"Why Sasha, if you missed me that much you only had to say so..."
Rage boils in my veins, evaporating any brief pity I might have felt for this fucking ambulatory skid mark in the jock strap of the world's most hygiene-averse puberty stricken high school football player. I'm contemplating the most efficient way to rip his dick off and beat him with it when I hear a telltale whistle in the air, easily lost among the scream of the fireworks and the roar of the crowd. I duck, slipping down out of Niko's grip, a second before a silver knife slams into his shoulder, sending him reeling backwards. I straighten up, grinning as I see who threw it. Jackson readies a second knife, Arsen beside him and looking pissed enough to tear Niko apart with his bare hands.
"I had that handled," I tell them. "But thank you."
"Any time," Jackson says graciously. "But the night ain't over yet."
He gestures behind me, where Niko is making a tactical retreat, dropping the silver knife he just ripped out of his shoulder behind him as he barrels through the crowd, knocking people aside in his pain and haste.
I pick up the silver knife with a grin and gesture to Jackson and Arsen.
"Come on boys. Let's go kill this son of a bitch."
Chapter 11
I sprint after Niko, shoving people out of the way as I struggle to close the distance between us. He's moving fast. Much faster than I expected. Was he holding back when we raced during the tournament? Or maybe it's just desperation. Even once he's out of my sight I can smell the tang of his blood on the air, cutting through the stink of booze and human bodies. A cut from a silver knife won't heal quickly. He knows it, and he knows he won't be getting away from me like that. Which means he is definitely going to try some stupid bullshit. I need to get out of this crowd, both for the sake of speed and in hopes of avoiding collateral damage.
I shove my way to the side of the crowd and vault up onto a fire escape, flying up the metal towards the roof barely touching the steps. Big upside to vampirism- instant parkour master. The senses heightened by the transformation aren't just sight and smell after all. My sense of balance is better, my depth perception more accurate. Unfortunately, even the vampire virus can't give you the benefits of experience. Niko has the same heightened senses as I do, and he's been using them a lot longer. Still, there's nothing quite like the sensation of flying over the rooftops, leaping from building to building, dragging yourself up by your fingertips or your core muscles alone, with absolute unshakable faith in the power of your own body. It almost makes all the other bullshit worth it, honestly.
I spot Niko, still down on the street but moving fast, employing the same skills I am as he vaults from cement barrier to car roof to parking meter to bike railing like an acrobat on speed. My fingers itch for my knives, or better yet a gun, but I can't risk it while he's surrounded by innocent people. Which is exactly why he's still down there. Asshole.
I see something in my peripheral and risk a glance to the side. On the other side of the street Arsen is vaulting across the roof tops as well, keeping pace with me. When all this is over, I want to race him again. Or better yet, just let him chase me and see how long it takes him to catch me, and how worked up I can get him before he does.
But for the moment I'm just glad he's beside me, going after the same goal, the asshole currently crashing through an unfortunate hot dog cart. Hope you got covered in hot dog water, douchebag. Hope you never get the smell out.
Glancing back, I can see Jackson in the distance, followed by several rough looking strangers, presumably his other hunters. But he won't be catching up in time. I've learned first-hand that Jackson it nothing to fuck with, but a human can never hope to match a vampire in pure speed.
Up ahead, the party thins out as the street turns into an old jumper's bridge crossing a deep waterway. There's still a few handfuls of people hanging out across it's length, but it's just the opening we need to grab Niko while he's clear of bystanders. I trade a glance with Arsen, who I know has come to the same conclusion. We drop down from the rooftops just before we run out of building and run on foot towards the bridge. We're already closing the distance. Niko's time is running out.
He glances back, and I expect to see fear in his eyes, the knowledge that he's about to be pile-drived into the asphalt by two hundred pounds of angry Draugur muscle. Instead, I see a cruel grin that makes my heart drop.
There are two teenagers, kids, leaning on the railing of the bridge, sipping beers they aren't old enough to have, laughing about some dumb joke. One freckled and red headed and gangly, the other heavy set with thin blond hair. Just kids having a great evening. Until Niko grabs them both by the backs of their shirts, lifts them as easily as kittens, and chucks them both over the side of the bridge.
I hesitate for only a fraction of a second, but it would have been a fraction too long if it weren't for vampire speed. The bridge is too high. Those kids won't survive hitting the water. I have a choice, but it's no choice at all.
I don't even realize Arsen has made the same decision I have until I'm leaping over the side and I see him jumping after me. The dark water rushes up towards us like a freight train. The kids have barely processed what happened yet, their eyes wide and limbs flailing. I'm just praying the fall is long enough for me to catch up as I narrow myself into diving posture, like a thrown dart, decreasing air resistance.
I catch the blond kid maybe a half second before we hit the water, but it's just long enough to pull him to my chest and turn, hitting the water with the flat of my back. It hurts like a motherfucker. At that distance, at that speed, water feels just as solid as concrete. It knocks the wind out of me, dazes me for a minute. I almost lose my grip on the kid. I struggle to get my senses back as we sink into the deep green black of the water. The kid is out. I don't know if it was the stress or if I didn't absorb enough of the shock from impact to protect him. My chest tightens into a vice of fear at the possibility of the latter, and the adrenaline is enough to help me shake off the daze. I grab the kid by the arms and kick for the surface. If you've ever swam too far out, or been grabbed by a riptide, and had to fight your way back to shore against the current, you know how exhausting it can be, even for a vampire. Especially if you're dragging an unconscious person. Lifeguards aren't ripped for nothing.
I drag myself and the kid up onto the gravely bank and collapse, trying to catch my breath. My whole back is one big throbbing bruise. If it weren't for vampire healing I would be feeling that for days. It's still going to suck for a few hours at least.
Arsen beaches himself beside me, towing the red-headed kid. Thank God. I could never have caught them both on my own. I take a deep breath to still my shaking and sit up. We can't afford to lie here, as much as I'd like to. I check the blond kid's pulse, then roll him onto his side and give him a good few thumps on the back. He coughs up some green river water, sucks in a great deep breath, then curls up moaning.
"How's that one?" I ask Arsen, pointing to his red-head.
"Breathing," Arsen replies, lifting his head from the kid's chest. "I think they're alright."
"Great," I say, heart still racing, and lean back on my hands, the gravel stabbing my palms. "Any chance Niko's still on that bridge, gloating?"
"Unless he's monologuing to the air like a comic book supervillain," Arsen flops onto his back, exhausted. "Probably not."
"Soliloquy."
An unfamiliar voice makes us both turn to look at the steep embankment behind us, where Jackson and his hunters are picking their way down. The comment came from a tall, rail thin hunter I don't recognize, whose general aura is of a man who spends his weekends catfish noodling.
"Ain't a monologue if there's no one to listen," the man says with a Louisiana drawl that's too strong to possibly be genuine. "Monologue is delivered to other characters in the scene. He's just yackin for no one but the audience, it's a soliloquy."
"Don't mind Rhett," Jackson says, patting the hunter on the shoulder and moving closer. "He's a font of useless inform
ation."
"Got a bunch a those fact-a-day calendars," Rhett says, as though this explains anything.
"Nice catch, by the way," Jackson says, kneeling to check on the blond kid, who's still pretty out of it.
"Thanks," I say with a sigh. "But I'm pretty sure we've lost Niko."
"We'll get him," Jackson says reassuringly. "He's still bleeding. We can pick up the trail, get an idea of what direction he went at least."
"Ain't never seen a vampire do that," Rhett adds, and I blink at him in mild confusion. "Risk anything for a human like that. I mean, I'm guessing you knew you wouldn't die or nothing. But you must have known you'd lose that Niko fucker. Self-sacrifice ain't behavior I'm used to seeing from vamps."
"What can I say," I say with a shrug. "I'm an innovator."
A couple of the other hunter’s chuckle at that and Jackson offers me a hand getting to my feet.
I pry some wet cash out of my wallet and pay for a cab to take the kids to the emergency room. They're both starting to come around as I'm telling the cab driver where to go.
"Who are you?" the blond kid asks, squinting at me blearily.
"Guardian angel," I say offhand. "And hey. No more drinking till you're twenty-one or I'm going to come back and kick your ass."
The kid's eyes widen and I'm afraid he may have taken that a bit more seriously than I meant it.
As the cab takes off Arsen jogs back across the street from a gas station convenience store with a couple of small hand towels.
"It's all they had," he says handing me one. "Unless you're interested in a novelty T-shirt with a cat dressed as a taco on it."
"This'll be fine," I agree, ringing out my hair.
"So, now Niko knows we're in town," Jackson begins, sidling up to us. "Does that fuck our plan?"
"No," I say, shaking my head as I try to pat as much excess moisture out of my clothes as I can manage. The river water stinks like low tide. "It changes nothing. The arrogant fucker already knew we were here."
"How's that?" Jackson asks with a frown, hands on his hips.
"We already paid a visit to his house," Arsen explains, looking away towards the water as he absentmindedly dries himself. "He killed Claudette."
"Rigged her body to explode," I elaborate. "Took the whole place out, burned to the foundations."
Jackson's eyes widen and he pushes a hand through his hair.
"Well, I suppose that's a pretty good indicator of his commitment to this bullshittery," he says. "He's not leaving himself anywhere to retreat to."
"Exactly," I say, frowning as I give up on ever getting dry and toss the towel at a public trash can. "I'm starting to think he wants us to follow him."
Jackson hums a worried note, fingering the belt that hold his knives.
"Oh, that reminds me," I say, and pull out the knife he'd thrown at Niko earlier, offering it back. "These can't be cheap."
"They are not," Jackson agrees emphatically, taking it. Before I can let go of it he reaches out to catch my hand where it's still on the hilt. He looks at me with grave seriousness in his dark eyes. "Listen. Be careful, alright? If he really is willing to go this far and you think he's pulling you into a trap... I know you're tougher than that little son of a bitch by a country mile, but when you get worked up and reckless and stop thinking- Just be smart, alright?"
"I promise," I tell Jackson with a crooked smile. "Look at the big bad hunter, worried about a vampire."
Jackson drops my hand and clears his throat, busily putting away his knife.
"Humans have a lot riding on this too is all," he lies. "I just don't want you getting yourself killed before this mess is cleaned up, alright?"
"Alright," I say with a chuckle. I glance at Arsen, assuming he must be as amused by Jackson's fluster as I am, but Arsen's still distracted, holding his towel in one hand and staring out at the water. I wonder where his thoughts are. Claudette? Niko? Just the situation in general?
Looking closer, I can see the bruises on his skin from the fall into the river where his wet shirt rides up on his back. He's still got cuts and burns from Niko's house exploding too. Those haven't healed yet? Jesus, has he been hurting all this time and not told me? I realize guiltily that he needs to feed before he can heal.
"I'm beat," I tell Jackson, nodding my head in Arsen's direction subtly. "I'm going to go find a hotel, crash for a few hours."
Jackson quickly picks up on the same thing I have.
"Gotcha," he said. "Me and the boys can take it from here. Get some rest."
I smile at him gratefully, then turn to Arsen, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. He flinches like a spooked horse, blinking as he returns from being lost in his thoughts.
"Come on," I tell him with a smile. "Let's go find a comfortable bed and some dry clothes. Preferably without any kitschy slogans."
"I don't know," he says, smiling a little as he turns to walk with me. "That taco cat thing was kind of funny..."
Chapter 12
The hotel room is quiet and dark, a relief after the sweaty heaving crowds of the street party. I can see Arsen slowing down all the way back. The jump from the bridge took a lot out of him and after everything else he didn't have a ton of energy to spare. And he's still distracted, caught up in his own thoughts, the subject of which I can't guess, as much as I'd like too. Anxiety itches at the base of my spine, worrying it's something about me. I shrug it off, pulling the curtains tighter closed and putting out the 'do not disturb' sign as Arsen sinks into an arm chair, still wet from the river.
"Hey." I sit down on the edge of the bed facing him and hold out my wrist. He gives me a guilty, conflicted look. I hold it closer to him. "It's alright. You're no good to me all beat up and worn out, remember?"
He doesn't smile, which makes my heart sink down into my stomach, but he takes my arm. I wince at the sting of his teeth and the weird heady rush of blood loss. The distance between us is strange, thick with a weird tension. When we've done this before it's been intimate, romantic. But he almost leans away from me in the chair as he feeds, like he wants to pretend I'm not here, like it's not me he's feeding from. The itch of anxiety grows stronger.
Just as I'm starting to get lightheaded he pulls away, wiping his mouth. I watch the bite marks close up almost at once.
"Arsen," I say quietly. "Are you-"
"I'm going to get in the shower," he says, cutting me off.
He stands up before I can say anything else and I'm so surprised by the brush off that I can't say anything else until the bathroom door closes between us. I sit on the bed, my stomach in knots, and listen to the shower running. I try to tell myself that it's just the situation, but I can't help fearing I've done something wrong.
My worrying is interrupted by the land line phone on the bedside table ringing. I glance at the clock, confused. It's a couple of hours before sunrise and any vampires we know would have called our cell phones.
"Hello?" I say, picking up the phone.
"You just couldn't stay away, could you sweetheart?"
My mood sours instantly at the sound of Niko's voice. I do not need this right now.
"How the fuck did you get this number?" I snap.
"As though I wouldn't know where you are," Niko says with a small laugh. "I'm your maker, remember? I always know."
That's bullshit and I know its bullshit but it sends a shiver up my spine anyway.
"You killed Claudette," I say, changing the subject.
"Do you honestly care that much?" Niko asks. "If anything I did you a favor. Now you don't have to worry about Arsen falling back into old habits."
"She didn't deserve that," I replied, hands clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms and the plastic phone creaked. "She was kind of a bitch, but she wasn't evil. She didn't deserve to be used and disposed of like garbage."
"She was garbage, Sasha," Niko says callously. "Of the worst kind. A person like that should never have been offered immortality. Imagine a world crowded with such vain, vapid,
greedy creatures, lacking in all ambition except petty manipulation and base hedonism. Do you really think Claudette, in all of the eternity she was given, could have added anything of value to the world?"
"A person's value isn't determined by what they produce," I say, bristling. "And you're an asshole."
"Oh, please, don't preach to me about the innate value of life," Niko groaned and I could practically see him rolling his eyes. "We're predators, Sasha. That sort of sentiment is hypocritical enough coming from humans."
"Why are you still acting like you have the upper hand here?" I asked sharply. "Dimitri is gone. It's only a matter of time before we catch up to you. You might as well give up now and maybe you'll live to regret this whole stupid coup."
He laughs, loud and harsh, like he's been practicing sounding like a cartoon villain.
"Oh, sweet Sasha," he says at last, sighing. "Do you really think I put all my eggs in one basket?"
My heart stops briefly in my chest. I swallow hard, forcing the panic down. He's baiting me. Bluffing.
"Nothing you can do at this point will make any difference," I tell him, steeling myself. "I have the cure."
Girl, Immortal (Girl, Vampire Book 3) Page 9
