by Blake, Kasi
Since Jackpot had found a loophole and turned mortal, they were down to just the three of them. Summer and Cowboy went way back. In fact, Summer had infected Cowboy with the vampire virus, giving him the greatest deal of his life.
Isobel, on the other hand, had been turned by Cowboy right after the Great Werewolf Battle. She’d wanted it. She’d asked him to turn her because she didn’t want to live a human life. From what Cowboy told Summer, Isobel had spent over a thousand years as a werewolf. Too bad for her the big battle had returned all werewolves to their original mortal state.
The girl was a regular vampire now and lived in darkness. She hadn’t been with them when they drank the faerie blood. Tough break for her, sure, but Summer was happy. She liked being the only female vampire with the ability to dance in the sunlight.
Summer stirred floating dust with another wave of her hand. Just once she wished they could stay at a nice hotel or even get an apartment. It wasn’t like people could tell they were vampires. Thanks to the faerie blood, they were able to do things most vampires couldn’t. They spent time in the sun, entered houses without invitation, and ate regular food.
Well, other vampires could eat too, but they didn’t enjoy it. Mortal food was as tasty as cardboard to them. They ate it if they had to, to keep from drawing unwanted attention to themselves.
Summer and Cowboy still needed blood to live, but not as much. It didn’t taste as good, especially the bagged stuff. Sometimes it made Summer gag.
The best thing was that she could scarf down chocolate and ice cream again. The taste there was incredible, better than she remembered. Thinking about it brought the cravings back. She set the bagged blood aside. She’d give anything for a working freezer so she could keep ice cream on hand.
“Do we have any chocolate left?”
Cowboy looked at her in mock horror. “I’d stake myself before eating your last candy bar.”
She winced at the word stake. The image of the crazed hunter’s eyes was burned into her mind forever. She’d never seen that look before. Trick Donovan was a maniac. Somehow she needed to convince Cowboy to forget him. They’d find another fourth, a better fourth.
“Good.” She lifted her chin and gave him her best I’m-a-queen-and-you’re-a-peasant smile. “Save me the trouble of doing it.”
He stalked over to a box on the floor, ravaged around in it, and returned to her side with a large bar of chocolate. After handing it to her, he said, “I know you enjoy keeping a body in suspense, but answer my damn question. Did you see Trick? Is he the one that stabbed you?”
She unwrapped the candy bar and took a big bite. Her eyes closed for a moment. Nothing was better than milk chocolate melting in your mouth.
When she opened her eyes again, she found Cowboy hovering over her, arms folded. His mouth made a tight line.
“Yes,” she said with a sigh tacked onto the end. “I saw him. Happy? Cause I’m not.”
“And?”
“Did you know he was a hunter when you sent me over there?”
That brought a grin to Cowboy’s face. “I didn’t know, no, but that isn’t a deal breaker.”
“Says you.”
She wished she hadn’t pointed out Trick to Cowboy as a possible fourth for their group. They’d stood outside the high school early one morning a few weeks ago and watched Trick cross the parking lot to the school building. She’d needed Cowboy’s approval before setting her sights on the Jackpot look-alike. Now she wished she’d found someone else to be their fourth, someone that didn’t live to kill vampires.
She added, “He has a weird talisman thing around his neck made of twisted metal. Looks like someone put it on railroad tracks when they saw a train coming. The thing burned me, and he saw my fangs. I barely got out of there alive.”
“Don’t exaggerate. You’re fine. What did he do when he saw the fangs?”
“What do you think he did?” She tossed the half-eaten candy bar on the cushion next to her, appetite gone. “Look!” She showed him the hole in her bloody shirt for the second time. “He did this. He nearly killed me. That talisman screwed with my powers somehow. I couldn’t teleport out of there, and I couldn’t use my speed until I got outside.”
Cowboy paced the length of the large living room. “It would have been better if he hadn’t figured out you were a vampire until he got to know you, but we can salvage this. We just need a plan.”
She crossed one leg over the other and folded her arms. “I think our plan should be a one-way ticket out of town. Let’s find someone else to convert. We don’t need to dangle ourselves in front of a hunter, especially not one that bloodthirsty. You should have seen his eyes, the way he looked at me. Not a spark of fear. No doubts. Nothing but... raw excitement. A hunter who loves his job is extra dangerous. Let’s walk away and find another fourth while we still can.”
Cowboy shook his head. “No way are we leaving without him. He’s the one. I feel it in my gut. We are not walking away. He’s perfect.” Cowboy chuckled. “The guy comes with his own nickname. We’ll find a way to charm him onto our side.”
“Charm him? I don’t think that’s possible. He’s a barbarian.”
“Can’t you use your feminine wiles?”
She gaped at her clueless friend. “He’s not my type. He’s nothing like Jackpot. I prefer my men sweet, tender, and pliable like the man I married before my father had me turned.”
Cowboy looked disgusted. “We don’t talk about our mortal lives. We don’t talk about the past. Why the sudden nostalgia? First Jackpot; now you. Why am I surrounded by sentimental fools?”
“I thought we weren’t supposed to say the J word.”
Ignoring the taunt about Jack, Cowboy said, “If you wanted to unburden your soul, you should have told done it after you turned me. I offered to listen, but it’s too late now. We agreed to leave our past in the past.”
She stuck her tongue out. “You are such a pig.”
“Lily caught the nostalgia bug. Remember? She decided she wanted to be mortal again and got herself killed.”
The mention of their former friend put a rock in her stomach.
“I don’t want to be mortal, moron.” She sighed and stared off into space. “I love being a vampire. It’s just... Jackpot was the only guy I’ve been interested in since growing fangs. I know I acted like I was playing games, but I really loved him. It hurt when he picked that stupid little werewolf killer over me.”
“Maybe he wouldn’t have picked her if you didn’t act like a cold, heartless, selfish—”
“Hey! You’re supposed to be on my side.”
Summer’s head fell back against the cushion, and she bit the inside of her cheek. Cowboy was going to get them all killed just because this new guy reminded them of Jackpot. She had to admit the two boys had similar features. Trick was just as gorgeous as their former friend, but his personality was ten times more hostile.
“I’ve got it.” Cowboy looked pleased with himself. “Trick is a hunter, so we’ll just give him something to hunt.”
“Besides us?” Her eyes narrowed when she caught Cowboy’s meaning. “Are you talking about the...?”
“It’s a brilliant idea. I am sure he’s never faced one before, so he’ll enjoy the challenge. If we can get him to work with us, hunt with us, he’ll come around.”
Summer shook her head. “What you’re suggesting is crazy.”
“By the time we get done with Patrick Donovan, he’ll be begging us to turn him.”
Her gaze swept the dirty room, and she made a face of disgust. “If we’re staying in Reno, we’re moving to a better place. Find us something nice, or I’m seriously leaving without you.”
Cowboy rubbed his jaw in a thoughtful manner. “You want a new home? I’ll find you a new home.”
He left the room; she followed. “I want electricity and a working refrigerator and non-broken furniture.”
“Alright.”
“And lots of windows.”
“Wha
t about Isobel? Do you want her to explode?”
“Since you asked... yes.” Summer folded her arms and suggested, “She can sleep during the day, and you can cover the bedroom window with foil if you’re worried about her.”
Maybe something bad had already happened to Isobel, and they wouldn’t have to worry about the sunlight. That brought a smile to Summer’s face. She wouldn’t mind looking for a new third as long as they were on the hunt for additions to their group. Isobel wasn’t a good fit. If Cowboy wasn’t blinded by love, he’d see it for himself. That girl had to go.
chapter three
Behind Blue Eyes
Trick circled the brick mini-mansion that belonged to Sean Donovan. He visited the detached garage, looked behind all the bushes, and checked the windows to see if they’d been tampered with recently. Everything seemed to be in order. Maybe the vampire-girl had really left.
But he wasn’t totally convinced.
He widened the perimeter and searched the neighbor’s yard to the right. Then he searched the neighbor’s yard to the left: the Foster’s home. Their backyard also seemed fine... at first.
Movement near the swing set caught his attention.
Trick reached for the wooden stake tucked into the rear waistband of his jeans. The moment his fingers wrapped around it, his body relaxed. Using more caution than usual because he was so close to home and needed to keep his hunting a secret, he approached the hidden menace.
“Why are you skulking around our backyard without a shirt?” Dani Foster asked with a slight slur. “Aren’t you cold?”
Leaning against one of the swing’s angled metal poles, she seemed to be trying to stand up straight.
He gaped at her. “Are you... are you drunk?”
She made a face that clearly said he was an idiot for asking. “Go away.”
She stomped a bare foot, pointed at his house, and nearly toppled over. If he didn’t have such quick reflexes, she would have planted her pretty face in the manicured lawn.
Dropping the stake, he caught her easily, and several things assaulted his senses. One, the heavy smell of booze on her breath was probably enough to get most people intoxicated. Two, she weighed less than he expected. Three, she was fighting to hold back tears.
This was not the Dani Foster he knew.
And why was she up at three in the morning?
He stared at her with apprehension growing beneath his skin. “What’s wrong?”
Had something tried to hurt her?
Had she seen a monster?
The heavy feeling of failure threatened to suffocate him, and he didn’t know what to do next. Years ago he’d made a silent vow to keep her safe. As long as she was living her normal life without complications from monsters, he was happy to keep his distance. He lived in a world of violence, but she didn’t have to.
Her lower lip quivered, and her eyes filled with unshed tears. “My dog died.”
“Bandit?”
She nodded, and a tear slipped down her cheek. “My parents bought him as a puppy the week before I was born. My mom wanted me to have a furry best friend to grow up with.” Dani laughed, a humorless sound. “Funny how she was worried about me growing up with a dog, but didn’t seem to think me having a Mom was a big deal.”
“What happened to Bandit?”
“He was old.”
She reached for the chain that held the swing closest to her, and he helped her sit so she wouldn’t fall. Then he sat on the one next to her.
She added, “I knew he was going to die someday. Of course, he was going to die. But I thought it would be when I was away at college. I expected to get a conference call someday from my dad and Claudia, and they’d explain how he’d had a long life and died in his sleep, and everything was okay.
“It would hurt. I’d cry. But I would be living a new life somewhere else and would still be able to picture him at home. I could fool myself for a while into believing he was here waiting for me. It wouldn’t really hit me until I came home for Christmas. By then, I’d be in love with some great guy, and he would help me deal with the situation. I wouldn’t have to feel like this.”
She lapsed into silence.
Trick blinked, confused about what to say to comfort her. “Wow. Sounds like you had it all figured out.”
“I have a ten-year plan,” she announced with pride. “College, the start of my career, marriage, and my first child, it’s all worked out on paper. But it wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Bandit wasn’t supposed to die today.”
She turned her intense brown eyes in his direction. They were more dark chocolate than milk; a rich, melted color that he found both enticing and dangerous.
If he was smart, he’d walk away.
“My plan won’t work, will it?” she asked. “If my dog can die and throw everything off, how can I keep on track? How can I make it happen?”
He shrugged. “You can’t control life.”
Fresh tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. He immediately regretted his flippant answer. If anyone could take control of their life and make it happen the way she wanted, it was Dani.
He opened his mouth to tell her so, but she returned to the subject of her recently deceased dog.
“Bandit was my best friend, and I don’t know how to live without him.” Her shoulders slumped. “I thought drinking would make me feel better, help me forget, but I feel worse. I threw up. I wanted to go to sleep, but Bandit always slept at the foot of my bed. I can’t go into my own bedroom.”
He shrugged, no idea what to say. Handling weepy girls was more Matt’s territory than his. He didn’t know whether to hug her or give her space. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
“I can’t imagine being without him. How long is it going to hurt like this? He can’t be gone. He can’t be...”
She began to sob in earnest, shoulders shuddering in grief.
He stood and reluctantly pulled her into his arms. It was the only thing he could think of doing. His hands rubbed up and down her back the way he’d seen Sean do to Laura when she was upset. It seemed to work. The sobbing sound grew softer.
Dani said, “All day long, every time I turn a corner I half-expect to see him. Or I remember I haven’t fed him yet today. Or I think I need to check his water dish. Or I see something move out of the corner of my eye, and for just a flash of a second I think it’s him. Then I remember he’s gone.”
“I’m sorry,” Trick whispered against her ear, and this time he meant it.
She pulled back, a slightly surprised expression on her face. “You know, I always thought you were such a jerk. But, you aren’t so bad.”
“Even a jerk can be nice once in a while. Don’t let it go to your head. I’m not the kind of guy you want to hang with.”
“And there you go again. You act like you don’t care about anything, like you don’t need any of us. That’s why kids at school think you’re so cool, you know? They’re all running around trying to impress each other, trying to be popular, but you aren’t like that.”
He stared into her eyes, uncertain if he should take her words as a compliment or not. “Did you learn how to analyze people from your mother?”
Her lips compressed into a thin line. “Stepmother, and I take it back. You are a jerk.”
“Told you.” He grinned.
“Let’s talk about your mom... your real mom and your real dad. What happened to them? Are they dead? Or did they just find a better life like my mom did?”
The subject of his ‘real’ parents was off limits. It was bad enough he had to discuss it with Dani’s stepmother, the nosy Dr. Baxter. Although the woman was married to Dani’s father, John Foster, she had chosen to keep her maiden name for professional reasons. It sucked that he had to talk to her twice a week. He was not going to spill his guts to an inebriated sixteen-year-old girl.
And he never talked about his mother; just thinking about her put him in a terrible sense of panic. His heart raced, his hands got clammy, and he e
xperienced the growing urge to run.
Too bad you couldn’t outrun memories.
Instead of answering Dani’s question, he said, “Wait until I tell everyone at school that Dani Foster got wasted.”
Her eyes widened in horror. “You wouldn’t.”
He grinned. “Of course I would. I’m a jerk. Remember?”
“What do you want?”
“Want?”
“To keep quiet.” Her hands went to her hips. “What do you want from me?”
He blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “A kiss.”
One thin brow arched over a dark brown eye. “Excuse me? Are you blackmailing me into kissing you?”
“Don’t pretend you’ve never thought about it. Just one kiss to satisfy our mutual curiosity.”
Trick knew he was crossing the line into dangerous territory, but he had to know what her lips felt like beneath his. Just one kiss. He’d get it out of his system and go back to protecting her from afar as if nothing had happened.
Dani was his person, the one he needed to keep safe no matter what. He wasn’t supposed to talk to her or care about her, definitely not kiss her. Those were the rules his father had taught him to live by.
“You can’t save everyone.” His father’s voice echoed in his mind, demanding obedience. “Choose one, and keep them safe no matter what the cost. Then on the bad days when you fail to help someone, remember that person as your greatest victory.”
Knowing your person was safe was supposed to keep you from wanting to hang yourself when you screwed everything up.
The last person he should be kissing was about to be in his arms. They might have already gone too far. If he couldn’t pull back and convince himself that he felt nothing for her, he’d have to pick someone else to pin his psychological well-being on.
Her hand slid up his chest and curved around his neck. She applied slight pressure to bring his face down a few inches to hers. Arguments against kissing her evaporated. All he could think about was what her mouth would feel like beneath his.
