“I was only protecting you. I would have done it for anyone.” When he said this, he didn’t say it softly. The ice lingered in his voice.
I knew I was making a bigger deal out of it than it was.
“Fine. Just get out of here.”
He turned to go and then stopped. Without turning around, he said in a softer voice, “Just because I’m not your brother or your father doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
I didn’t answer.
“We need to go see Luke today,” he told me in a tougher voice. “I’d like to do that as soon as possible."
I stayed in the tub as long as I could, just to spite him. I even ran more hot water into the tub when the water got too cold. By the time I got out, my fingers and toes were all pruned. I picked out a pair of jeans and a dark purple sweater to wear to the hospital. I hoped Luke got to come home soon. I hated seeing him all weak and vulnerable in his bed at the hospital. We went to visit him every day though, and so did a lot of the other hunters in the community. It would be really nice when we didn’t have to go to the hospital every single day though.
Downstairs, Drew was sitting at the charred kitchen table. It had been wiped clean of the extinguisher foam. One of Drew’s guns was in pieces and spread out all over the table. His cleaning kit was open, and it looked like he had finished cleaning and was putting it back together. My destroyed roses and the vase were nowhere in sight.
“You ready?” he asked as soon as I entered.
“Yup.”
“You need to bring your gun.”
“I know.” I patted the purse I carried when my outfit would make it obvious that I was packing or when I just didn’t feel like having a loaded gun stuck into the waistband of my pants.
He nodded and finished cleaning his gun while I grabbed a granola bar and a glass of water. I wandered into the living room with the intention of turning on the news and was surprised to hear my cell phone ringing. No one really called me since my mom died.
Caller ID said it was Gavin. I didn’t know if I wanted to answer. I was entirely tempted just to let the voice mail get it. I hoped he wasn’t mad at me for what Drew had done. Then again, I had sprayed him with the extinguisher and had run upstairs without saying goodbye or seeing if he was hurt, so he might be mad at me too. Wanting to talk to him overpowered the embarrassment.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Chloe.”
“Hey.”
“Are you doing okay this morning?”
I think I may have snorted a little. “I think the question is how are you doing this morning? I’m fine.”
“I’m fine too. I just wanted to call and apologize for everything last night. I really wasn’t trying to force myself on you.” He paused. “I hope you realize that.”
“Duh. I know that. Drew just walked in at the wrong time and freaked out.”
She could almost see him nodding.
“I just wanted to make sure that you absolutely know I would never try anything like that with you.”
“I know,” I told him. I really did know that even though I barely knew him, and Drew had said something about him not being an angel… or something like that.
“Let me make it up to you. Let’s go do something.”
I sat on the couch, relieved. He wasn’t mad. “Well, I’m going to the hospital right now, but I’ll be home later. Do you want to go to the ranges with me?”
“That sounds awesome. Archery or guns?”
“Both. How 'bout I call you when I get back?”
“Sounds good. Talk to you later.”
We both said goodbye and clicked off. Words could not express how happy I was that he wasn’t mad at me about the night before.
“You ready?”
I snapped out of my little bubble and looked up. Drew was in the doorway watching me with icy narrow eyes. I was sure he had heard the whole phone call. I hopped up off the couch.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” I grabbed my coat off the hook and headed for the door.
At the hospital, Luke’s nurse spoke with us for a few minutes before we went into his room. She explained that he was doing well, but that he still needed to stay a few more weeks in the hospital. Apparently, because of his age, it was more of a risk to send him home with the portable chest tube. Plus, there were mobility issues with the casts.
Drew and I both told her that we understood and then opened the door to Luke’s room. My goodness, every time I entered that room I felt a million different emotions. I felt sad, because Luke was so messed up and had three casts on. I felt anger at the vampires who did this. I felt guilty because it wouldn’t have happened if they hadn't been after me.
I was going to fix it so none of them were hurt again. The only problem was that I wasn’t ready. I was barely trained to be a vampire hunter, not to mention the unreliability of my fire power. I didn’t want to go in unprepared, but I felt a sense of urgency to protect the only family I had left, and protecting my family was more important than protecting myself.
Where the heck was Sostrate now?
“Hi Luke!” I chirped, going directly to his bedside.
“Chloe!” He turned his head to look at me. Drew went to the counter, without saying a word, and began to organize the flowers, stuffed animals and treats that people had been sending and bringing him. One of the bears just had to have been made at one of those places where you build your own. It had on a camouflage shirt and hat, plus little black combat boots. A tiny little bandolier sat over its shoulder. I don’t know where they got it, but someone had stuck a tiny toy cross bow in the bear's hands. The card read, ‘It’s always vampire hunting season.’
It was hilarious.
“How are you doing today?” I asked him, taking one of his hands into mine.
“Same; nothing has changed. I know I’m healing pretty fast, but not nearly fast enough. All I can do is watch the damn television. It’s boring.”
I nodded. “I totally understand that. I don’t know what I would do if I had to lay here and do nothing all day. Do you need us to bring anything from home?”
He tiredly shook his head. “No, no. I’m fine here. At least most of the nurses are pretty.”
“Luke!”
“Well, they are. I’m hurt, not dead. If I have to have someone giving me a sponge bath, I’m just glad she's pretty.”
I laughed. “I guess that makes sense.”
“Hi, Drew,” Luke called out.
“Hey, Luke,” Drew responded and came over to the bed. “How’s it going?”
“I already just told Chloe, and I know you heard it. Why don’t you go down to the cafeteria and get me a banana and a couple of those little cartons of milk. Would you do that, please?”
Drew nodded. “Sure thing.”
He left without question. He always did what Luke told him to do.
“Chloe, come here, child.” I could tell he was trying to pull me closer so he could whisper.
I leaned my head in and whispered, “What’s up?”
“I know what you are thinking about doing, please… please don’t go.”
How on earth would he know that? But then again, he knew to come to the rescue when my mom was murdered.
“I have to, Luke,” I whispered in his ear and looked him in the eye. “I don’t want anyone else I care about to be hurt. You are the only family I have left.”
“We are hunters, Chloe. This is what we do, and as long as a couple of them go down with us, we are glad to sacrifice ourselves. It is who we are.”
“But still—”
“I’m not done,” he cut me off. “I will not make you stay with us. I know you will do whatever you want anyway, but at least stay until you’re ready.”
I was already shaking my head. “Luke…”
“No, you need to be trained more. At least think about it. Also, I know I just finished telling you that we are hunters, and that this is what we do, but child, I don’t want to lose you so soon after losing my own da
ughter. Remember that too.”
Oh great… he went and pulled a guilt trip on me.
I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll think about it.”
“Just don’t leave without telling me. I don’t care what you do about everyone else, but don’t you dare leave without telling me.”
“I promise.”
I pulled away and sat in the chair next to him. We watched Wheel of Fortune on the little television and didn’t speak. Drew returned with the banana and milk. He also had two cartons of orange juice with him.
“Here.” He held one out to me.
“Thanks.”
Luke’s eyes followed from one of us to the other and then an eyebrow rose. “Did you two have a fight?”
Neither of us answered. It seemed like we had been fighting ever since the attack. I had to wonder why that was. It seemed like something like that would only make us closer, you know, help us learn to work together.
“I see,” Luke said. “Well, get over it because the two of you still have to train. Chloe still needs help improving her skills and working with her fire power.”
This time we both answered. “Yes, sir,” Drew said at the same time I said, “Okay.”
We sat there for another half an hour in silence, Drew on one side of Luke and me on the other, watching Jeopardy because it was on after Wheel. After Jeopardy, we left. I always hated leaving Luke there in the hospital alone, because he was injured; he had no way to protect himself.
When we were back at home, I changed my sweater and put on a long-sleeved thermal shirt with skulls on it. I put on my holster that Drew had given me. It was nice to not have to wear my gun in the back of my pants where I might shoot my butt off. Next, I grabbed the bow Sostrate had given me and the beautiful leather quiver. I inspected my arrows to make sure they were all there and carried it over my shoulder. I really needed to practice with the bow, because I hadn’t used it at all with my cast on.
I dialed Gavin’s number on the way out the front door. I didn’t even tell Drew I was leaving. He probably knew where I was going anyway since he had eavesdropped on my phone call earlier in the day.
“Hey, Chloe,” Gavin answered from the phone.
“I’m on my way over to the ranges now.”
“Awesome. I’ll meet you there. Let’s start with archery.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I told him and clicked off the line.
Outside, I blinked against the brightness after being inside so long. It seemed strange for it to be so bright, because the day was gray and threatened to snow. I shrugged the quiver up onto my shoulders and hurried down the driveway.
The walk to the ranges was cold and wet. I was really hoping spring would come soon. I had never in my whole life spent so much time outside in winter. I avoided the trails because I wasn’t sure how much snow was on them, so I stayed on the roads. When I arrived in town, I went into the coffee shop to get a latte to warm me up. Funny how in town one could just walk into any business establishment with a bow slung over the shoulder and a gun strapped on.
Jaime, the owner of the Java Bean, was working the counter. The only time I ever saw her was when I came in to get coffee. She was a really nice lady, in her early twenties, I guessed. I liked her because she was one of those perpetually perky people, and she looked like it, too. She always had her blond hair in some trendy style, and she had bright blue eyes that didn’t look cold at all. They were warm and inviting.
A few other people occupied the Java Bean, all sitting around drinking coffee and reading newspapers. I had realized recently that most hunters really liked reading the newspaper and watching the news.
“Hey, Chloe.” She glanced up from the iced coffee she was mixing.
“Hi, Jaime. How’s it going today?”
She grinned. “Busy as always, and you?”
“I’m heading out to the ranges for practice.” I shifted my bow a little bit.
“Well, that sounds fun, although it’s not exactly beautiful out there.” She nodded toward the windows. Snowflakes had begun to float down and stick on the sidewalk.
“I’ll live,” I told her.
“So what’ll ya have today?”
“Can I get a large double-shot latte with hazelnut. Hot.” I thought of Gavin. “Better make that two.”
“Coming right up.” Jaime grabbed a cup off the stack and started to make the lattes.
I turned away from the counter and my quiver knocked the large vase acting as a tip jar off the counter. Reflexively I tried to catch it but missed. It hit the ground with a loud crash and burst. Millions of shards bounced up, almost suspended in mid-air, and then rained back down. Something went wonky with my vision, because it looked so sharp and clear, similar to how the glitter had played tricks on my eyes earlier that morning. I blinked to clear my eyes, but I realized I could see every single individual shard glimmer under the lights.
What the heck…?
It took a moment to realize people were staring at me.
“Oh, my gosh… I’m so sorry, Jaime!”
She went for the broom and waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. Nothing we can’t clean up.”
I took my quiver off and sat it on a chair and bent to help pick up the larger shards.
“Chloe, don’t touch it. You might cut yourself.”
Go figure, the minute she said that, I managed to slice my left index finger open.
“Ouch!” I stuck my finger in my mouth and sucked on it. “Damn it,” I mumbled around my finger. Suddenly, as the blood touched my tongue, I didn’t want to remove my finger from my mouth. It tasted sweet, but metallic at the same time.
“Watch out,” Jaime ordered me as she swept the glass.
I jumped up as her voice brought me back to reality, reluctantly pulled my finger out of my mouth, and then went around the corner to grab the trash can.
“Maybe today isn’t the best day to go out shooting,” I joked, holding the can out for her to dump the glass into.
She chuckled a bit and finished with the rest of the glass.
“I’ll get you a bandage,” she told me as she brought out a little medical kit from underneath the counter.
“Oh, I’ll be okay.” I told her, not wanting her to go through any more trouble for me. Plus, I had mostly sucked it dry, still able to taste a faint metallic hint on my tongue and it wasn't bleeding any longer.
“I’m still giving you one. You are not leaving here with a bleeding finger, Chloe.”
After I finally accepted the bandage and had it applied snugly on my finger, she set the lattes on the counter in front of me. I paid, giving her a ten and telling her to keep the change. I wished I had more cash on me to help pay for the broken jar. I grabbed my bow and quiver, slinging them over my shoulder so I had both hands free for the coffee.
“See you later, and I’m really sorry about your jar.” I nodded to her because my hands were full with the lattes and headed out. The snow came down harder than before, and I had to duck my head to keep it off my face.
My vision really was acting weird. Normally, when my eyes messed with me, everything would get blurry or fuzzy, but my vision was sharper. The snowflakes dropped onto the shoveled sidewalks, some sticking and some melting. I could see each one like I was looking at it through a magnifying glass. Each was so pretty and clear when it hit the sidewalk and then dissolved into beautiful droplets, before finally melting away to join the puddles.
I blinked several times, trying to get everything back to normal and continued on to the ranges.
The ranges had indoor and outdoor areas for both guns and archery. I figured, because of the snow, Gavin would wait for me at the indoor ranges. Sure enough, he sat at one of the metal picnic-type benches, adjusting the sights on his bow.
“Hi!” I called out after I struggled to get through the metal double doors with my bow and quiver on and the lattes in both hands.
“Hey there.” He jumped up and jogged over to help me.
&
nbsp; “I got you a coffee. It’s probably cold by now, though. I didn’t think of that when I bought them.”
He took one of the lattes from me and took a big swig. “Nah, it’s still a little bit warm. At least I won’t burn myself.”
I giggled.
“True. Sorry it took me so long. I knocked over the tip jar at the Java Bean and cut myself.”
I held up my finger and wiggled it around.
“Oh, man. Does it hurt?”
I set my stuff on the table. “Nah, not really.”
I took the bandage off so I could inspect the damage now that it wasn’t bleeding. “What the…”
There was no cut on my finger.
Gavin looked worried. “What? What is it?”
“It’s gone.” Shocked, I stared down at my finger. “I know I didn’t imagine it. Look at the bandage.”
I held it out and, sure enough, the bandage had a dark brown blood stain on the white pad.
“It healed already.”
I could still see a faint white line where the cut had been, like a new scar.
“This is freaking me out,” I told him.
“Sometimes hunters have quick healing. It just depends on the hunter.”
“Oh, well, that makes sense.” Unless that hunter is also half vampire. Then maybe it’s her vampire half coming through. Maybe that was what was going on with my eyes, too. “Well, in any case, it’s better now. Should we get started?”
He ran his fingers over his dark hair and grinned. “Let’s do it.”
We got to work and stood side by side to fire at the targets. I was a better shot than Gavin. I don’t think he really liked that much, even though he pretended to. I was better than him even with my cast on, which surprised me.
“Damn, Chloe. Your aim is impeccable.”
“Yeah, I’m gifted,” I told him.
He thought I was joking, but I was serious. Marksmanship was one of my gifts. After we shot for about half an hour, we both needed to rest our arms. We sat at the table and sipped on our cold coffee.
“Gavin, are both your parents hunters?” I asked him. I wanted to get to know him better because I suddenly realized that, aside from being the hot popular guy, I didn’t know anything about him.
The Vampire Hunter's Daughter The Complete Collection Page 10
