smiled.

  “You’ve never killed, sweetheart. You have no idea how to fight.”

  “You can teach me.”

  Draven put his hand on my belly. “Not now I can’t. There’s not a chance I’ll let you be in danger.”

  “When Selene visited me the other night, she said that I will be strong enough to kill Renzo.”

  “How?”

  “Because I’m pregnant with a pure vampire and it will keep me safe.”

  He stared at me for a beat. “While that may be true, you’ll have to get close enough to actually kill him. We can’t take that chance because we don’t know what he’s capable of. All it will take is his speed and strength to rip out your heart.”

  “But she said—”

  Draven stood and set me on my feet. “I’m not taking the chance for him to kill someone I love and my baby again, Calla. End of story.”

  He sped off to the bedroom and slammed the door, getting the last word.

  For now.

  “Renzo is coming!” Athan shouted as he came storming through the front door. Before I could respond, Draven came flying out of the bedroom.

  “What?”

  “I just met that Donovan kid at the bar, and he said that he was on his way here to warn you. He got a call from one of his buddies in the coven that Renzo left to, and I quote, ‘do things on his own.’”

  “When?” Draven asked.

  Athan shrugged. “He doesn’t know. The friend said that he’d left to handle coven business, and when he returned, he’d learned Renzo had left. Doesn’t know when and didn’t want to ask to look suspicious.”

  “Where’s Donovan now?”

  “Left. He beat feet because he doesn’t want to run into Renzo.”

  “We gotta go,” Draven stated and moved back to his bedroom. Athan and I followed.

  “Now?” I asked.

  “Now.” Draven grabbed a bag from his closet and started filling it with clothes.

  “Go where?” I questioned.

  “As far as we can get before the sun rises.”

  “But my mom.”

  Draven stopped stuffing clothes into the bag. “Right. We’ll pick her up on the way.”

  “Can’t we just stay here?” I asked. “Renzo can’t come inside.”

  “He can burn the house down with you in it,” Draven stated a matter-of-factly.

  “Oh.” My eyes widened, and I looked at Athan. He nodded in agreement with Draven.

  “Go pack your laptop, sweets, and all the blood bags. We’re leaving tonight.”

  Not being there at OBB to oversee the operations and whatnot felt as though I was letting my father down. It was going to go under. I knew it. My father must have been rolling over in his grave because he’d worked so hard to get it to the point it was at and I was going to leave it to burn to the ground.

  “What about Al and Betha?” I questioned.

  Draven looked to Athan. “We could call them and tell them that they each need to get out of town,” Athan offered. “Drive as far as they can and then lay low.”

  “They have school for several more months.”

  “Do you want to take the chance of Renzo getting to them?” Draven asked as he returned to packing.

  “Of course not.”

  “We’ll talk about it on the way out of town. We need to go now,” Draven clipped.

  I didn’t argue anymore as I went to pack my laptop and made sure I had my cell phone and charger in my purse. Athan went to his room, and I heard the rustling of clothes. Moments later he and Draven were ushering me to the car, and we were driving toward my mom’s house.

  “How am I going to get my mother to invite me in? She’s going to think we’re crazy.”

  “Shit.” Draven slapped the steering wheel. “Since you’re no longer human, your invitation doesn’t work on me either. She’ll need to invite us all in.”

  “I’ll stand guard,” Athan said from the backseat.

  “Can’t you compel her to let us in?”

  “If she stares me in the eyes long enough.”

  “Well, we’re going to have to try that or get her to come outside in the freezing cold while we tell her some folklore about vampires.”

  “We knew this day would eventually come,” Athan stated.

  “Yeah, but we didn’t know it would happen like this,” Draven said.

  As we drove closer to the house, we were all sucking on blood bags as I thought about how it was all my fault. If I hadn’t seen my father get attacked, he might have died there in OBB, and we never would have gone to Draven’s hospital. Draven would have never taken it upon himself to keep me safe, and he and Athan would be—

  “We would be right here with you,” Draven indicated.

  My gaze cut to him. “You were reading my thoughts?”

  He shrugged. “We’ll teach you how to hide them. But everything happened for a reason. Maybe Selene never knew your father would be attacked and left to die. But she made us true loves for a reason.”

  “You two make me want to puke,” Athan murmured.

  “Starting to think you are jealous of us.” I laughed.

  “Nothing to be jealous of. I’ve never wanted to settle down and find my soulmate.”

  “You have forever to change your mind.” Draven chuckled. Without looking, I knew in the moment of silence that Athan had rolled his eyes. It was totally something he’d do.

  Draven pulled up in front of the house. The light by the front door was on, but all the lights in the house were off.

  “Maybe she’s not home,” I said.

  “Call her.” Draven motioned with his head toward my purse after he cut the engine.

  I dug inside my bag and then dialed my mother. It rang three times before she answered. “Calla?” she asked with sleep in her voice.

  I cleared my throat. “Hey, Mom, I think I lost my keys. Can you come open the front door?”

  “I’ll be right down.”

  “Thank you.” We hung up.

  “Let’s go and let me talk,” Draven said, opening his door.

  The moment I opened my door, I sensed him. Renzo was here.

  And he wasn’t alone.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  “Looks like my night just got better. Three for the price of one.”

  I clenched my fists as I heard his voice coming from behind me. The moment I’d opened my door, I knew he was close. A moment of defeat washed over me as I turned to face Renzo, and then straightened and prepared myself for what was either going to be my death or his. There was movement all around us, and I knew he wasn’t alone. I looked to Athan and realized he too had become rigid, readying himself for a fight.

  “Calla, you need to get in the house now,” I barked just as Shauna opened the door. Renzo was closing in. I didn’t know what he had planned, but if Calla was safe inside a house he couldn’t g
et into, I knew I could focus more. I’d fight him before I let him burn the place down.

  “She can try, but she won’t make it.”

  “Mom, close the door and don’t let anyone in,” Calla yelled toward the front door.

  “What’s going on?” Shauna asked. “Who are all these men?”

  “Now!” I hissed. “Close the fucking door, Shauna.”

  She didn’t hesitate or question further. Instead, the door slammed, and all of my attention went back on Renzo who was slowly walking toward us.

  “We can get in the car and drive off,” Athan suggested.

  “I’m not leaving my mother alone with a yard full of vampires,” Calla retorted.

  “Then we fight to the death,” Athan countered.

  “Are you with us?” I asked. Athan was either going to help me or finish a plan for Renzo. I hoped, after all this time, that he wasn’t my enemy.

  Athan turned his head toward me. “Of course I am.”

  Finally, every vampire came into view. We were outnumbered ten to three. I didn’t recognize any of them, and I’d never killed or fought a vampire before. When I was in Chicago, we trained, but we never actually killed another one of our species.

  “Calla, get in the car,” I ordered.

  “I’m not getting in the car, Draven.”

  “Please?”

  “No.”

  Renzo laughed. “Fiery one. I like her, though she smells like a Fledgling. She your lover?”

  I stared him down, not answering his question. “Why are you here?”

  “I came for my grandson.”

  “Your grandson is dead,” Athan stated.

  “And why should I take your word, Athan?” Renzo hissed Athan’s name in disdain.

  “Fine. Don’t,” Athan clipped. “But what about Donovan? That’s why you’re here, right?”

  Renzo blinked. “Don’t tell me why I’m here!”

  Athan laughed, but before he could say anything further, I said, “Renzo, just take me. Forget about the O’Bannion’s and take me. I’ll go back and do whatever you want.”

  “No!” Calla shouted.

  Renzo grinned. “The past always catches up to you, doesn’t it? I knew I’d find you eventually.”

  “Have you been looking?” Athan asked.

  Renzo tsked. “Doesn’t matter if I was or wasn’t. The fact is, you’re standing in front of me now. It also appears as though one of you turned this girl.” He cocked his head slightly as though he was listening for something and then he said, “And she’s pregnant.”

  “She doesn’t concern you,” I snapped. Fear coursed through my body at his realization that Calla was pregnant.

  “But she does. My grandson lives in this house, and since she called the lady, who opened the door, Mom, I’m going to assume she’s my great-granddaughter, and therefore, I’m taking her and her baby.”

  “Over my dead body,” I growled.

  “Don’t tempt me, Draven.”

  “The one you came for is dead, Renzo. Your boy Donovan killed him and fled,” Athan interjected.

  “I’m not taking your word for it. I’m not naïve, Athan.”

  Athan chuckled. “Okay, but you’re not getting Calla.”

  “Exactly,” I muttered.

  Renzo laughed, throwing his head back. “I do whatever the fuck I want to do.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  When Selene came to visit me, I felt as though I was dreaming. I felt that same way now, and at any moment I would wake up in Draven’s bed, but nothing was glowing. It was also weird to be staring at my great-grandfather who was almost one-hundred and forty-four years old.

  Renzo laughed and threw his head back. “I do whatever the fuck I want.” Then, with a nod, everything happened so quickly.

  His mob moved in, going straight for Draven and Athan. I didn’t know what to do as I stood there, watching Draven and Athan tussle, groan, and snap necks. I wasn’t even sure if that would kill a vampire. For what I knew—from TV—the only way for a vampire to die at someone’s hands would be to rip their hearts from their chest even though it wasn’t their heart that kept them alive.

  As I watched them go down one by one at the hands of Draven and Athan, there was a little flutter in my belly. I knew that it, too, was worried this could all go wrong. Could Draven and Athan be strong enough to kill Renzo? Was I? What if Selene was wrong? After all, I was only a Fledgling—a very young one at that.

  Just as Draven and Athan snapped the necks of the final two, I was lifted off of the ground. “Let me go!” I yelled.

  Draven and Athan turned at my words. “Let her go,” Draven growled.

  Renzo laughed. “Now why would I do that?”

  “I will end you,” Draven snarled.

  “You can try.”

  Renzo started to retreat with me in his arms. “Stop!” I kicked. I screamed, and in the distance, I heard sirens. Draven and Athan rushed toward us, each of them grabbing for me only to be shaken off by Renzo.

  “You two may be strong and older than those I brought with me,” he laughed, “but you’re nothing compared to me.” Draven and Athan tried again, but this time, Renzo held me with one arm and Draven’s throat with the other. “Let him go!” I cried, trying again to wriggle to no avail.

  “Kill me,” Draven groaned. “That’s the only way you’re leaving with her.”

  “I don’t want to kill you. I want to own you again.” With a twist of his wrist, Renzo snapped Draven’s neck.

  “No!” I screamed, locking eyes with the man I loved. His were wide, and then they went vacant.

  “You son of a bitch!” Athan roared, and before I knew it, he snapped Renzo’s neck, and I fell to the ground.

  “Did you kill him?” I asked, standing and looking down at Renzo. “Is Draven dead too?”

  “No. Once they heal, they’ll wake up.”

  “Let’s just rip his heart out now,” I suggested.

  “I want Draven awake to watch this asshole die.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  Athan wrapped me in his arms, and I wished I could cry. I wanted to. I wanted to break down and throw things while the tears streamed down my face. But that wasn’t possible any longer. I also wished cake could comfort me.

  The sirens got closer.

  “Shit,” Athan groaned. “We don’t have time to clean all this up before the cops get here.”

  “What do we do?”

  Athan looked around. “Help me put Draven and Renzo in the car.”

  “Renzo in the car?”

  “Fine, the trunk. I’ll put him in the trunk in case he wakes up.”

  “Will he be strong enough to kick the roof off of the trunk?”

  “I don’t know, but we aren’t letting him just roam free. We have to try something.”

  “Right.”

  Athan moved to Renzo and picked him up while I went around and popped the trunk. Then he placed Draven’s lifeless body in the backseat of the car.

  “Are you sure Draven’s not dead?”

  “Yes, and we need to go. Now.”

  “But my mother. There’s a yard full of vampires on her lawn.”

  “Fine. I’ll move them to the woods, and you talk to your mother.”

  Athan took off, picking up a vampire and leaving before I could respond. I moved to the front door and knocked. The sirens were getting closer, and I knew we only had a few more minutes before they would be at our door.

  “Mom, it’s me.”

  The door flew open. “What is happening, Calla?”

  “Look me in the eyes.” I had no idea how to compel someone because I hadn’t had that part of my training, but I was going to try. Even if it didn’t work, I was hoping she’d listen and trust me. “You need to ge
t in the car and come with us. Please!” I felt my eyes pulse, but again, had no clue if it was working.

  Finally, she said, “Okay,” and then she stepped outside in her housecoat and slippers and closed the door behind her.

  “Get in the passenger seat, okay?”

  “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

  “Yes.” I opened the door for her and let her slid in while I got in the backseat, placed Draven’s head in my lap, and waited for Athan.

  “Is that Dr. Young?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is he sleeping?”

  God, I hoped so. “Yes.” Athan got into the car. “Mom, this is Dr. Young’s friend, Athan.” He nodded his hello and then started the engine.

  “Where are we going?” Mother asked.

  “Dr. Young’s home,” Athan replied.

  We passed troopers just in time as they whizzed by. “Did you call the cops, Mom?”

  “I did. My daughter was surrounded by strange men on my front lawn this late at night.”

  “Right.” I looked out the window at the dark sky.

  “Tell me what’s going on,” Mother pleaded.

  I opened my mouth to respond, but then a thought hit me. “Athan, how are we going to get Renzo in Draven’s house?”

  “Who’s Draven?” Mother asked.

  “Dr. Young,” I clipped, needing Athan to tell me about the situation with Renzo because that was more important.

  “I thought his first name was Parker?”

  I groaned. “He goes by his middle name.”

  “Oh,” she said.

  Athan chuckled. “We aren’t letting Renzo in Draven’s house. I’d never let that happen.”

  “Then what are we going to do?”

  “I’m not sure yet.”

  “Who’s Renzo?” Mother asked.

  “I’ll explain everything when we get you to Draven’s,” I replied

  “Are men after us?” she inquired.

  “No,” Athan stated as he pulled into Draven’s driveway. He stopped before going into the garage, and I wasn’t sure if that meant because Renzo would be ripped from the trunk the moment we crossed the line inside or not because he wasn’t an invited guest.