Family is Forever

by Stephens, S. C.

  Blurring to Nika’s side, I knelt beside her and tossed my arms around her. “God, I’m so sorry, Nick. That looked like it sucked.”

  Nika weakly put her arms around me, and nodded into my shoulder. “You have no idea.”

  She lifted her head to look for Hunter. He was a foot or two away, being cleaned up by Ben. He was looking past Nika, to Halina on the other side of her. Halina was still lying down, coughing and clutching her stomach. She had bloodstains all down the front of her, but the worst of it seemed to be over.

  Feeling Nika’s eyes on him, Hunter redirected his gaze to her. “Babe, are you…?” He immediately choked on his words and started coughing. As the adrenaline wore off, my stomach started getting a little squeamish at all the vomiting going on around me. I seriously hoped Hunter didn’t lose it.

  Thankfully, he pulled it together. Nika stretched a hand out to him. “I’m fine,” she whispered, her throat hoarse, like she’d just escaped from a burning building. Hunter nodded as he swallowed over and over, trying to control his spasming throat.

  Now that I was able to help with Nika, Mom moved to help Halina. I rubbed Nika’s back while Hunter scooted as close to her as he could. Wrapping a protective arm around Nika’s shoulders, I watched Rory and Cleo remove the man who’d hurt her. His chin was lifted in defiance, like he didn’t have a care in the world what they did to him.

  “What do you think happened?” I asked.

  Still not able to talk, Hunter only shrugged. Nika massaged her throat as she looked up at Ben. He’d left Hunter’s side to go help Dad. The crowd here for the meeting was talking all at once, asking what to do about this unmitigated attack on Hunter, the man the group looked at as their leader. Swift and harsh punishments were being thrown around like Grandma Linda and Grandma Alanna tossed around recipe ideas. These suggestions weren’t nearly as pleasant as apple pie though.

  “I’m not sure, but I think he was protected, like Uncle Ben.” Nika’s dark eyes swung back to mine. “He must be a little bit vampire, but so far down he doesn’t have any of the traits. I doubt he has any idea what he really is.”

  She pursed her lips as she glared at the man being led to a back bedroom on one side of the house. “Maybe,” I admitted. “Could be something else though, something we haven’t seen before.” Just saying that scared me, but it needed to be said; all options needed to be considered.

  Hunter cleared his throat a few times. His face was splattered in blood, his chin smeared where Ben had tried wiping it away. His shirt had dark patches of blood on it, like he’d been stabbed a few times. He looked like he’d been filming a horror movie. Or living through one. “We’ll have Gabriel test his blood. He should be able to compare it to Ben’s, and at least answer some of our questions.” He squeaked his way through that sentence, then held his hand to his throat when he was done.

  Halina was coming out of her misery enough that she heard and understood Hunter’s comment. In Russian, she murmured, “Gabriel can get his sample from my fingers after I grind that man’s body into a bloody pulp.” She started coughing the moment she finished speaking.

  Hunter looked her way, then over to me. “Do I even want to know what she said?”

  I raised an edge of my lip, and saw Nika do the same. “No, probably not.”

  The meeting never really came together after that. I wasn’t sure what happened at a typical one, but this one was focused on what to do with the vampire hunter in the back room. While I sat with the three purebloods who were still nowhere near normal, I halfheartedly watched the bickering going on around me.

  After about an hour, Dad squatted down in front of Hunter. He jerked his thumb back at the man Hunter had successfully compelled. He was still sitting like Hunter had told him. “We can’t leave him half-compelled like that. Are you up to finishing the job?”

  With a long exhale, Hunter nodded and then slowly stood. Every movement he made seemed forced and unnatural. I almost expected him to cringe when he walked, but he made it over to the man with a smooth face and confident eyes; he wasn’t showing any of the pain he must be feeling. The man swallowed, looking nervous, yet he seemed relaxed at the same time. All of his muscles were loose and his posture was at ease, but his eyes were wider than they should have been, and they followed Hunter like Hunter was a cobra who was going to strike him down at any moment. He’d been listening, watching, and he knew exactly what was going to happen.

  When Hunter stood before him, he licked his lips, then said, “I have no wish to be in your army. Leave my mind, let me go, and I’ll leave you and yours in peace.”

  A sad smile crept onto Hunter’s lips. “I’m sorry, but that’s not how this works. I need you to listen to what I’m going to tell you, and believe in it with all of your heart.” Hunter then proceeded to give the man a new outlook on life.

  Hunter told him how vampires were no longer to be hunted and killed simply because they were vampires. They were to be treated as fairly as human beings were treated—innocent until proven guilty. Vampires would be given a chance to live in peace, if they followed the rules. And if they didn’t, and they murdered humans for nothing more than the joy of killing and drinking, then it wouldn’t be up to individual hunters to dole out their justice. No, a panel of both vampires and humans would decide their fate, much like they were going to decide the fate of the man waiting in the back room.

  By the time Hunter was done explaining the new rules to the hunter who was listening to him with rapt attention, it was clear that the man was a diehard fighter for the cause now. His immediate reply once Hunter was done, was to tell him that he was appalled someone had hurt Hunter, Nika and Halina, and that he’d like to be a part of the panel that decided the man’s fate. Wearily, Hunter directed the man to Dad, who’d been given the task of forming the Panel of Justice, as Halina was calling it.

  I could only shake my head as I locked eyes with my sister. A few years ago, our biggest problem was deciding whether to go to a public high school. And now, here we were, smack dab in the middle of a game-changing political alliance between vampires and their sworn enemies. Life sure was weird sometimes.

  When it appeared that nothing else overly exciting was going to happen tonight, Nika leaned against my shoulder and murmured, “That sucked. I’m so tired now. I just want to go home and lie down.”

  I nodded and helped her stand. She immediately sought out Hunter. He wasn’t far from us, but even the few feet he’d wandered away was too much for her. Nika wrapped herself around his arm, and looked up at him with adoration. So much love was pouring from her eyes, I didn’t need to feel it to know it was there. “Let’s go find a bed,” she told him.

  Hunter smiled at her, but his gaze flicked around the home swarming with humans. I could tell he wanted to leave with her, but he felt obligated to stay until the “troops” dispersed. He was probably wondering how to tell her that without hurting her feelings. Or he was debating if he could even separate from her right now. The bond made distance uncomfortable, or so Nika said.

  Dad intentionally or unintentionally provided Hunter with a way out. “I’ve asked some of the panel members to finish the meeting for us. We should get your attacker to Gabriel…and away from here.” His eyes flicked over some humans who were scowling at the hallway where the man had been taken. With compulsion, Hunter had discouraged the idea of vengeance killings, but they’d still beat the crap out of the man if they could. Looking tired himself, Dad told Hunter, “You and Great-Gran look beat. I’ll have Emma go get the car, and we’ll drive you home, so you don’t have to run in your condition.”

  Halina snorted at his comment. “I’m right as rain. I could run circles around the lot of you.”

  Ignoring her, Dad focused his gaze on me. “Julian, we’re pretty much done here. Why don’t you take your sister home?”

  That got Nika’s attention. Squeezing Hunter’s arm tight, she argued, “I’d like to go to the ranch with you, Dad.”

  Dad smirked. “I�
��m not staying. I’m getting everyone settled, then I’m coming right back home. You’ve been through a lot tonight, and you need your rest. I want you to go home with Julian.”

  Hope gleamed in Nika’s eyes. “Well, then Hunter can come home and rest with me. You said it yourself, he looks beat. You shouldn’t make him endure the ride if he doesn’t have to.”

  Dad’s jaw twitched. “Nika, I’m really not comfortable with—”

  Nika huffed in frustration. “Come on, Dad. I feel like I’ve been hit with a wrecking ball, and I’m sure Hunter feels the same. We’re not going to do anything but rest, and there’s no reason we can’t do that together.”

  Dad crossed his arms over his chest. Not a good sign. “I know you don’t understand, or you think I’m being unreasonable, but it’s my home and while you’re living there you’ll respect my rules. No sleepovers.”

  Nika tossed her hands in the air. “I’m only living there because you won’t let me move to the ranch!”

  She looked about ready to spit fire at Dad, but a fit of coughs grabbed her and she leaned over, hacking. Concern washed over Hunter and Dad’s faces. The pained look was so similar, I almost wanted to point it out to them. They both equally loved her, and wasn’t that more important than being stubborn?

  When Nika was mostly recovered from her coughing fit, Hunter stroked her arm. “It’s all right. Go home with your brother. Rest. I’ll go with Halina to the ranch. Besides, I want to see what Gabriel can find out about this guy…and I’d really prefer it if you were nowhere near him.”

  Nika sighed and stepped away from him. “Fine. But I hate this already,” she said.

  Hunter nodded. “Me too.”

  Grabbing Nika’s hand, I pulled her away with me. I had to yank her a couple of times to keep her moving. Mom gave Dad a swift hug, and then followed us. Before I could leave the room, Hunter sped over to Nika and gave her one last kiss. I resisted rolling my eyes. Once their lips stopped touching, Hunter turned to me, his hand extended. “Thank you. You saved my life. I guess that’s one more thing I owe you for.”

  I thought about refusing to take his hand, but then I’d be just as stubborn as Dad. I really didn’t have a good reason to not like Hunter. Well, okay, I had plenty of reasons, but they were all in the past. Everything had changed since Hunter had truly become one of us, and I was going to have to accept that fact eventually. I grabbed his hand and gave him a firm shake. “Don’t worry about it…I mean that.” I raised an eyebrow to punctuate my point. I didn’t need him getting all weird, trying to make things right between us. I’d rather just wipe the slate clean and forget about it.

  Once we were all out of the house, and Nika was a good distance away from Hunter, she clutched her chest like she was having a heart attack. Mom rubbed her back in sympathy, while I just stared at her dumbstruck. She was cringing like she was physically in pain. “Is it really that bad?” I asked her.

  Her eyes brimming with red tears, she nodded. “You have no idea, Julian. It’s like someone cracked my chest open, and they’re sucking my heart out through a straw.”

  Grateful that I didn’t feel that way, I shook my head. “I’m glad I’m not bonded to anybody.” I frowned as I reconsidered. Didn’t it cause me physical pain to leave Arianna? Yeah. Sometimes.

  When we got home, Mom looked anxious about leaving us. “We’re fine here, Mom. It’s really late at night, Nika’s feeling sick, and our neighborhood is surrounded by reformed vampire hunters who would die to protect us. Not to mention Starla and Jacen are just down the street. We’re about as safe as safe can get.”

  Mom was still reluctant, but Dad was counting on her, so she had no choice. After making sure Nika was as comfortable as she could be on the couch, she kissed each of our heads and grabbed the keys to the Prius. After she left and the light buzz of the car was gone to my ears, I let out an amused grunt. “Well, Hunter did what he said he’d do…he got Mom and Dad out of the house for a few hours.” I turned to give Nika a smile. “It’s too bad he did it on the wrong night though. Unless you think we can rustle up a party real quick?”

  Nika laughed, like I was hoping she would. Then she started coughing. When the spasm settled, she inhaled a deep breath and closed her eyes. There were dark circles under her skin, like she hadn’t slept in days. Silver had never affected her before. I hated the fact that it did now. There were benefits to being a pureblood, but there were serious setbacks too.

  “I don’t think I’m up to dancing yet,” she murmured, sounding sleepy. “Another time.”

  This time I laughed. “Yeah, next time you guys are almost killed we’ll have a party.”

  Nika cracked an eye open. “Are you okay, Julie? You hit that guy pretty hard.”

  A smidge of pride went through me. I’d tackled that guy like a pro. A part of me wished Arianna had been there to see it. Thinking of that smack brought to mind the throbbing in my leg, the kink in my neck. They were minor concerns compared to Nika’s though, nothing to be complaining about. “I’m fine, Nick. No problems at all.”

  Her eyes drifted closed as she nodded. Not wanting her to fall asleep here, where she could be exposed to the sun if she didn’t move before it came up, I told her, “Let’s get you downstairs, so you can rest without having to worry about the sun or anything.”

  She started telling me okay, but then she inhaled a sharp breath, and her face contorted into what almost looked like pain. I couldn’t tell for sure. I hated that I didn’t know what she was feeling. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

  Her expression, while still showing signs of discomfort, turned embarrassed. “Hunter…he’s leaving the city. It just…it aches…but I’ll be fine.”

  Not knowing what else to do for her, I lamely told her, “Sorry,” then scooped her up.

  A soft laugh escaping her, she told me, “I can walk on my own,” but she didn’t make any attempt to get down. She even put her head on my shoulder.

  Smiling at her stubbornness, I answered, “I know. You’re all powerful now.”

  Her hand went to her throat. “I don’t feel all powerful.”

  Shrugging, I started walking her to her hidey-hole in the closet. “You’ll be fine in the morning. Or…the evening, I guess.”

  When I finally got my sister set up in her room, all she wanted to do was sleep. I zipped upstairs and got her some fresh blood to drink first. Blood was a natural painkiller for vampires. It would help her feel better until the tiny silver particles were out of her system. She drank it down, thanked me for making it for her, then curled up into a ball on her bed. She was out cold a minute later. Considering how early in the morning it was for her, I figured she would be up early tomorrow night, which meant she would be bored in her room for that much longer. Mom and Dad had to let her go one day. Locking her up like a caged animal really wasn’t fair.

  Once Nika was settled, I went upstairs to get myself settled. It was hard to do. My mind was spinning with what had happened, with what could have happened. Hunter had been a moment away from death. If he’d been in a different position, and Nika had been closer to the attacker, she would have been targeted. I could have lost her tonight.

  Rounding up and converting hunters had somehow turned routine recently. We’d forgotten just how dangerous the other side could be. Reaching through my stretchy sleep pants, I massaged the wound where a bullet had sliced through my flesh. I would never allow myself to forget just how dangerous they could be.

  An idea began to form while I waited for my parents to return. They were still at the ranch, getting Halina and Hunter home safely, and making sure Gabriel saw the compulsion-proof man, so he could determine just how the hunter had come to be that way. I wondered if they’d find out anything tonight, or if Gabriel would need a few days to study his blood. I wondered what they’d do with him. Was he innocent? Was he guilty? It was a gray area, and it was hard to say what was right and what was wrong. Yes, he’d almost killed members of my family, but in his mind, he was being at
tacked and he was just defending himself. Would any of us act differently?

  The tiny pinpricks of an idea were a resolute decision by the time I felt my parents heading my way. I stayed quiet and still, waiting for the creak of the front door that heralded their arrival. It was late, mere hours left in the day, and I could tell they were trying to be quiet as they tiptoed through the door. It only took one word to get them upstairs with me. “Dad?”

  They were both in my doorway an instant later. “You’re still up,” my mom commented, walking in and crossing to my bed. She rumpled my hair; her expression was sad. She too realized how close tonight had been. We’d had way too many close calls lately. And just when we were starting to think all of that was over and done with.

  I nodded. “I was thinking about tonight. Couldn’t sleep.”

  Dad stepped up to us. “You shouldn’t let that trouble you too much, Julian. It was a fluke. It won’t happen again.” From his tone of voice and the wrinkle in his brow, I didn’t think he was entirely sure of that.

  Sitting up, I looked at my parents. “Did Gabriel see him? Was he able to determine how he resisted direct compulsion?”

  Dad ran a hand through his hair. “He took samples of his blood, but he was still analyzing them when we left. We’ll go back tomorrow night and see if he found anything.”

  I put on my sternest, ‘I’m serious’ face. “I want to go with you. I want to know what Gabriel found.”

  Mom smiled and Dad nodded. “We’ll all go together…once Nika’s up.” Dad frowned. We’d be getting out there pretty late if we had to wait for Nika.

  I couldn’t resist mentioning the cold fact Dad was avoiding. “You know, if Nika was living out there with the others, we wouldn’t have to wait until the sun went down to visit.”

  Dad gave me a look that clearly told me he wasn’t pleased that I was on Nika’s side when it came to her living at the ranch with Hunter. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was or not, I just knew how miserable Nika was cooped up downstairs. I’d want a mansion too if I were in her shoes.