End Game (Vampire Hunter Book 6)

by Reynolds, S. C.

  I shuddered. “Then how in the world am I supposed to be able to kill her? On my own?”

  Lucas put his hand on top of mine and started absentmindedly running his fingers in little circles across it. I liked the sensation and scooted in closer to Lucas on the couch.

  Wordlessly, he reached out and pulled me into his arms, so that I was leaning on him with my back against his chest. I caressed his arm, which was holding me around the waist. I could have stayed like that for eternity.

  “Lucas?” I said after a few minutes.

  “Yes?” He sounded sleepy, like he’d been drifting off.

  “What’s your last name?”

  “What?” Now Lucas was fully awake – and amused. “What in the world made you ask that question?”

  “It’s just that Jet asked us if the Nicholas who was helping us was Nicholas Winchester. And – as stupid as this sounds – I really hadn’t given much thought to the fact that you have a last name,” I explained.

  “I hope there doesn’t come a day that I’m so infamous I only need a first name to be recognized,” Lucas joked. “But, since you asked, my last name is Nathaniels.”

  “I like that,” I said. Aurora Nathaniels. It had a nice ring to it.

  There was a knock on the door and I grudgingly sat up, wriggling out of Lucas’ arms. He got up off the couch to answer it.

  “Hey,” Henry said, walking into the apartment. “Before you tell me why I’m here, please promise nothing else is wrong!”

  “No, it’s nothing bad at all,” Lucas assured him. Henry sat down on the couch next to me and Lucas explained about the symbol that would keep anything from possessing Henry.

  “You mean this?” Henry asked sheepishly when Lucas had finished. Henry stood up and pulled his t-shirt off. There, on the left side of his chiseled chest, near his shoulder blade, was a small triangle with markings inside of it.

  “How did you know?” Lucas asked.

  “Yes, how?” I echoed, trying not to stare too hard at his abs.

  “Remember, Rory? Those drawings that you saw in my binder? This was one of them,” Henry said. “I don’t know why or how, but I have these images in my head, and I knew what this one was for. So I drew it on myself, you know, just in case.”

  “Well, I’m sorry to make you come over then,” Lucas said, smiling. “Seems like you’re already one step ahead of us.”

  “I was going to tell you guys,” Henry replied. “Honestly, it just slipped my mind, with everything that’s been going on.”

  “Understandable,” Lucas agreed.

  “So now what?” I asked.

  “I’m going to spend the rest of the day getting as much of the spell stuff in order as possible,” Henry said. “We have to go back to school Monday and I want to have it all ready in plenty of time. I need to know the spells and the order of the items forwards and backwards. There’s only one shot to get this right,” Henry said nervously. “I don’t want to fuck it up.”

  “Can I help?” I offered.

  “No, I’ve got to figure it out by myself,” Henry replied. He forced a smile. “After all, it will be me doing the spell. You’ll just have to stand there and look pretty,” he joked. “Oh, and possibly push Tobias and Magnus into Hell.”

  I laughed. “You make it sound so simple.”

  “Henry, if you focus on making sure you’re ready to do the spells, I’ll get with Nicholas and see if he needs any help this evening, after the sun goes down,” Lucas said.

  “At least let me help you and Nic then,” I offered.

  “No,” Lucas started.

  “Why?” I cut him off. “You’re going to have to start trusting me as a capable adult who can help out! We’re about to be in a war; you can’t protect me forever,” I said in an annoyed voice.

  “Before you interrupted, what I was going to say was that what you really need to do is work on honing your ability,” Lucas said. “I think you’ve proven that you can take care of yourself.”

  “Oh. Sorry,” I said, feeling like a colossal jackass. “I don’t know how to control my power,” I said morosely. “It only happens when I’m in danger, and even when Jet overpowered me I couldn’t figure out how to activate it!”

  “You’ve got to keep trying, and believe in yourself. We haven’t got a lot of time on our side,” Lucas said.

  “Okay,” I replied. “I’ll try tonight.” The truth was, whenever I was home alone, my mind was so consumed with worry that I hadn’t put much effort towards understanding – or attempting to control – my abilities.

  “Want a lift home?” Henry asked. “I’ve got to get going.”

  “Sure,” I said, even though I’d have rather stayed with Lucas than be stuck in my room trying to figure out how to make my body heat up with superhuman strength.

  “Tomorrow we’ll figure out how to handle the wendigo,” Lucas said as we were leaving. “One step at a time. I want to wrap up getting the rest of the stuff Nic and I are responsible for. Then we’ll deal with the wendigo.”

  Henry and Lucas shook hands and Lucas briefly touched my back as we walked towards the door. It was funny, since Henry had almost died and Lucas saved him, they had been a lot more cordial towards one another. They weren’t exactly friends, but there was a mutual respect and trust that hadn’t been there before.

  Lucky for me, Mom wasn’t peeping out the window when Henry dropped me off. The last thing I needed was her wanting to know why I’d started the day at Lucas’ house and ended it with Henry.

  But she was sitting on the couch. She muted the TV when I walked in. “I didn’t expect you back so soon,” she commented.

  “Lucas had to help his dad with something,” I lied.

  “Oh, alright.” Mom didn’t ask what. “It was nice to meet Emmett today, but I have to admit I was surprised by how…different he and Lucas are. And he barely looks old enough to be Lucas’ father!”

  Uh-oh. Here it comes. Mom’s going to call bullshit.

  “He favors his mom much more than his dad,” I said quickly.

  “Really?” Mom had an odd expression on her face. “Wasn’t that Emmett and Lucas’ mother in the picture on the bookshelf?”

  Crap. Rachel had blond hair and looked even less like Lucas than Emmett did.

  “Actually, what I meant was, Lucas looks more like her side of the family. If you see old pictures, her dad looks exactly like Lucas at his age!” That sounded plausible. Genetics could skip a generation, right?

  “Okay,” my mom said. I couldn’t tell if she was still suspicious or not, but she let it drop.

  As I trudged up to my room, assuring my Mom I’d love to help her cook dinner in an hour, I tried to come up with ways I could strengthen my power, like Lucas had suggested. But the problem was, I had nothing. It was either there, or it wasn’t.

  When my secure phone rang, I was thankful for the distraction. It had to be Lucas, Henry, or maybe Emmett. But no, it was Jet. For the second time today.

  “Jet? What’s going on?” I asked as I answered the call.

  “How do you feel about a date? Tonight? With a wendigo,” Jet replied.

  Chapter 4

  “So soon?” My voice sounded shrill. I had just heard about the wendigo this morning! Didn’t I at least get a few days to process this new piece of information?

  “Sorry for the short notice,” Jet said apologetically. “With the wendigos, it’s all about timing, and tonight happens to be our only window of opportunity.”

  “What do you mean?” I demanded.

  “I told you wendigos are nocturnal. They need to feed every few days. There’s a pair nearby that just feasted two nights ago. That means they basically become sloths…until the hunger sets in again,” Jet said.

  “I don’t follow…” My voice trailed off.

  “They’ve been hanging out in their lair, bellies full, not a thought of hunger or their next meal, for two days. This is our only opportunity to take advantage of this…lull,” Jet explained. “I
t’s too dangerous to go after them when they’re hunting for food.”

  “I guess you found out it has to be me?” I asked wearily.

  “It has to be you,” Jet confirmed. “But don’t worry. Like I said, a full wendigo is a slow, bored wendigo. And there are only two of them. I can take them,” he said confidently.

  Lucas said he would go with me, I reminded myself. He’ll be furious if I arrange this behind his back. But then again, he’s busy tonight with Nicholas.

  “Aurora?”

  I realized Jet was saying my name.

  “I asked if you could come tonight,” he said. “Honestly, if we don’t do it now…I just don’t think there will be a better opportunity before Saturday.”

  Sure, Lucas had explicitly said he wanted to go with me. But what Lucas didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him…right? Besides, I rationalized, Lucas was completely tied up with Nic tonight. If what Jet said was true – and this was the only opportunity I had to get the wendigo tooth before next Saturday – then I’d better fucking take it.

  “What time?” I asked, making my decision.

  “Midnight,” Jet replied.

  “That won’t work,” I said immediately. “You vampires seem to forget I have a set of parents watching my every move. I’ll have to go when the sun sets and get back by midnight, at the latest.” I paused. “And even that will require some creative lying.”

  “Sunset is when the wendigos are first waking up,” Jet argued. “I want to catch them when they’re the most vulnerable.”

  “Then why not go during the day, when they’re sleeping?” I shot back.

  “Because I am at my strongest when the sun has completely left the sky,” Jet replied. “And believe me when I tell you, you want me at my strongest when we meet a wendigo.”

  Jet’s words hung in the air ominously; I was silent, weighing my options. I could nix the whole thing and get Lucas to go with me later in the week. But unless Jet was lying – and what purpose would he have in doing so? – that was just going to make the mission a ton harder.

  Sure, Lucas would be pissed, but he’d forgive me. He always did.

  “Okay,” I said to Jet.

  “Are you coming here then? Or should I pick you up?”

  If my mom saw a third guy come to the house, she’d probably have a heart attack. And Jet looked older than Lucas and Henry, which would spell even more trouble. No, she couldn’t see Jet, ever. She can’t see anyone picking me up at midnight, though, I reminded myself.

  “I don’t drive yet,” I admitted. “Let me think about it and text you later.” Jet agreed and we got off the phone.

  Now there was just the pesky problem of getting out of my house unnoticed. Mom used to sleep like a log, but lately she seemed to hear if I so much as opened my door while she was sleeping.

  There’s just no way I can risk it. But, it was Saturday night. I could pretend I was staying over at my fake friend Kelly’s house. Trouble was, my mom was being a real pill about wanting to meet Kelly. I groaned. It had been bad enough staging the meeting with Emmett and Lucas to appease her. Who the hell was I going to get to play Kelly? Bunny’s annoying face and poufy hair popped into my mind. Not in a million years, I thought with a snort. Why did my mother keep complicating things?

  You’ll technically be 18 in less than a year, I reminded myself. But the thought just brought sadness. Here I was, wishing away what little precious time I’d have to spend with my parents. Assuming Tobias didn’t kill me, of course, considering he claimed to be the only one to know how.

  I shook my head, trying to focus on the issue at hand. I certainly wasn’t going to ask Jet to stay at his haunted mansion for the night. That really only left one person: Emmett.

  Needless to say, when I called to cajole him into agreeing to my stellar plan, Emmett was slightly less than receptive.

  “Look, Emmett,” I said, trying to take the direct approach. “You and Nicholas are the only two who seem to get it – I’ve got to take risks, put myself in harm’s way sometimes. You know I can’t ask Lucas to condone this, and Henry’s got to focus on being prepared for next Saturday. You’re my single hope.”

  “Your parents would be appalled if they thought you were spending the night at my house,” Emmett argued.

  “So they won’t find out! Just pick me up at 8; I’ll tell them you’re taking me to a party and I’m going to my friend’s house after. Mom’s met you now so she’ll be cool.”

  “I don’t like lying to your parents,” Emmett said.

  “Neither do I! You got a better idea, though?”

  “See you at 8 then,” Emmett said tersely before hanging up the phone.

  I decided that I’d ask my mom for permission while I helped her cook dinner.

  I plopped back down on my bed, giving up on trying to hone my mystery power. It wasn’t going to happen tonight, that was for sure.

  Now I just had to wait.

  Chapter 5

  Emmett arrived early. I’d told my parents that Lucas was already at the party, and Emmett was going to drop me off. Since mom had met him, and now had his phone number, she agreed. And, after reminding me that she wanted to meet Kelly ASAP, she’d said I could stay over at her house tonight as well.

  My parents walked outside so my dad could meet Emmett, who waved awkwardly from his truck.

  “Thanks for giving Aurora a ride,” Mom said with a smile.

  “Oh, you don’t have to thank me,” Emmett said with a strained expression.

  I hopped into his truck and told my parents I’d see them tomorrow.

  “But be sure you text us tonight,” Dad reminded me.

  I nodded vigorously.

  “Thanks again, Emmett,” I said sincerely as he pulled away from the house.

  “Don’t thank me until this harebrained plan is over with,” he said. “How would I explain to your mom if…something were to happen?”

  “Well, it’s not!” I snapped. I lowered my voice. “Sorry, just on edge. I’m sure it will be fine. It always is.” Until the time it isn’t, I added silently.

  I assured Emmett that he didn’t need to stay up and keep me company until Jet arrived, but Emmett said he wanted to meet Jet and he couldn’t sleep anyway. I knew he was lying – at least about not being able to sleep – when I noticed him drifting off on the couch around 11.

  I sat, tense, waiting on Jet. As the clock ticked closer and closer to midnight, I stood by the window. I knew it had to be him when a dark blue car pulled up at midnight on the dot. I wonder what the salary is for head vampire, I mused. I was no car aficionado, but I could tell, even from a distance, that the two-door sports car must have cost a pretty penny.

  “Emmett, wake up!” I hissed. “Jet’s here.” Jet was getting out of the car, walking towards the house now.

  Emmett sat up, pushing his disheveled hair off his forehead, and went to answer the door. “I can’t believe I fell asleep,” he mumbled.

  “Come in,” he said, opening the door for Jet.

  I stifled a laugh. Somehow I never got used to someone inviting a vampire in. It reminded me of all the cheesy movies I’d seen as a kid. I couldn’t believe the legend was real. I was also surprised Emmett had his guard down. He was usually so…paranoid. Maybe he just doesn’t care if he lives or dies anymore. I pushed the disturbing thought out of my head.

  “So you’re the psychic?” Jet asked, but it wasn’t really a question. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You, too,” Emmett replied. “Where exactly are you going tonight?” he asked nervously.

  “The woods. Outside of town,” Jet answered. “We’ll be back before sun-up.”

  I gulped. I sure hoped so! How the hell long was this going to take, anyway? But I daren’t ask.

  “Don’t know what I can say, except good luck and be careful,” Emmett told us.

  We walked outside and Jet opened the car door for me. It was then that I noticed he drove a Mercedes. The car had tinted windows and a black leather
interior. It was gorgeous.

  “Nice ride,” I commented. “I’m surprised you would bring it to something, uh, like this.”

  “Why? I don’t plan to get anything on it.” Jet grinned. “If I have my way, we’re getting out of there without a scratch. Which, even with our superior healing ability, would still hurt like a bitch. A wendigo’s nails are razor sharp.”

  I shuddered, picturing an even scarier-looking Freddy Kreuger. “So what’s the plan?”

  Jet nodded to the glove box. “The pliers are in there. Go ahead, have a look at them if you want.”

  I nervously clicked the glove box open and pulled out a tool that looked like a massive pair of tweezers. I practiced clamping them together in my hand. “Lovely,” I said sarcastically. “So have you used these on a wendigo before? And you still haven’t told me the plan! In fact, come to think of it, why would you risk coming here with me? Couldn’t you have just sent one of your vampires?” I asked suspiciously.

  Jet laughed. “Well, let me answer your last question first. I did consider getting someone else to come do this. But would you have gone on this expedition with anyone but me? Or Lucas?” he added as an afterthought.

  Before I could answer, Jet continued, “I was actually surprised you agreed to come with me at all. And besides, even though I have several vampires I completely trust, you can never be too cautious.”

  “That makes me feel better,” I muttered. “You keep saying I can trust you. Now you’re making me doubt it.”

  “Ah, that wasn’t my intent. And you can trust me. Now back to the plan. There’s two of them. I’ll kill one, then you can pull the tooth on the other while I restrain it.”

  “I’d feel better if you killed it first!” I said.

  “Not possible, I’m afraid,” Jet replied. “I’ve seen a few wendigos in my lifetime. And killed a few,” he added with a grin. “They disintegrate into a pile of dirt. You’ve got to get the tooth while the creature is alive. After you have it, I’ll kill the wendigo, of course.”

  “Okay,” I whispered. “What if something goes wrong? How do you kill it? Just so I’ll know.”

  “Nothing will go wrong,” Jet said, sounding completely confident. I couldn’t help but wonder if he really believed it. “Killing a wendigo is pretty easy. There’s a point, right in the middle of the chest – hunter’s call it the life center – that you have to knife through,” Jet explained. “You know, I’ve hunted, off and on, over my lifetime.”