Blinding Light (The Bloodmarked Trilogy Book 2)

by Alicia Deters

  “Lucy, heads up. He got by us. He took off in your direction. We’re headed your way,” Wade clipped before the line went dead.

  “What is it?” Allison stood, panic in her voice.

  “There’s one coming this way,” I replied, stretching my hearing.

  The building obstructed sound, so I moved away from it into a clearing next to the fence. Allison drew her weapon and prepared for a fight, her stance wide and on guard.

  Half a minute ticked by without a breath. Anyone could pass this town in the blink of an eye, let alone a vampire. Something was off. Then again, I should probably be used to odd displays of vampire behavior by now, especially when I was involved.

  Finally, footsteps triggered my senses, and my attacker revealed himself. He flew out of the forest, barreling toward me. He was a tall and lanky boy, no more than seventeen.

  I grabbed fistfuls of his denim jacket and used his momentum to hurtle him forward. The chain link caved easily under his weight, and the loud thump of a body hitting a pile of logs disturbed the peaceful night.

  A sound like skulls cracking together rang out as logs rolled over each other and splintered. Allison sucked in a sharp breath, and I glanced over to see her crouched against the back of the shop. When I looked back to my opponent, he already had a snow-covered log in his arms, charging toward me.

  Before he could ram me, I sidestepped the makeshift lance. Grabbing the end of the log in a bear hug, I spun it so he ended up behind it in the forward motion. I proceeded to shove the trunk at him. It weighted him down and he fell backward. The log landed on his chest. I heard several internal cracks and assumed the broken ribs would keep him down for a while.

  Another presence in the woods alerted my senses, and I immediately tore off in its direction. A spy was the last thing I needed, and I would rather not play that game again.

  “Lucy,” Allison hissed at my departure.

  Ignoring her, I raced toward the sounds of retreat and met a set of fresh tracks in the snow. Swirling flakes formed a wake behind me as I ran deeper into the pines. Branches snapped ahead of me. I was getting so close. A blur of long black hair whipping against a burgundy shirt appeared twenty feet ahead.

  I ate up the distance between us. She was so close now I could reach out and grab a fistful of that dark hair. Reaching my arm ahead of me, I prepared to leap.

  A scream pierced the night like an arrow. Dread clotted my veins, and I instantly halted my pursuit.

  “Allison,” I breathed.

  Spinning around, I bolted back toward the lumberyard at top speed but slammed to a full stop twenty feet away from a memory. Allison struggled beneath the injured vampire, blood smearing the pure snow beneath her head. But it wasn’t her blood I saw. It was Holly’s. The vampire above her wasn’t a weak newbie vamp.

  It was Shane.

  I was frozen in place, dropping to my knees, held completely captive by the flashback. There was so much blood, and I was too weak. Too unprepared. Too vulnerable. I couldn’t do anything for her.

  “Lucy! Help me!” she screamed.

  The terror in her eyes shot straight to my heart, and it gave a painful squeeze. Agony tore through me with the efficiency of a chainsaw. She was my best friend. My only friend, and she was looking to me to save her.

  “Holly,” I murmured. “I’m so sorry.” I couldn’t help her. I was useless. Shane was right. I wouldn’t win this fight.

  I watched helplessly as the light in my best friend’s eyes faded, her life draining slowly out of her, rendering me ineffective for a second time. No matter how it played out, the result never changed. She was gone. Tragedy would always prevail in my wake. Because I paved its path to victory, even going so far as to paint the freaking asphalt with arrows to my undoing. I seemed to go out of my way to get those around me killed. The vision of a broken Holly blurred around my tears.

  Suddenly, I was bulldozed into a log pile. The vampire with the long black hair was on top of me, but I was still a prisoner to my nightmare. I only saw Shane’s face. He drew my own dagger from my belt and held it above me. I blocked, but it kept coming closer to my chest. I pushed with all my strength but it did no good.

  The tip of the blade tore through my shirt and eventually punctured my tough skin. Inch by agonizing inch it slid closer to my heart. White hot fire tore through my chest. I blinked away the welling tears, ignoring the pain.

  “Your eyes,” the vampire whispered, astonished. “He was right. You are different, not like him, but still different.”

  Huh?

  A flash of light to my left snapped me out of the trance, and I finally looked up into the female vampire’s curious face. Before she spoke another word, I grabbed both her wrists and held on tight to keep her still. Her confusion gave way to shock and ultimately fear when she registered the knife in her heart.

  I let go before my hands were toasted. With black ash floating above me, I drew the dagger, very carefully like a game of Operation, out of my chest and looked up into Allison’s determined face.

  Slowly, it crumbled to reveal years of torment. She transformed into a scared little girl, and it was disturbing to witness. Her eyes reflected my own demons. Vampire inflicted trauma marred her with scars that couldn’t be fully covered by anger and audacity.

  We were both works in progress. We both had a lot to overcome before our courage would truly be put to the test.

  “Thanks,” I offered, knowing I owed her a lot more than that. My panic almost cost her life.

  I didn’t have time to apologize. Wade and Max were closing in on us fast. “Lucy! Allison!” they called.

  “Holy shit! Allison, are you okay?” Max asked, motioning toward the large gash on her forehead.

  She composed herself enough to respond. “I’ll be fine. Are you okay?”

  Max cradled his arm gingerly. Wade looked a little battered and bruised, but nothing seemed broken.

  “Yeah, I’ll survive. He tossed me around like a chew toy but didn’t actually get to chew on anyone, so that was a plus.”

  “Lucy, your shirt!” Wade exclaimed.

  “I’m fine. Already on the mend.”

  “We should get ahold of the others and head back to the mansion. I’ll call ahead to have the medic on standby when we arrive,” Wade said in his leadership voice.

  No one questioned it, and I assumed none of them had seen this much action around these parts in a long time. Frustrated with my own weakness, I wanted nothing more than to put a few massive craters in the vault.

  The car ride home was filled with retellings of the night’s shenanigans. Nick and Brody’s excitement created a buzz of energy that fueled question after question. They were particularly interested in Allison’s heroics, and the more she talked about stunning her attacker with holy water and coming to my rescue, the more confidence returned to her. Her walls were slowly being built back up.

  I, on the other hand, seethed quietly in the back, and they eventually stopped trying to engage me in conversation, sensing my ever-growing hunger. I was ravenous and had no desire to rehash my epic fail. Their heartbeats pounded through my skull, and my instincts screamed EAT, KILL, FEED!

  “Stop the car!” I shouted. “I’ll run from here.”

  Everyone grew quiet, and when Wade pulled onto the shoulder, Brody quickly opened the door and made room for me to pass.

  We were a mile past the old salvage yard, so it would take no time at all to get to the mansion from here. My feet hit the ground and I was out of sight.

  Bursting through the door to the mansion, I raced toward the kitchen while trying to ignore all the warm bodies and beating hearts in my general vicinity. Crashing through the swinging doors, several shrieks greeted my arrival, followed by the sounds of feet shuffling out of the way. The kitchen staff scurried behind islands and dry food shelving racks to avoid my notice, but their heartbeats rang out so loudly, there was no place in this mansion where they could hide from my hunger. If I were more desperate, that
is.

  With a fully stocked cooler in front of me, they were safe from the demon. One heartbeat, however, stood out from the rest, because it was the only one not about to burst. I felt Chef Eric’s patient eyes on my back as I stood in the doorway to the walk-in, draining one bag after another, not even bothering with the thermos.

  Once my thirst was adequately quenched, I turned toward him, closing the fridge door behind me. He stood leaning against a counter with his arms crossed over his chest, nearly ten feet from me.

  “Rough night, Little Hunter?” he finally spoke, his tone clearly amused.

  What was up with that nickname?

  “You could say that,” I responded. Curiosity burned, itching for an escape. “So why is it that you seem to be the only one here who isn’t afraid of me on some level?” I asked.

  Humor faded from his eyes replaced by earnest admiration. “Because I know you won’t kill anyone. You save people. You don’t hurt them,” he answered.

  But I do. I have hurt people. “For someone I’ve only really ever spoken to in passing, you’re awfully trusting. How can you be so confident in someone you just met a month ago?”

  “Who said we just met?”

  Wait, what?

  He paused to allow me time to prepare for what might be shocking news. “I’m originally from St. Louis, Lucy.”

  So if he was from St. Louis and is here now, he obviously would have had some kind of run in with them there, which meant…

  “Did I…?” I couldn’t form the words past the lump in my throat, but he nodded encouragingly before saving me the trouble of picking my jaw up off the tile.

  “Yes. You did. You saved my life years ago. You probably don’t remember my face among all the others you must have helped since then,” he added, again highlighting a savior status of which I was unworthy.

  “It was when you must have been fifteen or sixteen. I had just finished my eighth or ninth round at my local tavern and had stumbled outside to find my way home when I had my first introduction to those damned black-eyed sons of bitches. When I experienced its strength and speed first hand, even through my drunken stupor, I knew I wasn’t going to make it home that night. But then, the darndest thing happened. My sorry ass was saved by some little punk kid with more weight in attitude than muscle.”

  Pieces of a memory were becoming clearer. A nearly passed out man hung limply in a vamp’s arms. I remembered thinking he was a goner no matter what, but at the time, I couldn’t stop myself from engaging one of those bastards.

  “Lucy, a lot of people are here because they lost something to the vampires. Well, I didn’t. My wife left me and took our son because of my mistakes. I’m here because I gained something from a vampire. You saved my life, Lucy. You changed my entire perspective and gave me a purpose. I remember what you said to me that night to this day,” he said, a chuckle breaking free.

  “Maybe if you don’t make yourself such an easy target, you might have a shot at surviving,” I said, repeating my words along with the memory of me saying them that night.

  He released a full on belly laugh. “You left out the part where you looked me up and down and said it was doubtful I’d make it through the night.”

  “Well, you didn’t look so good. And after you turned away from me to hurl all over the side of the building, I didn’t think you were even listening to me.”

  “Oh, I heard you, Little Hunter. I remember being so overwhelmed by hope that there might be a second chance out there waiting for me. And honestly, I thought it was pretty badass that a little girl was taking on these scary monsters so fearlessly. It was inspiring.

  “Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but I wanted in on the action. I threw myself into researching vampires to see if anyone else had similar experiences. I was talking to anyone who would listen and searching forums all day. That’s how Helen found me.” He rubbed a hand over his stubble before crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.

  “After meeting with her, I knew I wanted to be a part of the Keepers. I quickly realized my age and health wouldn’t allow my vigilante dreams to come to fruition, but there were other ways to be involved. I was part of the research team for a few years but recently retired into the kitchen. I’m happy with whatever role I can play, as long as I can be proactive.”

  “Wow, I never knew.” I wanted to say more, but what could I say?

  “Lucy, you saved me, and inadvertently gave me a another chance at life without knowing. Think of all the other lives out there you’ve bettered or saved. I know you think you’re not gifted, but any gift you abuse can turn into a curse. Any fool with power can let it corrupt him… or her, but you don’t let it. You don’t revel in it, and I know you won’t let it curse you.”

  “You’re giving me way too much credit. I’ve done bad things,” I whispered, suddenly interested in the watery tracks left behind by the snow caught in the tread of my boots.

  “Lucy, the kind of power, like the kind bestowed upon you, shouldn’t come naturally. No one would have instantaneous control over it. What’s being asked of you is like giving a penguin larger wings capable of flight and expecting it to migrate across two continents without any problems.”

  Huh?

  Sensing my skepticism, he continued, “It’s okay to make mistakes. You’re not a killer, Lucy. No matter how much you struggle for restraint, deep down, your instincts will protect those around you. Have faith.”

  He grew silent, and I struggled to find a response. It was strange having such a deep conversation with a man I’ve only exchanged casual pleasantries with.

  Maybe I was expecting too much from myself, but what other choice did I have? I needed to prepare for the worst.

  But what I really needed now, after such an embarrassing display of said gift, was a good night’s sleep. Forget the vault.

  Spinning to leave, I bolted toward the exit, which was now a crooked mess of mangled wood and a door hanging off its hinges. Oops.

  “Hey, Little Hunter!” Chef called.

  I turned to him. “Yeah?”

  “Try not to make yourself such an easy target,” he said, smiling. He gestured toward the hole in the front of my shirt.

  I glanced down to see crusted blood around the edges of ripped fabric. Yeah. Sleep was exactly what I needed. Like a whole week’s worth of it.

  11

  The thumping of heavy bass music downstairs woke me the following night. Soft moonlight drifted in through the French doors that led out to the Juliet balcony. Gusts of wind hammered against the doors. It was snowing again. Go figure.

  Rolling out of my luxuriously fabulous bed, I pulled on some jeans and a fresh, hole-free red thermal. I slipped into my boots and left in search of some sweet craving relief.

  After sharing a brief nod of acknowledgement with Chef, I pilfered my thermos and headed out. It appeared that after our odd bonding moment last night, or this morning, we were back to our usual casual acquaintance. Great news for me, an emotionally challenged individual.

  On my way to the vault room, I passed the source of celebratory merriment. The game room was filled with bodies, and I flashed by the open doorway to avoid being seen. Putting my power on a tight leash trumped my desire to flip a plastic cup.

  As I passed, high-pitched voices blared like sirens above the general raucous.

  “I mean, what a freak! She practically stood there and watched me get attacked. I think she might secretly be working against us. You guys, she was seriously deranged or something. I had to save her ass. She was so pathetic. She couldn’t even hold off one new vampire. I thought she was supposed to be this awesome fighter or something. So sad.” Allison continued regaling her followers with her heroics.

  “You should have just left her there to defend herself,” Carrie piped in.

  “Yeah,” parroted the other crony whose name I always forgot. Maggie… Monica… Margaret? Something like that.

  “Well, someone has to be the bigger person,” replied Alli
son.

  Says the girl talking shit behind the other person’s back. I snorted when I tried holding in my laugh. I really needed to let off some steam. With my fists.

  Circling the vault, I thought of last night. My memories of losing Holly and letting Shane win had trapped me in my own skin. Besides the last assassin I encountered, he was the only vampire that has ever escaped me. He was the one behind all the torment. The silent partner he mentioned may have been orchestrating the whole thing, and I would find him or her one day, but it was Shane’s face I attached to all the senseless murders meant to teach me a lesson.

  What if I wasn’t good enough to defeat him? Or his partner? Or the First? I needed to bring my A game, but at the moment, I was a C average at best. As if sensing my woes, Helen strolled into the room to rub salt in the wounds.

  “Lucy, I heard what happened last night. How are you holding up?” she asked.

  “Just dandy. All healed,” I replied, knowing she wasn’t referring to my physical status.

  “That’s good to hear. So what really happened with you?”

  “You mean did I suffer some sort of vampire mental breakdown?” I retorted.

  Something about the way she talked to me was more analytical than concerned. It was like I was sitting in a doctor’s office being diagnosed, even though I have never seen the inside of a real doctor’s office before.

  “Forgive me, Lucille. I’m just trying to get to the bottom of what happened.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m dealing with it. It won’t happen again.”

  “I am worried. You should be, too, because next time you might not get so lucky.”

  “Yes, that’s very helpful. Thank you for the reminder there are lives on the line. I hadn’t fully comprehended the gravity of the situation until you mentioned it. No pressure or anything.”

  “There’s no room for hostility either, Lucille,” she chastised.

  “Then I suppose we both can’t fit in this room, can we?” I challenged.

  I had enough on my mind to work through without her echoing my own fears back to me. It was in no way productive for her to be here. And now, the kitchen called to me like a homing beacon. Another trip to the walk-in cooler was exactly what the doctor ordered.