Die By Night

by Kaitlynn Aisling

  “Oh, you did, but you lost that by being what you are, or thinking you are what you are. Whatever. It’s insane!”

  “How long are you planning tae deny what tis right in front o’ your face?”

  As long as it takes for it to disappear.

  “So, back to the blending you talked about. What does that have to do with anything? Why are the vamps after me?”

  He accepts the redirect, albeit grudgingly.

  “As I said, the witches say that blending breeds strength. My da thought they wanted us tae accept Other matings, matings between Weres and other creatures. Traditionally, a mating is only accepted if tis between two Weres.”

  “But I’m human.”

  “Aye, which means that our bairn will be a mix o’ vampire, human, and Were. We doona know how twill translate intae her genetics. The babe could have the ability tae turn others into Weres, increasing our numbers, or maybe undo the vampire transformation, provide immunity tae the transformation . . . any number o’ things really. A blend of the three species has never occurred before.”

  I once again ignore the reference to my baby as a girl. In the grand scheme of our discussion, and considering the fact I don’t think Gavin is sane enough to ever meet little Liam outside of a facility’s visitation, it doesn’t seem to matter.

  “I’m human; you think you’re Were. That’s two. Where you do you think the third comes in?”

  “Your da is vampire.”

  “Shut up! He is not one of those disgusting animals. He isn’t! I would know.”

  It can’t be true. It’s not.

  Meagan’s voice rings through my mind, “It’s like the search for you has renewed his vigor.” I can still see Gavin’s disgust written all over his face, as if he knew exactly what had renewed my papa’s strength.

  Akim’s voice joins in the internal debate, “Did your Scot not tell you about your other kinsmen?”

  The question confused then; it terrifies now.

  Gavin has moved closer, so I pull my legs in and lean backward. There’s nowhere to go. There’s no way to run from the truth. But how? How could he be one of those things?

  “I told you there are many variations. Your father is no’ pureblooded, or found a way tae survive without draining his victims, or even stopped feeding altogether. Tell me, does he struggle with an illness, something relating tae the blood?”

  I close my eyes to shut him out. No. It was too much for me to even accept that vampires exist, and I can’t accept that werewolves do too; because that would mean that a half-Were is lodged inside my stomach at this very moment. I can’t take the leap to believing that vampire is in my papa’s blood. In my blood. In Liam’s blood.

  What is inside of me?

  No. It’s just Peanut. Little Liam is the same amazing miracle he was when he first moved within me. That hasn’t changed, and nothing this insane man says has the power to change that.

  “I’m sorry, lass. I doona mean to upset you.”

  Then stop doing it.

  “So, you’re telling me that they want my baby for something nefarious.”

  He’s watching me now. Maybe he anticipated more of a fight, but I can’t manage it right now. I’m in shock; I know it. My one chance at preventing my head from imploding is denial. What is it we used to say as kids? De Nile is not just a river in Egypt.

  “Aye,” he confirms.

  “OK. And what do you plan on doing about it?”

  “We’ll eliminate the threat.”

  “If it were that simple, you would have done it already. You said it yourself, you’re outnumbered.”

  “We were hampered by the old ways back in Scotland. By transferring the pack here, and allowing our mating tae lead the pack toward acceptance o’ Other matings, we can turn the tide.”

  “You’re talking long term.”

  “Aye, long term is all I’m wanting.”

  He doesn’t just mean in the defeat of the vamps. That much is obvious. I find the whole situation much more exhausting. I slump down until the water sweeps over my shoulders, then a little farther, until the smell of chlorine is right beneath my nose, and the warmth has covered my head and I’m fully submerged. He must think I’m crazy, but it takes one to know one.

  Here, where the sound of the air conditioner and the ripples of Gavin’s infrequent movements are muffled, everything is much easier to handle. There are no vampires, no threats, no dangers, just Liam and me in a cocoon of liquid warmth. But that kind of peace can’t last. It’s unnatural. Eventually, you have to come up for air. As humans, we’re limited that way.

  When I do emerge to breathe, Gavin is still there waiting. That’s the other problem, our problems are always waiting to find us, no matter how long we hide.

  “Rest, then?” he asks.

  His face is somber now, disappointed even, maybe a little bit betrayed. None of those emotions are fair, but fair rarely accounts for what we feel.

  “I believe it was promised.”

  Chapter Eleven

  A dip, or douk as Gavin called, should be romantic, but I think we argued more than we bonded. I wonder if Nolan and Piper are having more luck with their forbidden tryst.

  “Gavin?”

  He turns toward me expectantly. We’re both toweling off, and his eyes drift to my hair as I blot water from the long length.

  “Why does everyone seem so against Nolan and Piper? Is it because they’re so young?”

  “You’re an observant one. No, it has nothing tae do with age. How old do you think they are?”

  “I don’t know.” The smile on his face promises that whatever I guess will be wrong. “Fifteen, maybe sixteen?”

  “Piper is nineteen, and Nolan is twenty-one. Weres age well, because o’ our extended lifespans. No, the concern stems from the fact that Nolan and Piper are no’ mates. Such temporary unions invite heartache. We live as pack; that means family. I doona want tae foster the opportunity for ill will among my family.”

  “I learned a lot from Jeff.” Like the value of honesty. “People learn and grow from dating relationships. They mature through them. You’re depriving them of that.”

  “Fraternization is no’ full-out banned,” he protests, his eyes still following every movement of my towel.

  “Just highly discouraged. Consider this, what if one never finds their mate? They’ll have never had the chance to experience that romantic love and all the fun, joy, and excitement that goes with it.”

  “Such is the way o’ life. No’ everyone is guaranteed their future. We pray that God is kind. Now, you consider this, two young pack members . . . ”

  “Date?”

  “Yes. Two young pack members date. One is blessed to find their mate, the other does no’. Imagine the heartbreak o’ seeing the one you’ve grown tae love, through a relationship that possibly lasted years, now with someone else. There’s no competition, no hope tae win them back. Nothing. They would just be thrown aside in an instant. No’ tae mention the fights that might ensue, causing discord among our pack.”

  “You didn’t recognize me as your mate in an instant.”

  Before I even finish the sentence, he starts shaking his head “no.”

  “Aye, my wolf did; I was just too drunk and lost in sadness tae let myself acknowledge it.”

  “You can’t control feelings.”

  He pulls a shirt on over his still damp body, causing the material to cling in random spots against his skin. I wrap my towel around my own body to block his all too interested gaze. How the man holds a conversation and still has the concentration to undress me with his eyes, I don’t know.

  “Tis true, which is why we do no’ allow an environment where misplaced feelings can develop between the wrong people.”

  “That’s just not right.”

  “You doona understand.”

  “You’re right; I don’t. But if you allow the pack to keep mates that are Other, you may end up with more humans who also won’t understand. Some comprom
ise wouldn’t be amiss.”

  Not that I care. I won’t be around long enough to see the change. But maybe, Piper and Nolan might benefit from it.

  “We will worry about that when the time comes,” he says.

  I guess that’s that. Sometimes Gavin does act like a king, like his word is final.

  The halls are empty now. It’s late, and I’m tired. Maybe I’ll be able to get some sleep before I escape the madness. The lights flicker twice, causing worry and fear to begin to seep in where comfort and relaxation had taken up residence. Was it a false sense of security?

  “Easy, lass,” Gavin whispers.

  His amber eyes are filled with concern as they sweep over my shoulders and arms. It’s then I realize that I’m shivering, and tiny, little goose bumps have sprung up all along my skin.

  When we reach the elevators, the display window showing whether the elevator is going up or down is blinking. Something is wrong.

  It’s obvious Gavin knows it too. He appears torn. Is he debating between going back up to get his pack out or getting us out now while we have the advantage?

  “The stairs,” I say.

  He looks a little unsure, as if disputing my ability to climb stairs?

  “If I feel weak, I’ll let you carry me.”

  That appeases him. He likely never thought I’d offer to let him take the lead on anything. The acquiescence showcases my fear. The steps are easier and faster this time. The pack should mean nothing to me because I’ve just met them, yet I’m worried. Are Nolan and Piper OK? Is Hawke all right? Did the vampires find us already, and if so, how?

  At the landing to the eighth floor, Gavin stays my progress with a hand on my shoulder. He holds up one finger like they do in war movies, and motions for me to stay behind him. Whatever trepidation I’m feeling, he feels it too. That just makes the wariness that much more real.

  Slowly, so slowly, his fingers settle around the silver handle of the door. As he inches the door open, the lights flicker again. Strange, the flickering lights signaled Gavin’s rescue of me from the vampires earlier, but now they’re more ominous. Did the vamps learn new tricks from these old dogs?

  The door opens to the middle of the floor, with open hall stretching out in either direction, before the view of both ends disappears around a curve. Exiting the door, we turn to the left and toward our rooms.

  It’s silent, completely silent, which is eerie. There are no muffled voices drifting down the hall, no muted TV sounds, and no intermittent thunder of an ice machine dropping another load. There’s nothing, except the periodic click and buzz of the flickering lights.

  I wind my hands into the back of his tee shirt.

  “Gavin?”

  “Shhhh, Natalie.”

  No, lass, mate, or foreign endearment—just my full name. Why does that concern me more than the disturbance in the lights?

  We creep down the hall together, Gavin walking tall, but slow and carefully, me somewhat crouching behind him. Why did I think it was a good idea to come back up here?

  A strange smell coats the air; it’s heavy and metallic and wrong. There’s a resounding crash, around the corner, from the opposite end of the hall from our rooms and away from our destination. Through my hold in his shirt, I can feel Gavin’s sigh of relief. He thinks we still have time. But he doesn’t know.

  There’s the tinkling sound of change being pushed through a vending machine coin slot. There’s a soda and snack machine, in a little alcove, five feet further up the hall. Could Piper and Nolan still be safe?

  Gavin’s ears perk, just like Masha’s used to on Halloween, right before a group of kids rang the doorbell for candy. He stops, tilting his head, back toward the direction we came from. I think I hear a pained yowl from that direction, but it’s covered by the sound of a soda can dropping from the alcove.

  Instead of turning back to investigate, Gavin begins to move faster. I tug on his shirt to gain his attention.

  “The humans canno’ be our concern,” he says low.

  But he doesn’t know.

  “Nolan and Piper aren’t in their rooms.”

  “What?!”

  I have his attention now. His whisper is too loud; it might give away our location, but I can tell that he is trying his best to control himself. Guilt pulses through my body, as Gavin turns to glare at me in anger and astonishment.

  “They snuck out when we went down to the pool. I think one of them is by the vending machines, but . . . ” I let my whisper drift off.

  Through that still unfamiliar, and often uncomfortable connection we share, his mark heats on my neck. I wince at his obvious displeasure.

  “Go back tae the room and get Connor. Now.”

  “Gavin! Don’t leave me alone,” I plead.

  I’m pathetic.

  The torn expression is back, and this time it’s my fault.

  “What if Akim likes Coca-Cola?” I ask.

  He could be by the vending machines, rather than Piper or Nolan, putting him directly in my path back to my room. There’s no way to know. I still don’t know enough about the vampires to determine just what they’re capable of. Can they eat and drink? Akim still looks human; can he consume like one? That would be just like Akim, grabbing a coke and bag of chips so he can have refreshments while he tortures us.

  “Follow close behind me, and do exactly as I say,” Gavin instructs.

  He seems resolved now, and his words are firm and resolute. I nod, agreeing. I much prefer Gavin taking control on something like this.

  It’s harder than it should be to remove my hands from his shirt, but I don’t want to hamper his movement in any way. Although, the thought of him morphing into a huge wolf still gives me the heebie-jeebies, I’d rather him do that and actually defeat the vamps, than refrain and us die.

  The farther we go, the more intense the smell, and the harder it is to pretend that I don’t know what it is. Blood. And lots of it. Bile rises in my throat, my stomach protesting what we’re going to find just around the corner.

  We kneel down, right at the edge where the wall turns, Gavin still in front of me.

  Stay, he mouths.

  Ha! As if I’m the canine!

  He peeks around the edge of the corner, right as a gurgling cry fills the area then quickly cuts off. Gavin pulls away, his back flush against the wall. His eyes are horrified, haunted.

  He turns to me, bleak and angry, and grabs my hand. He pulls me up and back the way we came, moving quietly, flinching when someone groans from the other side.

  I don’t know what possesses me, but I have to know. Is it Piper? Is it Nolan? Is it Hawke, or a random stranger? I have to know. I let go of Gavin’s hand and drop to my knees, crawling back to the corner’s edge. As I peek around the corner, his arm snakes around my waist and his other hand clamps over my mouth, just in time to prevent my sob from being heard.

  Nolan is lying on the ground, his neck torn open, gashes all along his arms and legs. One of the grotesque gargoyle vampires is hissing out something in his ear, but Nolan keeps weakly shaking his head no. He has to be in immense pain, but he doesn’t cry out, biting his lips against sound. He’s terrified, his large eyes losing their light as his blood drains. It’s everywhere, coating his shaggy hair, dripping from his fingers, sluicing off his legs. There are ten gargoyle types standing around, cackling and hissing in low murmurs, while another is hunched in the open window, gnawing on a man dressed in the hotel’s red uniform. Is that our attendant from earlier?

  Akim stands in the corner, a bored look on his perfect face. He examines his nails as he says, “Just end him. This one thinks himself too brave to give up the goods. He was with another mutt; she’ll be easier to crack.”

  Does Nolan know there are too many to fight? Is that why he doesn’t scream? Are his last thoughts to save Piper’s life?

  I clutch at Gavin’s hand against my waist, shocked, horrified. I push against his hold, and I don’t know why. Some part of me understands that there’s no
saving Nolan; he’s too far gone and there are too many vamps for Gavin to take on by himself. But I can’t just sit and accept that.

  They’re draining him. While we watch, while we do nothing to stop it, they’re draining him.

  Gavin doesn’t say anything. He wraps his fingers around my arm, and he pulls me backward, the torturous scene disappearing from view.

  Just as we turn to face the other direction, Piper steps out from the little alcove ahead, a couple of sodas in her hand. Her eyes are sparkling with happiness, unaware of the fact that her boyfriend is dying or possibly already dead.

  When she catches sight of Gavin and his grip on my arm, her eyes widen, confused. She walks faster, until Gavin lifts one hand in a motion to stop. She obeys immediately, without a sound and without hesitation. It’s like she can’t help herself, almost as if Gavin has some sort of magical power over her.

  He doesn’t have the same hold over me, so when he shifts against the wall and brings us to a stand, I consider struggling to try and get far away from the vampires and all of this madness, but even I recognize the futility of that.

  I look back to see blood spilling around the corner behind us, scarlet red against the flat, taupe carpet. Gavin pulls me into a run, just as Piper catches sight of the blood. She knows. She seems to grasp instantly what has happened. She runs too, still holding onto the sodas. There’s another thud from the direction we came. Did they finish off Nolan?

  Our room door beckons with the illusion of safety. We can go inside and pretend this never happened. I can lie down in that comfy hotel bed and wake up to a complimentary breakfast, before I get the concierge to call me a taxi to take me back to Astoria, Oregon. I miss Astoria, where life consists of steady numbers during the day and ice cream filled, roommate nights. I need Astoria.

  Gavin doesn’t even have to open the door to our suite, because it bursts open and Connor spills out.

  “They’ve found us,” Gavin says unnecessarily.