But wait.
What was that?
She looked down. Almost as if summoned by her thoughts, a soft glow surrounded her little girl's palm.
"Andrew?" She whispered, not looking away. Was she seeing things? But no, she felt it, felt the heat from the palm on her chest, small at it was, the flames were strong as they sank into her heart. "Andrew," she said more urgently, waking him from whatever thoughts tugged at his mind.
"What?"
"Look."
She shifted the baby ever so slightly, but enough that a sliver of fire broke free, rising up, cackling in the still air rather than sinking into her skin. The baby shifted back, sealing the gap again, but not before she heard a gasp.
Excited, she looked up, but her heart immediately sank.
Her husband's eyes were full of dread, widening with a fear she didn’t understand. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He just stared at the baby in her arms, until a tremble stirred his hands.
"Andrew?" She didn’t understand, why wasn't he happy? "What is it?"
"Nothing," he shook his head, shaking whatever had been gathering in his mind. "Nothing."
She didn’t believe him. He was hiding something from her.
"What is it?"
"Nothing, just a stupid, nothing. Let me hold her," he said and reached his hands out, easily holding their daughter as they made the transfer. As soon as their little girl was in his arms, his body slackened. The tension in his limbs fell away and a wide grin spread across his cheeks.
"She's strong," he said, moving so the fire warmed his heart as well.
"I knew she would be."
"Me too," he said, but somehow the words were tainted.
Stop, she told herself. Nothing would ruin this moment, this moment when everything she had dreamed of for the past few months had become real. They were a family—a real, united, unbreakable family.
Kira blinked and she was back. A chill shivered up her limbs from the lack of fire. The room was cold, or maybe it was just the absence digging at her heart. Once again, they were gone, pulled away from her, dead—it was like losing her parents all over again. Her mother's mind was a warm blanket, making her feel safe and loved, but it had been ripped away.
Another chill crept down her spine.
She wanted to feel the warmth again.
Kira looked up, meeting Pavia's concerned eyes, but looked away. She knew what those eyes were saying, what memory they were referencing. The last time Kira had shared her mother's thoughts, she had begged Pavia to see them again, even offered her own blood in exchange for another memory. But England was another time, that castle had made her feel so alone. Here, now, the warm palm on her knee was keeping her grounded. Or really, the man it was connected to.
Kira followed the line, running right into Luke's flaming irises, and they were enough to spark her back to life.
"My father knew something."
"I think so too," Luke said, squeezing her leg gently.
"Pavia, is there anything else?"
The vampire shook her head. "I was looking quickly, but that was the most obvious thing I saw. He was definitely afraid of something, thinking of something he didn’t want your mom to know about, but I don’t know what that is. There were a few more memories of him leaving the cabin, going to meet with the conduits, and coming back frustrated. But nothing specific. I'm sorry."
"But Kira," Luke urged, seeing her shoulders slump, "it’s a start."
But the start of what? If he had truly found some answers, would he have told her mother? Would he have said something?
Kira stood and started pacing, something about moving her legs made the wheels in her drained mind spin.
If the answers weren't in Pavia's mind, where would they be? Think, Kira, think. Would her adoptive mother know something? Would her brother have confided in his sister? But no, she would have mentioned something—'hey my daughter might at some point turn into a deadly vampire' wasn't exactly the kind of conversation anyone would forget.
But if he was concerned and he did think that might happen, wouldn’t he have looked for answers. Kira was stubborn, and considering her parents had gotten married, run away from home and had a practically-illegal child, she had a pretty strong feeling they were as well. So if he thought this might happen, he would have looked for answers, Kira knew he would have.
"Research," she said, stopping in her tracks to clutch the back of the couch.
"Of course," Luke said, looking up from behind his clenched fingers.
"Huh?" Pavia said, eyebrow raised in question.
"It's so obvious! He was doing research. He never met with the conduits. My mother, or I mean my aunt, she told me ages ago that once they ran away, my parents had stopped talking to everyone, even her. So if he was leaving, he wasn't going to talk to the Council, he was doing research."
"And if he was researching," Luke stood too, his excitement mounting with Kira's, "he has to have notes somewhere. Probably hidden from your Mom, since he clearly wanted to keep her out of it."
"But where?" Kira asked.
"Kira." Luke looked at her, widening his eyes as the idea in his mind grew, "the cabin."
"The cabin!" She gasped.
"The cabin?" Pavia interjected. "The one from your mom's memories? It's been eighteen years since they died, that place is long gone."
"You don’t know that," Kira said, grinning so much her cheeks hurt, "it was in a hidden location. Even if looters saw it or someone else lives there now, he could have hidden papers under the floorboards or in a trapped enclosure or something… We have to—"
"I know," Luke said.
"But wh—"
"Tomorrow."
"With—"
"We need your mom."
Kira pulled the phone from her pocket, dialed her mother's phone number and started pacing again. Her arms tingled with excitement—a new energy, a hopeful energy, was buzzing all around her insides.
"Hello?"
"Mom!" Kira shouted, and then winced, "sorry, sorry."
"It's okay! Are you alright? Things have been crazy around here. The Councils, the Punishers, I have so much to tell you. They—"
"Mom, mom, hold on, let me go first." Her mother stayed silent, so Kira plowed on. "The cabin, the one where my birth parents lived, do you know how to find it? Do you think it's still there?"
"Maybe, but it's been a while honey, I doubt it's even there anymore. Andrew, he wasn't exactly a master builder, and I only went once. I always meant to go back, to get their things, but there was never any time."
"We're going," Kira said, "and before you start arguing, it's really really important. And if I tell you why, you're just going to freak, so it would be much easier if you just told us where to go and met us at the airport."
"That's not exactly how the whole parent child thing works," her mother drawled, "tell me what's going on, and I mean right now, or Kira, you will finally get all of the punishments you've been earning these last few months. And I mean it, no money, no cars, no cooking school, no—"
"Mom, I'm turning into a vampire."
There was a long pause. If not for the steady breathing, Kira would have thought her mother had hung up. She felt a little guilty for just throwing it all out there, but really, the motherly rant had been fast approaching—dire measures needed to be taken.
"Kira, you," she started but then stopped.
After a minute, Kira asked, "Mom?"
"You just, you can't just say something like that and expect me to be okay."
Kira rolled her eyes. "I don't expect you to be okay, in fact I expect you to be so concerned that you'll jump on a plane and meet me wherever we need to go." She smiled sweetly out of habit, almost as though her mother could see her.
A heavy sigh came through the line.
"You're as infuriating as my brother," she said, and then, "meet me at the Greenbrier Valley Airport in West Virginia, do you have that? Greenbrier Valley?"
"Got it, I'll let you know as soon as Luke and I have flights."
"Kira?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you, but really, when all of this is done, you're grounded."
"Okay, Mom." Kira rolled her eyes, her adoptive parents had never been great at punishing her. Maybe because until this year she had never really needed to be punished, having been in boarding school.
"Don't you roll your eyes at me." What the? Kira thought, how did she know? "I'm your mother, I know you. And I mean it. When all of this is over, vampires are going to be the least of your worries."
"Okay, Mom," she repeated in a much graver tone, "I really am sorry. I love you."
"I love you too. Call me as soon as you can."
"Deal."
Kira hung up the phone, meeting Luke's eyes. They had a lot to do if they were going to be in West Virginia before the sun rose.
Chapter Ten
Kira looked around the airport. Her mom should be here by now. Had something happened? Did Aldrich's cronies come back? Was she trapped somewhere? Alone and helpless?
"Kira."
She jumped… not helpless, just angry...
"Mom! I'm so happy you're here."
"Yeah, yeah," she gave her daughter a quick hug, "I know what your punishment is going to be." Kira rolled her eyes. Really? The first words out of her mouth?
Next to her, Luke snickered. Jerk. She should have left him back in Charleston with Pavia and Tristan.
"Was it that you got to fly air-conduit on the private jet while Luke and I were stuck in smaller than half-of-my-butt-cheek seats next to the bathroom? Did I mention the flush was broken?"
"It was traumatizing, Mrs. D," Luke said in a sorrowful voice.
"No, that's not it," she grinned, "but it does make me feel a little better."
"Mom," Kira rolled her eyes and started walking ahead of them toward the rental car stand. She was evil.
"First, you're staying home for a while, I mean until you go to the college or culinary school of your choice," Kira started to protest but was waved off, "there are plenty of wonderful restaurants to work at in Charleston."
Kira sighed, but nodded. Charleston was a great city and she wanted to spend more time with her family anyway. "Second?" Better to get it over with…
"Second, no trips, not even with Luke or the conduits, unless I'm there too."
"But—"
"No buts, I'm serious."
"Okay," Kira said through gritted teeth. Please let third be last…
"Finally, you're getting a curfew. After finding out Tristan was a vampire, and right under my nose all this time, I just can't trust you yet. So home by eleven every night, unless it's a special occasion and you ask me for permission a week in advance—with a convincing argument."
Part of Kira wanted to stomp her foot in annoyance, but a bigger part of her understood and kept the temper tantrum inside. To a lot of people, this would be considered almost lenient for lying about traveling to a foreign country, dating a member of the undead, and, well, a few more things that Kira couldn't quite keep track of.
She put out her hand.
"Deal. When all of this is over, and Aldrich is dead, I'll come home and be your own personal hermit."
Her mom took her hand and shook it. But before letting go, she tugged her daughter in for a hug. "I missed you, and I love you, don't ever forget that."
Kira smiled into her mom's shoulder. "I love you too."
With sniffle, her mother let her go and went to stand in line for a rental car.
A few seconds later, Luke's warm breath tickled her neck, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.
"So," he whispered, "do we tell your parents about us, or for the next year am I still the best friend who's allowed in your bedroom with the door closed?"
Kira turned, grinning, "Well, I did just agree to stop lying to my parents…"
Luke pouted, letting his puppy dog eyes droop downward in a very convincing argument. Kira put a hand on his chest, using the balance to rise on her toes, bringing her lips to his ear.
"I'm game if you are."
She dropped down quickly, taking a step back before her mother saw anything. And it was just in time, because as Kira turned, her mother was finishing up with the agent.
Waving, Kira and Luke made their way over and followed her mother out the door. As they settled inside the off-road SUV, the one her mom specially ordered, Kira felt the nerves begin, a little swarm of bees buzzing in her stomach. She was going home, to her first home, to the home she only remembered in stolen thoughts and barely-there dreams.
"Okay, talk," her mom said as she revved the engine. Kira didn't need an explanation and with a sigh, she started telling the story—the whole story, starting all the way back with the eclipse, the fight with Diana, the cause of her coma, the Red Rose Ball, the trip to England, the moment she started to feel the change within herself, the darkness.
The only part Kira kept out, the one part she couldn’t even speak about, was the fight right outside of Sonnyville just days earlier. There was no way she could tell her mother that she had almost bitten her, that she had tried to eat her. The mere thought made her insides cramp, made bile gather on her tongue, made...
Kira stopped thinking about it, pushed the memory away and looked at her mother.
With each passing minute, the older woman's face darkened a little more—with worry or anger, Kira wasn't sure. At times, it looked like she wanted to say something; would open her mouth just to close it again or widen her eyes just to squint once more.
In the end, all her mother did was reach out her hand and intertwine their fingers, but it was perfect, it was exactly what Kira needed. Not another lecture or another punishment or another fight, just the support and understanding that only a mother could provide.
And they stayed like that for Kira didn't know how long, because her attention had shifted out the window, away from Luke and her adoptive mother and Tristan and conduits and vampires and Aldrich. Her attention was long gone; running ahead of the car, following her heart home to the parents she had never gotten the chance to know.
Kira didn’t notice as the city began to fade. She didn't see the dense forest that took its place. She no longer felt her mother's fingers or the subtle peace flowing in from Luke's mind. All she felt was an overwhelming sense of déjà vu, and maybe it was just her mind playing tricks, but somehow she felt like she had been to this place before.
A tune started singing inside her head, a lullaby, soothing, a woman's voice. The image before her flickered, phantom flames danced in its place. The comforting smell of burnt wood filled her nostrils. And maybe even the dull thud of heavy boots walking through the front door…
"Kira, honey?" A warm palm landed on her shoulder. Her mother.
"Huh?" Kira blinked. The image was gone, the memory, if she could call it that. Or was is just another thing she borrowed from her birth mother? Another thought she had peeked at in Pavia's mind?
"Kira, we need to the walk the rest of the way."
She nodded and drowsily slipped out of the car, not yet with it. They had parked on the shoulder, tucked against the trees in a narrow opening along the road.
"It's been a long time since I was here, Kira, I'm not sure I'll even be able to find the place." She looked worried and shifted her head around the tree line.
"It's okay, Mom," Kira urged, "we just have to try."
Her mom walked ahead, looking for familiar landmarks.
Luke slipped his hand in hers, squeezing once before letting it go, very aware of the parental presence close by.
"Are you okay?" He leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"I think so."
"You seemed pretty quiet… back in the car." He waited for her, listening for even a sigh in response.
"Would you think I'm crazy if I said I might remember this place? That it somehow feels familiar?" Kira looked at the ground, drawing a little circle in the grass with her toe.
"Of course not," Luke said and gently guided her chin upwards, arching her head toward his. Concern and affection flooded his features. "I'd say that’s amazing."
"I think it's pretty awesome, too." Her eyes crinkled in a barely-there smile. It was more than amazing—it was almost magical.
"I think it might be this way," her mother called, indicating a space between two large trees. Luke and Kira eased apart, making their way over as her mom disappeared into the trees.
Wherever they were going, it looked pretty deserted. There were no footsteps on the ground. There was no lightly traveled dirt path, no wrappers leftover from a camping trip or signs pointing where to go. There was grass and dirt and shrubs and leaves and sticks—pretty much everything an animals-only forest might contain.
And with the need to concentrate on where she was stepping, Kira pretty much gave up on recognizing anything. Staring at the ground was all she had time for.
"You know," Luke said behind her as they stepped over a particularly large pool of squishy mud, "England was almost a nice break. You were living in a gigantic castle, I was cooped up in a nice flat in the heart of London—not too shabby—but somehow, we're back here, ankle deep in I don't even know what…"
"Look at you, turning into a Prima Donna."
"I'm just saying, when all of this is over and you're on house arrest, don't expect me to sneak through the miniature forest in your backyard anytime soon."
"That is something we can definitely agree on," Kira said, grimacing as her shoe sank an inch into the ground. Thank goodness she was wearing sneakers.
Up ahead, her mom gasped and stopped moving.
Kira stopped too… and then broke off at a sprint, no longer caring about the mud caking her feet.
In seconds, she had caught up to her mom. Barely a foot in front of her, Kira stopped again. Her heart jumped in her chest, no longer able to sustain any movement because her whole body was stuck, frozen in place, halted on the breath caught in her throat.
The cabin.
It was standing.
It was there, right before her very eyes, visible through the sea of tree trunks.
Scorch (Midnight Fire Series) Page 11
