"Maybe because I don't want any of you taking a bite out of Alex," Ty said, stalking over to my side.
Why was he acting like I was a child, or a porcelain doll? Man, this was getting annoying. What kind of relationship could we have if he restricted my every move. "Ty, chill out. At some point, you're going to have to trust them. I'm going to hang out here, whether you like it or not."
"I am worried about you, Alex," he growled, facing me. "Are you so desperate to get yourself killed? Or is this defiance? Are you hanging out with these vampires just to make me mad?"
"No!" I yelled, clenching my fists. Now it didn't matter that three vampires were watching. "I just want you to accept that I'm going to do what I want to do, and you can't stop me! You've changed so much-"
"Oh, I've changed?" Sarcasm marred Ty's voice. "Alex, I'm not the only one. You're so desperate to hang out with these vampires, when they could kill you before you even knew what was happening?"
I lowered my voice a bit. "What happened? You weren't so fired up about this before, not even when I first started to hang out with the vampires. But today, you rush in and start yelling after about three seconds."
Ty rolled his eyes, but then turned around and walked away, refusing to face me. "Remember the guy you helped the other night?"
"Peter? Of course."
"He's dead. And we have no idea who killed him."
Chapter 11
While I gasped, the vampires looked unimpressed.
"Really?" Natalie raised an eyebrow.
"No!" Madison's mouth turned into a perfect 'o'.
"Shocker," Zane finished, folding his arms over his chest. He stared straight at Ty. "What did I tell you? She was in danger. You're very luck that... whatever came in, came in."
"In other words, you're lucky that he's brain-damaged," Natalie snickered, much to Zane's annoyance. Still, he was gentle when he shoved her shoulder.
"Hold on," I began hotly. "How can you guys be so callous? Sure, you didn't know Peter, but he was still a living person! He had thoughts, and feelings, and, I mean, he could have really helped you out in-"
Zane's cold hand was suddenly closed over my mouth. He was staring at me with a blank expression. I bit his hand. Stare. Oh, man, his eyes were gorgeous, but that got creepy, the not blinking thing... With finality, I spit right into his palm.
Slowly, he removed his hand and wiped it against his jeans. When he spoke, his voice was perfectly calm. "You're disgusting."
"You're no better," I replied sharply. "Seriously, now—you're treating his death like it's something that just happens. You know how rough death is! Not to be insensitive, but you three are dead yourself."
"We never said that we didn't feel bad for the guy," Madison said defensively. "But you have to understand—we all saw it coming. Even Sanders"-she gestured towards Ty- "I'm sure. There was nothing we could do to prevent it. And when you're around as long as us... Well, death becomes a part of life."
She had a point, I'd give her that. It wasn't their fault if they weren't as affected as I was. Clearly, the vampires didn't put on a show. They were straightforward and honest about how sensitive they were to this kind of subject.
"Looks like you chose a really nice crowd to hang around with, huh, Alex?" Ty's voice rough, and he looked guilty. "I went to the scene... It's definitely Peter. His scent is all over the place."
"So," I started carefully. "Can't you tell whether it was a vampire or not? There have to be some clues."
Reaching up, Ty ran a hand through his hair, then placed the same hand on my shoulder. "Actually, Alex, there wasn't any hard evidence. We don't even know exactly how Peter was murdered."
A cold trickle of shock ran down my spine. How could someone just get rid of that kind of evidence? Call me naïve, but I didn't really understand. "What do you mean?"
"The whole place was burned down," Zane said, nodding. "That's what happened, isn't it? I've seen it done before... The corpse was ash. No better than a staked vampire."
Glancing at Zane, I turned back to Ty, feeling the nausea beginning. "They... They burned his body? Are you serious?"
"Zane's right," Ty sighed, looking a bit like he wanted the ground to swallow him up. "I wish he wasn't, but he is. I wouldn't lie to you about something like this, Alex."
Oh. Just the other night, I was holding Peter, comforting him. And now, he's a pile of ash. Just like a vampire. Gone. Dead. Everything I did that night, telling him everything would be all right was all a lie. All of it.
Running as fast as I could, I made my way to the bathroom-who knows how I did it, since this was my first time at that house-and gave up all the contents of my stomach. Gross, gross, gross. Not the burning thing, I mean. I wouldn't be that disrespectful to the dead. But throwing up... That had always disgusted me.
A hand on my shoulder, then moving on to gently pull my hair away from my face, made things worse. But it also made them better. Worse, because somebody was watching me puke my guts up. Better, because those hands were really nice-feeling at the moment, like an ice pack against my warming skin.
"You're a bit too warm for my liking," a voice murmured. "Are you sure you weren't sick already?"
"No," I mumbled, though he kind of had a point. "I'm f-"
Hold on. Through my post-vomiting haze, I recognized that voice. And I also realized why those cold hands felt so, well, cold. Holy-
"Get away from her. I think that the living would be better judges of illness."
Sitting up, I spun around, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Now I was blushing more than I had in my entire life. Numbly, I sat as Ty pressed his hand against his forehead, Zane watching me with his cool eyes.
"She's sick," he pronounced, nodding. "Just a slight fever. Probably because she's been getting so little sleep lately. It's weakened her immune system."
"Shut up," I snapped. How could I let Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome see me throwing up? That was just the worst thing that could ever happen to a girl! You know, besides having a Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome see them in childbirth, or something.
"No need to thank me for keeping your precious hair from getting slimed," Zane said, rolling his eyes.
"You're right," Ty muttered grudgingly. "She does feel a little warm. My cousin had something like this once, when he was staying over..."
"Funny, my younger sister died from a fever," Zane replied sharply, walking over to inspect me. "Of course, we didn't have Tylenol back then, so..." Leaning down, he took in my entire appearance with medical precision. "You should stay in bed for a while. I would say a few days, but Flora could probably have you just fine by tomorrow morning."
"I'm not sick," I snarled, looking away from him. At the moment, I was pretending to be fascinated by the tile floor of the bathroom.
"Haven't you been feeling tired for the last few days?" Ty asked, raising his eyebrows skeptically. "It makes sense, you know."
"Yeah, I've been feeling tired," I snapped, raising my voice. "That's probably because I've been running around with vampires for the past few days!"
"Exactly," Zane smirked, tilting his head to one side. He seemed to be listening for something. "Your breathing pattern... Just a bit irregular... Heart beat... About the same, but that's expected..."
"Show off," I declared under my breath.
"Come on," Ty growled, scooping me up in his arms. "I don't want you getting yourself more sick, and running around is going to just that. Zane has a point; Flora's a witch, she'll be able to get you feeling better in no time."
Easily, he deposited me on the sofa, where Madison and Natalie were perched on the arms. Both of them watched me with the same curiosity that Zane had.
"Sick?" Madison guessed.
"According to Tweedle-dumb and Tweedle-dumber," I grumbled, folding my arms over my chest. Maybe I was sick—after all, I couldn't even think of a good insult. However, I was not going to let Ty and Zane boss me around.
"Don't let her get up," Zane ordered. "We
're calling Flora over here." Just as he flipped open his own cell phone, another ringing began.
With a frustrated curse, Ty opened his own cell phone, bringing it to his ear. "Ty Sanders's line." For a moment, he listened, then glanced at me. With a heavy sigh, he gave his reply. "Yeah. I'll be right there."
"Work?" I guessed, half-relieved, half-disappointed. "Go ahead. You need to save face, and I'll be fine. Especially if Flora's here." Oddly, I trusted the witch. She just had that kind of vibe.
For a moment, Ty looked at me. Common sense told me that I wouldn't die of a little fever. But common sense also told him that I could die if a vampire bit me. Turning to the three vampires in front of him, he spoke.
"I'm leaving her alone with you," he began. "Only because I'm trusting you this time. If I come back and she has a single scratch... Then you'll be staked before you can blink."
Surprisingly, it was Natalie who spoke to Ty. She walked up to him, placing her hand in his. "Your trust is not displaced. We will take care of her, and make sure that she's safe. The only reason we'll even take her out of this house is if someone is attacking—which, trust me, is unlikely." She flashed a fangless smile. "Thank-you for your trust."
Stunned by her placid nature and sweetness, Ty took a step back. There was a reveling look in his eyes for just a second, and then he nodded. "Yeah. Prove to me that you can be trusted." With those words, he left the house, slamming the door behind himself.
I bit my lip. Ty was ashamed that he was being ruled by Roxanne. He wanted to help me, I knew it. He didn't want to look like his work was more important than me. But he had no choice...
The whole time he'd been there, not once had I thought about our kiss. Everything had been too busy. Oh, but now I was. Now I was thinking about it.
"Flora?" Zane was now speaking into his cell phone, his words rapid. "It's Alex, the human girl. She's sick, just a small fever, not very high... Probably from sleep-deprivation... Yes, can you come over and give her something? Thanks. Bye."
Closing the cell phone, he walked over to look at me for a moment. There was something in his eyes, a curiosity. A hunger to learn. The way he was looking at me made me want to pile pillows on top of myself so he couldn't see me. However, I did speak.
"I feel gross."
As soon as the words left my mouth, Zane was laughing. Reaching down, he touched my hair. "You amuse me, Alexandra."
"Don't call me that."
"Aly?"
"Not that one, either."
"Sure."
There was the sound of someone clearing her throat, and Zane turned his head. Looking around, I found that Natalie stood in a corner, arms folded over her chest. She watched us carefully.
"I'm, um, a bit thirsty," she mumbled, her voice just loud enough for me to hear. "I'm going to go out and see someone, all right?"
Zane's face fell. "Nat..."
"See you, Zane." She gave me a half-hearted smile. "Bye Alex."
Madison was simply silent as she watched her friend go out the door. Shaking her head, she gave Zane a glance that I almost missed.
He ran a hand through his hair, then turned to look at me, giving a smile that was similar to Natalie's. "I'm going upstairs for a few minutes... There are some calls I have to make... I'll be right back down." He was a blur as he went up the stairs.
"OK," I said after a moment, looking at Madison. "Sorry to be intrusive, but I feel like I'm missing something."
Looking at me, Madison gave a frown. But not because of me, I guessed, but because of something else, something important. "We all want things we can't have, Alex. At one point in our life, at least."
"Oh," I replied, nodding. "Yeah. Zane told me about that."
She raised her eyebrows sky-high. "He did?"
"Yep," I confirmed. "You know, about Natalie disliking being a vampire? How she wishes she was still human?"
"No," Madison answered briskly. "That's not what I was talking about. Natalie is like a sister to me, Alex. I know what goes on in her head. She likes you, Alex. She thinks that you could be a good influence on all of us. But there's something holding her back from being completely open. Or someone, really. Someone she can't have."
I had a little inkling in my head about who the 'someone' was, but I doubted I was right. "I still don't understand."
For a moment, Madison stared at me, her angelic face indecisive. "Can you keep a secret, Alex?"
It was like having a blond Snow White talking to you, and I held back a giggle. This was serious. "Yeah. Obviously—I haven't told anyone about this Supernatural thing, right?"
"Yes, I suppose you haven't," Madison allowed, leaning towards me. "You can only really understand Natalie when you know this." She leaned closer, her lips inches from my ear. Her words were barely a whisper.
"Natalie is in love with Zane."
I could feel my jaw drop, and for a moment, I just sat there, stunned. "W-what?"
"Yes," Madison sighed, looking over her shoulder, as if she expected Zane to arrive. "She has been for centuries... But he can't return it. I don't know why. Maybe it's because she's too much like a sister to him, or maybe it's because his heart still belongs to someone el-" Clapping a hand over her mouth, she shook her head. "I've said too much."
"What?" I repeated, beginning to sit up. I couldn't keep the sharp edge out of my voice. "His heart belongs to who?"
"I don't know," Madison said helplessly. "I mean, I can't tell you. I wasn't even alive, then! The point is, Natalie has wanted Zane for as long as I've known her. They're very bonded, those two. She likes you, but she wishes that she had the same strange connection you have with him. Then maybe that would increase her chances..."
"Are you trying to say..." The words were stuck in my throat. "Are you trying to say that Natalie's jealous of my connection with Zane?"
"Yes," Madison nodded miserably, clearly wishing that she hadn't told me. "Once she comes to terms with the fact that Zane doesn't love her... Well, I don't know when that will happen. It has been quite a while..."
"Centuries are quite a while," I agreed, dazed by all this information.
Natalie... In love with Zane? It made sense. The way she'd looked at him, her sudden exit, that worried way she acted around him. Wow.
"Zane must feel so guilty," I murmured, his expression coming back to me.
"He is," Madison confirmed quietly. "I think that he really wishes he could love Natalie—you just can't force something like that. Love is a force to be reckoned with. When it doesn't want to come, it won't. And you can't stop it, either."
I opened my mouth to reply, but couldn't find the right words. Before I could think of them, Zane came down the stairs, his face stony. For a moment, I worried that he'd heard us, but then realized that, if he had, Madison probably would have sensed something.
"Flora should be here any minute now," he predicted as Madison innocently straightened up. Just as he said that, there was a knock on the door.
Calmly, Zane went to the door, carefully taking in the scent. He then went to the window and looked out, nodding to himself. Opening the door, he let Flora in. She was once again carrying a tote bag, and gave me a smile as she made her way to the couch.
"Hello, Alex," she greeted me, sitting down and pressing the back of her hand to my forehead. "Mmm, you shouldn't be pushing yourself so much. After all, you're only human. No offense."
"None taken," I groaned, glaring at Zane. "Please tell me he's overreacting."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Flora murmured, looking through her things. "You never know what a weakened immune system can pick up. Besides, Zane has a right to overreact, considering what time period he grew up i-"
"Flora," he warned, raising his eyebrows. "I think that I'd like to keep that one to myself for the time being." With a smug expression, he walked over to me, leaning down. "Told you."
"Oh, don't pride yourself in your medical skills, blood boy," I muttered in reply. "I'm just a little sick, not on my death bed."
/>
"Don't be cocky, Zane," Flora said mildly, much to my delight. She now seemed to be taking a packet of herbs from her bag, herbs that I'd never seen before.
"What are those?" I asked warily.
"Oh, just some Orchid root and dried Rose petals," she replied, walking into the kitchen. Within the next few moments, I heard her putting on a kettle.
"Are you sure she knows what she's doing?" I hissed, eyes widening as I looked at the vampires. "I've never heard of Orchid root and Rose petals mixed together for a cure for... anything!"
"Of course Flora knows what she's doing," Madison assured me. "She's very advanced in her cures, and she's never been wrong before."
"But there's a first time for everything," Zane grinned, earning a slap on his arm from Madison. Noticing my concerned expression, he became more serious, sitting down next to me. "Seriously, though, you're not that sick, and she adds magic to her cures. She's a very talented witch."
"How do I know you're not just saying that to make me feel better?" I questioned, still suspicious.
"Since when have I said something just to make you feel better?"
"True."
Still looking as mellow and chilled as could be, Flora bustled back into the living room, a cup in hand. "Here you go, Alex. Drink up!"
As she handed the cup to me, I noticed that, not only was it very hot, but the liquid inside was a strange color. Sort of... green. Mixed with tan. Not cool.
"Um, so you mixed the Orchid and Rose together?" I guessed, still not drinking yet.
"Yes," Flora nodded, folding her hands together. "You should drink all of it, you know. Brings a little fever down like that."
Not asking what 'that' was, I glanced at Zane. He looked like he was trying not to laugh his head off. Scowling at him, I took my first gulp of the drink. It was hotter than I'd expected, burning my throat as it went down, and I spluttered for a moment. Taking the second sip, I realized how disgusting it was, bitter and burning.
"I know it doesn't taste good," Flora admitted, wrinkling her nose. "But it's worth it, trust me. Though you will be a bit drowsy for a few hours."
Meeting: Vampire Hunter Saga Book 1 Page 16
