“There’s no need for that, Lilli.” Ruth reached around her neck and unclasped her necklace. She pulled it off and held a small, silver key. “We have all we need in that room right there.” She pointed to the other door. “It’s about time you went in there, anyway.”
Demetri frowned but remained silent. In that moment, Sophie could read a little off him. He didn’t want to deny something that gave Ruth happiness even if it went against his own.
Interesting.
Ruth unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Ready?”
When Sophie got her first look, she smiled wryly. Here was the room that looked as if it belonged to a secret organization. Gun racks lined the walls, stainless-steel tables gleamed in the center, and to her relief, a row of computers sat in a corner.
A man wearing clerical black sat cleaning a large gun, his white collar undone. His movements were precise and maneuvered as he worked.
“Who is that?” Aidan asked.
Ruth glanced over her shoulder at the man. “That’s Father Kent. He’s a member of our team. You’ll meet him another time. For now, we have to focus on finding Katie.”
Sophie remembered the sense of urgency from her dream and agreed.
“This room must span the entire basement,” Jackson said. They followed Ruth to the computers.
“These are for the use of our team. You haven’t joined it yet.” Demetri leaned over and turned the computers on.
Sophie met Tristan’s glance with raised eyebrows.
“Here, take this one.” Ruth steered Sophie toward a computer. “You may see something.”
Sophie sat, wiggled the mouse, and clicked on the Internet. Tristan leaned over her shoulder, his arms resting on the back of her chair. The heat from his body made her nerve endings shoot to life. When his gray-eyed gaze, mixed with bits of yellow, met hers, she absolutely forgot to breathe.
This connection she had with him was so strong it scared her, but she couldn’t deny its pull.
The corners of his lips turned up.
“Okay, I found the website for the farmhouse haunting,” Aidan said. Sophie snapped her head to look at him, grateful for the distraction. “I’ll look here.”
Morgan stood over him, staying well out of his way. Jackson and Lilli had the last computer. They didn’t look at all uncomfortable with the closeness they shared.
Sophie typed into the search engine.
“Here.” Tristan pointed on the screen to a promising website. She clicked on it. Immediately, pictures began to pop up. She scrolled through them, but nothing reminded her of the vision.
“I’m getting nothing.” She sighed and rubbed her forehead. Tristan placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.
“Look at these.” Aidan called her over. He scrolled through the pictures, but nothing brought the dream to mind.
Until the last one.
Her stomach dropped. Her hands shook as she pointed to the picture. “It’s that one. Oh, my God.” She’d had this gift her entire life, and she’d never get used to the feeling it gave her.
“Listen to this! Recently it’s had rumored supernatural activity!” Aidan’s voice rose. “No one has been able to actually step foot on the land for three months. Before that people allegedly disappeared on the property and never returned.”
“No one investigated it because they thought it was a hoax. We have reason to believe it’s a den for a nest of vampires,” Demetri said. “Print out the address, and we’ll put it in the navigation.”
“Vampires?” Morgan’s voice was faint.
“As in Dracula? Or Edward?” Aidan asked.
Ruth shook her head at Aidan. “You’ll wish these vampires glittered. Go home and put on some old clothes, nothing you’d want to stay clean. Meet us back here in an hour.”
Lilli glanced at Sophie as they left. “At least we won’t get lost this time.”
Sophie sighed and nodded, not wanting a reminder of that incident. They were a step closer to getting Katie back and didn’t need that diversion.
***
Half an hour later, they were back on the bus going to meet Demetri and Ruth. Sophie sat next to Tristan, staring out the window, because looking at him was becoming too intense. It was cliché, but she felt he could see into her soul, and that terrified her.
When he finally spoke, she jumped in her seat.
“What did you mean when Lilli said you won’t get lost this time? I thought this was all new to you.”
Sophie resisted the urge to wince at his slightly accusing tone. She forced herself to look at him. He was dressed in a slightly hole-y pair of jeans and a simple black tee. How could he manage to look so good in something so ordinary? There was no way she looked half as good in her own jeans and dark green tee. “What we did had nothing to do with demons or vampires. We went in search of a missing girl when we were in junior high.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What happened?”
“Lilli and I were at my house. We’d planned to go out, but the bad weather kept us in. My parents were watching the local news.”
The bus lurched as it turned a corner.
“The headline was about a missing girl?”
Sophie nodded, and she shifted her gaze to the others on the bus. Lilli and Jackson were adjacent to them, also in conversation. Morgan and Aidan were sitting quietly a few rows up. “We were extremely impulsive back then. Lilli and I decided to go look for her ourselves. The police had no way of finding her. Not with the weather as bad as it was.” She swallowed. “We grabbed raincoats and snuck out my bedroom window.”
“In the storm.” Tristan’s eyes darkened. Much like the storm they’d been in.
“Yes. We weren’t really thinking clearly.” Sophie flushed scarlet. In retrospect the idea was completely brainless. “We headed into the woods where the anchorman reported her last seen hiking. It was so cold, and the wind blew the rain straight into our bodies. We couldn’t see a foot in front of our faces.”
“Good thing you’re psychic.” Tristan smiled at her.
Her skin slowly heated up at his look. It felt delicious to have someone appreciating her gift and not ridiculing her because of it. It encouraged her to keep talking. “I was so focused on making sure we didn’t end up in a ravine that I didn’t realize we were in the middle of nowhere until it was too late. The storm had worsened, and we were utterly lost. We found a small cave and hid out until it passed the next morning.”
“Were your parents angry?”
“Oh yes. The police located us trying to find our way out, soaking wet and starving.”
Tristan grinned. “The girl?”
This time, Sophie frowned. “She lied to her parents about going hiking. Turns out she was at a concert three cities over. I was grounded forever and caught the flu. I guess I’d been concentrating on the storm and wanting to use my gift for something good that I ignored what it was trying to tell me. That the girl wasn’t in the woods at all.”
“So you learned your lesson?” Tristan leaned back in his seat.
Sophie tried to disregard the fact that he smelled nice and that he looked sexy as hell. “I guess not, since I’m going into an alleged den of vampires.”
He shifted to look her in the eye. “I won’t let you get lost this time.”
Her heart fluttered in her chest. She was silent for a moment and then asked, “Why is Jackson so quiet?”
Tristan considered the question. His gaze moved to Jackson and then back to Sophie. “Life hasn’t really treated him fair. His father, his real father, is a manipulative bastard.”
Sophie’s stomach sank. Was that the reason Jackson’s shield was so strong? To protect himself from someone who was supposed to protect him? She watched the way he relaxed around Lilli, a far cry from how he was when he talked to them.
Tristan followed her line of sight. “He’s head over heels for her. You don’t think it’s too early?”
She shrugged. “Apparently we all knew each other fro
m a previous life.” She thought of that vision from the past and blushed. Why would she think of that now? Before he could ask why she was blushing, she asked, “So, who’s Cecilia?”
His aura left her abruptly to cocoon around him.
She instantly regretted bringing the name up. It was suddenly cold and lonely without him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
Ever so slowly, his essence fanned out to join hers again. His jaw ticked when he looked at her. “No, it’s okay. Some wounds just take time to heal.”
His carefree manner had evaporated, and she knew she was completely to blame. Seriously, who brings up such a taboo topic?
She wanted to change the subject, but since she couldn’t find the courage, the last half of the bus ride was silent.
Chapter Ten
SOPHIE CROUCHED DOWN in the gravel of a ditch and stared at the beginning of the property. She was sure Katie was there. It held the same creepy vibe she’d felt from the vision.
A broken down, wooden fence separated them from the tall, waving grass. From their side, she could see the field meet the lake and beyond that, the farmhouse.
The others hunkered down on either side of her, watching the seemingly peaceful yard with wariness.
“Do you think vampires are really in there?” Morgan whispered to no one in particular.
The girl actually had on a pair of sneakers, something Sophie thought she’d never see. “I hope not. I forgot to bring my wooden stake,” she whispered back, her voice dry. The wind picked up and weaved through the tall grass.
It was hard to believe they were all there, Sophie thought. She glanced to her left and saw Jackson on the very end. His tense body was angled toward Lilli’s, who looked over the grass with an anxious expression.
Tristan was next, his eyes already yellow. Ruth lay in between her and Tristan, providing a small buffer from his intensity.
Sophie turned her head to the right and met Aidan’s gaze. His lips turned up in a half smile and smoke curled from his skin. On his other side was Morgan and then last, Demetri.
“There’s no way to know for sure, Morgan, until we spot some. If we do, just go for the undead heart or behead them.” Ruth shifted in the dirt and brought her binoculars up to her face.
“Go for the undead heart,” Lilli echoed.
Sophie saw Jackson squeeze Lilli’s hand and felt a burst of fondness for him. He wanted to protect Lilli as much as she did. Not in a million years could she see her best friend hurting anyone. It went against her very nature.
“Vampires wake up when the sun goes down.” Demetri stood, the movement full of predatory grace, and started toward the fence.
Sophie forced herself to breathe normally and stepped up to the wooden barrier. The same dark aura that filled her vision was there. It wasn’t thick at the moment, but she knew the closer they got to the farmhouse, the stronger it would become.
Tristan jumped the fence before her, then turned and offered his hand.
The air tingled around them. Did he forgive her for her stupid blunder earlier?
She placed her hand in his. Without wincing, she absorbed the shock where their hands met. He pulled her over the fence, allowing her to brace herself on his shoulders, and then steadied her on her feet before he let go.
Strange how they possibly walked into a den of vampires, close to sunset no less, and she felt safe because he was there.
“This is so creepy.” Morgan walked closer to Aidan. He bravely placed a hand on her back.
They made a line and walked toward the lake. Nothing moved but the grass as they made their way through the acreage. No animals scurried or called out.
Just beyond, Sophie saw the farmhouse. It darkened against the setting sun and swallowed the disappearing rays fervently. Like a harbinger of evil. They neared the lake, and the darkness closed in around Sophie.
Something pulled at her, warning her to turn around and run.
Through their connection, Tristan sensed something wrong, and asked, “What is it?”
The others looked over at her.
“Something’s pulling at me. It’s intense, too. It’s making it hard for me to take a step forward.” Sophie pressed a hand to her chest in an attempt to relieve the pressure.
“It’s a normal protection spell that vampires use to keep themselves safe during the day. It should wear off within the next few minutes since the sun is setting,” Ruth explained.
“Then why aren’t we getting the same feeling?” Lilli glanced around.
Jackson took her hand in his and locked their fingers.
“As Guardians, these types of spells won’t affect you. Sophie is an empath, so she can pick up the negative vibes. It’s merely to keep humans away.” Ruth pulled out her twin katanas and let the blades gleam in the moonlight.
Aidan’s eyes bugged when he spotted them. Sophie had to admit they were pretty impressive. “And why isn’t it affecting you?”
“We are trained to ignore the effects from an early age. Otherwise, we’d never accomplish any of our missions.” Ruth threw an amused look at Demetri.
He peered at the barn and twirled a machete absently in his hands. “We should get moving. Vampires have a built-in radar for their prey.”
The sun dropped lower in the sky, and the pressure eased around Sophie. Demetri led the way around the lake. Tristan walked close beside her, and although she was an independent person and liked to believe she was strong, she felt protected when he was near.
When they passed the lake, blue water gleaming, a different kind of pressure increased.
A warning.
“Something’s coming,” Sophie blurted out.
Demetri jerked to a halt. Aidan moved to the left to keep from running into him. “What is it?”
“I’m not sure.” Sophie concentrated. “It just feels like a warning, but not the same kind from a minute ago. Like a warning from our side.”
Aidan cracked a joke about the dark side having cookies and everyone glared at him. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
Demetri scanned the yard leading up to the farmhouse. His gaze moved back and forth, catching no movement. Even the wind had died down, leaving the grass still.
Morgan shimmered a little and stepped closer to Aidan.
The pressure spiked in the back of Sophie’s mind. Then, it vanished completely.
A raven soared over the farmhouse, the movement easy to spot in a motionless landscape. It circled the group and then swooped down to land a few feet in front of them. It pranced back and forth with its head cocked to the side. The eyes glittered.
“Look at those eyes,” Morgan whispered.
“They’re red. It’s not normal for them to be that color, right?” Lilli’s panic raised her voice.
Jackson pushed her behind him. He glanced at Tristan, his avenging angel face shining through.
Sophie recognized the stupid little bird from the church. “It’s the one we saw when we met Demetri and Ruth, remember?”
“It is!” Aidan’s hands started to flame.
Tristan growled low in his throat when two more ravens landed beside the first. They cawed and hopped around. Dirt and grass flew.
Demetri and Ruth readied their weapons.
Tension surrounded the group.
The deafening sound of flapping wings filled the air. From behind the farmhouse rose a flock of ravens so large, it blocked what little light was left.
“Holy….” Aidan’s mouth fell open.
Sophie wanted to finish his sentence for him, but her mouth was too dry. In small areas of the flock, the birds attacked each other as they bumped feathers.
“Oh, my God!” Morgan shimmered next to Aidan before solidifying again. “They’re coming right for us!”
The flock dove.
“Down!” Demetri yelled. He pushed himself and Ruth to the ground.
Sophie hit the grass and groaned. Tristan landed next to her, pulling her in toward his body. The ravens flew right over t
hem, feathers brushing her skin. She rolled onto her back and stared. The ravens rose back into the sky.
Tristan pulled her up by her arm and pushed her closer to the girls. Fur quickly sprouted on his arms and face. His jaw elongated, and he added two feet to his height.
Sophie watched him transform into a massive black bear. It never ceased to amaze her that his body had the ability to reinvent itself at just a thought.
The ravens took another dive at them. Tristan roared and batted them away like flies. The large, black paws knocked the birds to the ground in threes.
Scores of them slipped past Tristan. The feathers touched Sophie’s skin, and she cringed.
The ravens swarmed them, cawing. Sophie tried to fight off panic when all she could see and feel were black feathers.
A talon nipped her arm, and she cried out. Someone shoved her into Morgan, who latched on to her arm.
The swarm picked up speed. The circle of feathers closed in on them. From her other side, Lilli grasped her hand and turned her face into Sophie’s shoulder.
Sophie could sense the guys’ closeness, even though she couldn’t see anything but the birds. Ruth and Demetri were behind them, not able to use their weapons on the birds for fear of hurting someone.
Just when she thought she was about to have a complete claustrophobic meltdown, the air heated up. Short flashes of light flared up a few spaces in front of them.
The smell of burnt flesh and feathers filled the air.
Morgan wheezed and coughed.
Sophie could make out Tristan, Jackson, and Aidan in front of them now. Tristan worked on getting as many targets as he could with his massive paws. Aidan threw fire balls into the swarm, destroying more. Jackson threw up parallel invisible walls, forcing the remaining ravens to tunnel into Aidan’s fire and Tristan’s paws.
Finally, it was clear again.
“That was horrible.” Lilli’s voice shook, and her widened gaze took in the lifeless bodies of the birds strewn about the ground. Jackson hugged her to him.
Aidan and Tristan gave each other a high-five. “Yes!”
Awakening Page 7
