by Unknown
He rotated me around and I looked up into a handsome face not much older than my own. “Is that a laser suit?”
“Uh, I can’t tell you that.” He scowled over my head and the two behind me scurried into the garage. “It’s top secret.”
I pouted my bottom lip out. This geek was actually rather cute. But if that suit was what I thought it was, I was impressed.
“Cool,” I whispered.
“Yeah, well.” His cheeks flushed and he let go of my shoulders, exuding attraction. “Don’t look at it or you’ll go blind.”
He likes me.
“Sure thing.” I winked to toy with him. “I’m Julia.”
“I know. Just be careful.”
I may be on house arrest, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t flirt with the guards. They might let me out early for good behavior.
Pizza boxes littered the kitchen counters and I found a few slices for Luke. Dad wasn’t anywhere close that I could sense so I lingered longer than normal on my way back to the stairs, hoping someone would say something, to no avail. This would be an excellent time to have Phil’s hawk hearing.
Luke found a movie on the TV in his room and I slunk to the floor, eating a piece with mushrooms and olives myself, sitting with half my body in the hall. My phone remained silent in my pocket.
After an hour passed, I lost all patience.
- Call me.
I’d already given Nicholas the rules of not texting anything incriminating. The phone finally rang and I bolted to my room.
“So?”
“We have to tip them off,” Nicholas said.
I chewed on my lip. “Really?”
“There’s no other way. We have to protect the doctor and we don’t really know who he is, so we really can’t kill anyone. Later we can knock them off one by one.”
I groaned. Such an impossible task. Maybe if I sat in an open field with a laser suit on, then all the vamps would come to me like a moth to a flame. Phil, Sam, and Nicholas could take the stragglers out, well, hopefully without hitting me by accident. “Can we capture the doctor somehow?
“And hold him in what?”
I knew where this conversation was headed, somewhere way over our heads. “You knew how to make special weapons and armor before,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. Remembering Harry made my chest ache. “There were special metal cages reinforced with venom at the beach. Phil knows where.”
The task suddenly overwhelmed me. Killing the bad guys was one thing, but becoming the vampire judge and jury? We were talking about keeping a prisoner. Who were we to put him in shackles forever so Sam could live and others wouldn’t die—noble, yes, but feasible? But if we didn’t do something, Cain would be forced to stop the problem without any mercy. So the doctor’s capture was really our only option.
“We have to for Sam,” I whispered. If I ever saw Todd again, he’d be fried in a nanosecond for doing this to my best friend. “What did Preston say?”
“He believes that the collection of newborns is causing the necklace to weaken. Too much bloodlust in one place.”
You could say that again. I touched the talisman, happy that I at least knew it still worked where it counted—stopping a vamp from biting me. “Is he upset you left?”
“Hmmm,” Nicholas said. “Slightly, but he understands.”
“Did he offer any advice?”
“I didn’t tell him anything. None of his business as far as I’m concerned.”
“Good idea.” Who needed him or Alora involved when we already had enough problems with my own father. Preston typically didn’t get involved anyway unless Nicholas’ life was in jeopardy. But maybe he’d be concerned once news hit the tabloids and papers. The deaths and disappearances were bound to make national headlines.
“And no Scarlett either?”
“Um,” Nicholas said, sounding confused. “I don’t think so.”
They obviously hadn’t had a chance to meet yet which was odd. Would my end-of-the-world cheerleader who vowed to protect me at all costs miss my first battle? Where the heck was she?
“So what’s the plan?”
“I’m going now to find Dr. V, and Phil and Sam will meet up with me later. They can swing by and get you once it’s dark, since you’re grounded. Sam is cool to be around you now.”
I chuckled, not only at Phil’s obvious influence in nicknames, but the fact Nicholas wanted me to come along, courtesy of Phil. He definitely hadn’t gleaned from his journal that I should stay far away from the vamps, especially Phil. “Just be careful.”
“I will. I should go. I’ll keep in touch.”
I hung up and felt the anxiety heighten with the activity downstairs. The geeks were ramping up for the task, like kids waiting to go trick-or-treating or something. Hopefully Nicholas could get to the doctor before they did. If not, he’d be getting the resurrection directions from Alora post-haste so I could bring back Sam and Katie.
I looked under my bed for the blond wig to stage up my bed, when Dad knocked on the door.
“Yeah?” I said, hiding the evidence and grabbing Promise as though I’d been reading the entire time.
“I just want you to know that I’ve talked to your brother and he’s been instructed to do whatever it takes to make sure you don’t leave the house tonight. If you purposefully defy me, Luke’s Blazer will become mine and I won’t return it.”
“What?” I said and slid off my bed to my feet. “You don’t trust me?”
“Frankly, no. I think this is too tempting for you. And your boyfriend should stay clear as well. We don’t need his or your help tonight. If you want to invite him over here instead, you can. But it’s for your own good. I can’t do my job and worry about your safety at the same time. Once we get this coven handled, I’ll remove all the restrictions and give you back your keys. You just have to trust me and stay put.”
I didn’t know what to say. Dad had thought of everything this time, beyond using duct tape to fasten me to a chair. But I didn’t like how the bottom line put Sam’s life in such jeopardy.
“Fine,” I said and flopped down on my bed. “Nicholas managed just fine before your group showed up, so I don’t know what you’re so worried about.”
“Was that before or after his amnesia? Because I think an experienced vampire hunter wouldn’t have ever taken his girlfriend into a known vampire lair.”
My voice hitched in my throat. Dad was smarter than I gave him credit.
“I’m warning you, Julia. I’ll take your car permanently, too. Don’t leave the house tonight.”
He closed the door, taking all my thunder with him.
Chapter Nineteen
The geek squad packed up and left, leaving my bewildered brother and me in their wake. Evil thoughts to drug him with sleep aids crossed my mind once or twice. My conscience stopped that in a jiff. I paced the floor like a caged lion, waiting to hear word before riffling through the freezer to find some ETer ate the last of my Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.
“We have to go to the store,” I begged Luke.
“You think I’m going to let you leave the house after Dad said he’d take my keys?” Luke popped his feet up in the La-Z-Boy and clicked on the TV. “There’s a box of brownies in the pantry. Make them.”
“I don’t want brownies.” I clenched my jaw and stared at my phone again. What was happening? Why wasn’t Nicholas texting me?
The sweet auras of two happy-go-lucky people graced the rooftop—my flying carpet ready for takeoff. I darted upstairs to my bedroom.
Phil peered inside, white teeth gleaming. He propped his hand in the air like a mime, stuck outside of some invisible box.
“The invite wore off again?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I shot back sarcastically. “My dad might be behind that.”
Both Sam and Phil’s eyes grew wide, signaling this was all news to them.
“Nicholas didn’t tell you my dad is part of a vampire hunting unit in the government?”
&nb
sp; “Uh, no,” Phil said, his tone just as sarcastic.
“No way, Jules. This whole time? And you didn’t know?”
I looked at Sam and admired her newfound sense of control.
“Not until Slide from the fang gang in L.A. tried to dine on us for dinner and my dad came to the rescue, laser pens flashing and all.”
Phil pulled a face. “Parker, you’ve been holding out on me. And why are you wearing pajamas? Where’s that tight, black get-up of yours?” He produced a dingy T-shirt I could only assume had been drenched in venom. “Put this on.”
Sam wrinkled up her nose and pulled out a corner of her shirt for me to see. “Stinks a little, but it’s supposed to protect me from stakes.”
I bit my lip. “What? I don’t need that.”
“If there’s a wayward stake or something, you’ll be protected,” Phil said with sincerity.
A wave of anxiety burned through me. Though I couldn’t go, at least they’d remembered to wear homemade armor. I crawled out onto the ledge and sat on the windowsill in a heap.
“Thanks, but I can’t go with you tonight. Luke’s been instructed to keep track of me; we’ll both be grounded for the rest of our lives if I leave. I bet he comes up here in a few minutes to make sure I’m still home.”
At my comment, nosiness began to poke his nappy bed-head into my disappearance.
“Julia!” he yelled. “You better be here, or I’m going to kill you.”
“Yeah, I’m here,” I yelled back. “Just reading. Go away.” I looked at Phil and Sam with a shake of my head. “See what I mean?”
“Come downstairs where I can see you!”
I rolled my eyes and crawled back inside. “I have to pee. Give me a minute!”
“Hmmm,” Phil said, “I’d say you’ve got problems. Don’t worry. We’ve got a plan.” He looked sweetly into Sam’s eyes and she smiled.
I crinkled up my lips and wondered exactly what that plan involved. My impatience got the better of me. “Stop wasting time and go. Make sure my boyfriend isn’t in over his head and make him text me.”
Phil shot me his tummy-tickling grin and took Sam’s hand. They were gone before I could say goodbye.
“I’m taking a bath, if you’d like to watch,” I said over the railing in an effort to disgust him.
Disdain floated up from the ground floor and I smiled.
“Pound your foot against the tub every few minutes or I will.”
I huffed and returned to my room. Knowing him, he would. I shut down my feelings radar and ran the water. Maybe a bath would be the ticket to calm my nerves. The bubbles popped around my ears, reminding me of the amazing tub experience in the Penthouse Suite in Beverly Hills.
Though the new Nicholas was more fun, I was beginning to miss the old one. Now, he frequently needed assistance, which took away from the magic we once had. And his naïveté worried me constantly, especially now.
After a few minutes, I drained the water and hopped out. The bath idea was a bust and I wouldn’t indulge Luke’s worries by banging my foot on the tub. While blowing my hair dry, I thought of all the things that could go wrong, including something bad happening to Dad. My gut kept telling me I needed to be there.
I finally broke down and sent Nicholas a “hi” text. He didn’t respond. In a nervous rush, I threw my jammies back on and trudged downstairs, determined to make the brownies after all when I noticed Luke standing at the door.
I released the hold on my radar to sense his overwhelming lust of someone I couldn’t see. Someone with deep-seated anger and desire for power. My blood froze in my veins.
“Hello, Julia,” Alora said.
“Step back, Luke,” I cautioned and ran to the door, getting between the two of them. “You’re not invited here.” I eyeballed the threshold as she continued to smile, her lips imparting that sweet sticky grin.
“Now, let’s not be rude.” She glanced at the talisman, her envy tripling. “I’m only here for Nicholas. Is he here?”
“Sure you are,” I glowered. “Go home, Alora. You’re not welcomed here.” I calmly began to close the door, tempted to slam it in her face.
“Wait,” she said, her fear escalating all of a sudden. “If you care for him, tell him he has to leave this town immediately.”
“And why would I do that?”
“Because Cain is coming and if he finds Nicholas here, he’ll kill him.”
All my blood instantly felt like it sloshed down to my feet. “Cain? Here? When?”
“Soon,” she said and looked again at the talisman.
Ice spread out from the stone and chilled my neck. I tried to catch my breath. Things were going from bad to worse fast. The new Nicholas, naive to dangerous vampire matters, didn’t know his lifesaving mantra—kill all survivors. We’d let Todd go. Did Todd turn him in?
“How do you know?”
“Easy.” Alora smiled. “The talisman told me.”
“The what? How?”
“Look at it.” Red bloody tendrils of smoke wove over the stone, covering up the blue. “It’s Cain’s, you stupid girl, and he’s calling for it. You can’t mask it from him because you’re human and don’t have the power.”
My throat felt thick, making breathing difficult. Luke grabbed my arm.
“Are you okay?” he asked me, then turned to Alora. “I think you need to go now.”
But I couldn’t concentrate. His? I was wearing Cain’s talisman? Was that what the prophecy was going to be over? Cain coming and reclaiming his jewelry and I’d stake him to keep it? Could he take it from me? I was afraid to ask, gripping the door for strength.
“Was this your doing? Did you tell him? Did you bring him here?”
“Never,” she said adamantly. “I can’t stand the man.”
“I did,” Scarlett’s ethereal voice echoed in my mind.
I closed my eyes, my legs weakening. “Of course you did.”
“You brought him here?” Alora screeched, her voice morphing into a cat scream as she shape-shifted out of human form.
“Did you hear that?” Luke let out a gasp. “Holy—”
Scarlett didn’t only speak to me apparently. I swiveled around and closed the door as the cat fight erupted. He fought me to reopen it.
“That woman … she turned into a cat!”
The screeching outside faded and I hoped Alora was smart enough to keep her ground against Scarlett. Her death would take Nicholas’ life. This confirmed even more that we needed to go rescue Dad.
“I know. Listen. We have to save Dad.”
Luke’s eyes remained wide. “We have to catch her. She’s some crazy freak thing.”
“Deadly!” I grabbed Luke’s shoulders so he’d look at me. “A vampire and if we don’t leave, Dad won’t be coming home. Murdered like Mom.”
Luke oozed disbelief. “Is this a joke? Am I getting punked?”
“Where are your car keys?”
Luke went to the window and looked out. “’Cause that was the most realistic thing I’ve ever seen. How’d you do it?”
“I’m serious!” I yelled. “This isn’t a joke. It’s very real.”
Luke laughed.
“We need to leave. Now!” I looked down at my attire. Black flannel pants with pink poodles weren’t going to fit the bill. “I’m changing first. If you want to come, you can, but you can’t stop me from leaving.”
No matter what I said, he laughed. I stamped my foot. A wave of bloodlust stopped my tirade.
“Okay,” I said, throwing open the door. “How about this?”
I stepped outside and fanned the air around my neck. Within seconds a ravenous vampire came from nowhere and tried to pin me against the side of the house. Once he hit the talisman, he recoiled, his hands and face burning like always. I whipped out the laser and zig-zagged the guy to dust.
Luke’s mouth dropped open. “What the—?”
“Real vampires.” I stood with my hands on my hips. Another was close by and too hungry to learn fro
m his predecessor. He got dusted before he could touch me. “Any questions?”
Luke backed into the house. “This isn’t funny anymore, Julia.”
I walked in after him and shut the door as more bloodlust came on the scene. “I know. I’m not laughing. We have to save Dad.”
“Where is he?”
“Those geeks are out using their new toys to stop this growing coven.”
Luke staggered backward. “He’s fighting those things?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Yes.”
He pulled his hand through his greasy hair. “Is he insane?”
“No. It’s his job.”
“Job?” Luke collapsed on the chair in the foyer. “Are werewolves real, too?”
I chuckled. “Not that I know of.” I sat on the step opposite Luke. “Vampires have been around since the beginning of time. They are more like snake people.”
“Did she mean Cain from the Bible?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Wow.” He took a moment to digest everything. “And how long have you known?”
“Since Nicholas saved me off the cliff, from a vampire.”
He blinked back at me. “How did you not freak out and tell everyone?”
“Would you have believed me?”
He shrank away from the window when two vampires showed up and drooled on the glass. “No, probably not.”
I waved my magic wand and exterminated them. “So, where are your keys?”
Luke didn’t move, exuding fear. “How come I’ve never seen them before?”
“I don’t know. They only come out at night. The sunlight kills them.”
“Why aren’t they coming in here?”
I exhaled heavily. “They have to be invited.”
“Julia, how are you so calm? I’m seriously freaked.”
“I’m not. We have to get Dad.”
Sudden happiness sliced through my psyche as the door opened. Boba Fett and the cute guy from earlier were strutting their stuff, hair slicked back from sweat and smiles plastered across their faces.
I got to my feet. “Where’s my dad?”
“Back there,” Cute Guy said, motioning behind him.
My body collapsed in relief and I ran outside to find his car. A few others drove up and the entourage filed past me, way too happy for my liking, but not Dad. Luke stayed inside, staring out at me with terror in his eyes.
