Family is Forever

by Stephens, S. C.

  A sigh escaped me as I looked between my willing-and-able friends. “Thank you for coming out here, but there really isn’t anything to do. We have no idea where they might be…” No one was bonded to either Starla or Jacen. We had no way to track them. Tracey heard me say that, and started crying again.

  VARIOUS MEMBERS OF the search party came and went over the next three days, and every one of them had the same dejected looks on their faces when they returned. Nothing. Not a trace, not a sound, not a word. Hideouts had been ransacked and every lead had been followed, but to no avail. It was like they had all vanished into smoke. Our only hope was Jake. So long as Simon wanted to rescue him, odds were good that they would come to us. Eventually. But what state our friends would be in when Jake’s rescue attempt finally happened…well, that was something none of us knew.

  “Tracey, she’s fine. He wouldn’t hurt a child.”

  Tracey and Ben were fighting again. It was almost a constant thing now whenever Ben was at the ranch. Tracey wanted the National Guard called in, but Ben wouldn’t let her call for any outside help.

  “How do you know she’s okay?” she screeched. “He could be making her a vampire right now!”

  “It wouldn’t work on her,” Ben said in a soothing voice. “She’s already a partial vampire. A very, very small part…but’s it’s already there.”

  None of us were sure if that was true or not, but Ben had decided that the possible-truth was better than the alternative, and he was clinging to it with everything he had. Personally, I thought he was wrong. I’d been a mixed vampire once, but that hadn’t stopped me from being transformed into a pureblood. If I’d been able to be turned from a mixed to a pure, then it made sense to me that a slight vampire could be transformed into a mixed…assuming the procedure really worked, of course.

  While Ben and Tracey verbally duked it out, Gabriel paced the living room. “There must be something we haven’t tried,” he murmured to himself. “I contacted Jordan at the L.A. nest, but no one he knows is bonded to either one of them. So far as any of us know, all of their family is deceased. There’s no way to find Starla and Jacen with the blood bond.” He said that with a mournful sigh.

  I’d never seen him look as completely lost as he did. It was disconcerting, to say the least—as was thinking about Starla and Jacen’s fates. While Olivia was probably just being held captive, the two obvious vampires in the group were most likely being tortured. Like Malachi, they were being held, drained, and starved. Being undead, Jacen would probably survive what was being done to him. Starla though, she might already be dead.

  As Gabriel had explained to us before, Starla’s blood was flawed. She had to take Gabriel’s shot every day to stop the conversion from happening. She didn’t have a choice. She wouldn’t survive a conversion. If she’d been taken without a stock of shots on her, then she was already gone. If she did have some, but ran out before we could find her, then she would die. Her heart would give out, her human side would fade away, and she wouldn’t rise again. She’d be gone forever. That thought had Gabriel constantly on edge—as did the knowledge that if Henry’s crazy plan worked, and he successfully made mixed vampires with Starla’s blood, then they would also share her fate. They would die the second their hearts gave out. Gabriel didn’t want anyone else to die.

  “This is all my fault,” Gabriel muttered as he walked a line to and from the slider. “I should have called them and had them take the girl here, to the ranch. I should have kept us all together. Together we are strong…”

  Halina came up and stepped in front of him to break his unending pattern of movement. “You didn’t know. None of us did.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave him a squeeze. “I am so sorry. We so often get caught up in my family’s problems, that yours are forgotten. Please know that I understand your pain, and I am feeling it with you.”

  Gabriel closed his eyes as he embraced Halina. “Thank you, my love. I needed to hear that. I am so worried…”

  Despair, dejection, and desolation were beginning to be familiar feelings in the house. Trey and Arianna were the only bright spots, and even though my family was still irritated that my friends were compulsion-proof, they perked up whenever they were around. The levity never lasted long though and as the days stretched into weeks, even their visits didn’t alleviate the gloom.

  It didn’t help anything when our family pet, Spike, finally passed away. Even though the dog was ancient, and had lived well past his prime, his dire fate somehow seemed to foreshadow our friends’ futures. Dad brought the collie out to the ranch, to be buried in one of the pastures. The entire house was somber as Dad thanked his canine friend for years of love and comfort. I couldn’t stop the tears as Dad began hiding him with soil, and there wasn’t a dry eye when the last heap of dirt finally covered our beloved pooch.

  The next night, everyone resumed the pointless searching. Mom was in the kitchen with Tracey when the sun finally set and I was able to escape the underground levels and join the rest of the family. Dad, Ben, and some of the others were already out looking for clues. Hunter was currently making plans to leave with Halina. I hated that he was leaving, and I hated that I couldn’t go with him. Everyone seemed to think the house was going to be sieged one day, so a few vampires always stayed behind to protect the nest. And more often than not, that included me. But I wasn’t an idiot, I knew that the real reason I was being left behind was the miniscule chance that the search would be successful and they would find Henry. Neither my dad nor Hunter wanted me or my brother anywhere near him. It was a ridiculous precaution if you asked me. I wanted to help.

  “Tracey, maybe you should ease up,” my mom was saying.

  When I walked into the kitchen, I understood why. Tracey was drinking vodka…straight from the bottle. From the way she staggered and the sweet, antiseptic smell coming off her, I’d say she’d been drinking it for a while. “No, what I should be doing is flashing my daughter’s photo over every news station in this country.”

  She started to cry, then she hiccupped, then she started to laugh. It quickly shifted into a sob. Mom rubbed her back as she looked over at me. Her eyes were warm with compassion, but they held a look of unsure bewilderment. No one knew what to do for Tracey besides tell her to not give up hope, which wasn’t accomplishing anything. Tracey was quickly turning into a basketcase.

  Behind them, Imogen and Malachi were having a quiet conversation at the table while they waited for the blood that Alanna was simmering on the stove. Imogen and Malachi had been spending more and more time together, which was sweet and strange. Imogen had been single for as long as I’d known her. But the shy smiles she gave Malachi were self-explanatory. She liked him. He had filled out a lot since being rescued, and he looked healthy and vibrant now…for a dead man. His hair was a dark shade of chocolate-brown, cut and slicked in a style that reminded me of old-time 1940s and 50s actors. I wasn’t sure how long ago he’d been turned into a vampire, but from his look and his demeanor, I had a feeling it had been a while.

  Hunter and Halina came into the room behind me. Hunter gave Tracey a pained smile before stepping up to my side. “We’re going to leave. Check out the lake.”

  I sighed in response. “The lake? We’ve checked the lake five dozen times already. They’re not there.”

  Tracey started crying harder and Hunter glanced at her before looking back at me. “It’s better than nothing.”

  A flash of guilt ran up my spine, but I forcefully shoved it back. I was stuck doing “nothing” because they were making me stay here. I would be more than happy to not be doing “nothing.” I told him as much, and he sighed. “I’d feel better if you stayed here with the others.” He looked over at Tracey again. “Keep Tracey company. You know how hard this is on her.”

  I almost wanted to smack him for saying that, but I refrained. “It’s hard on everyone. And the more eyes in the field, the better.”

  Hunter and I had had this conversation so many times, we could
practically skip to the end, where I got commanded to stay behind. “Nika…”

  I held up my hand. “Fine. You’re just as bad as my father,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  Leaning forward, he kissed my fingers. “Thank you. We’ll be back before dawn.”

  While Halina prepared some to-go cups for them, I grabbed his elbow. “Be careful.”

  He nodded, then gave me a long, lingering kiss. “I love you,” he whispered as he pulled away. Staring into his dark eyes, for the millionth time, I ached with the loss of our bond. I hated not feeling his presence, hated not feeling that delicious pull. But so long as Henry was still out there, Hunter was going to keep taking the shot. He felt it was safer. I…kind of agreed.

  Moments later, he and Halina were gone. I sighed, then helped Mom make dinner for Julian, Grandpa, Arianna, and Trey. Those last two weren’t here yet, but they would be soon. They came out to the ranch almost every night. Julian was trying to hide his joy, especially around Tracey, but he was failing. We all knew he was deeply in love and high on life. And thankfully, Arianna was reciprocating his feelings. Even though the situation sucked, I was happy for them.

  Julian slid into the room in his socks. Clapping his hands, he exclaimed, “Guests should be here soon!” Mom gave him a pointed look then raised her eyebrows at Tracey. Julian’s expression immediately leveled. “Oh…um, well…the day crew will be arriving soon, is what I meant. Hopefully they have good news.” Arianna and Trey had been keeping their ears to the ground, talking with kids our age to see if anyone knew anything. It seemed like an even longer shot than Halina and Hunter searching the lake for the umpteenth time, but they wanted to help. I understood the feeling.

  Coming up close to Mom, Julian frowned. “I still say I should be able to go out and search stuff with them.”

  Mom’s lips compressed. “We’ve discussed this before, Julian. Several times. So long as Henry is out there searching for mixed vampires, you need to be here where you’re safe.”

  “He doesn’t need to search for mixed vampires, Mom. He already has some…” I knew I shouldn’t have said it the minute it left my mouth, but I was tired of being babied. I was a full-blown vampire for God’s sake. And nearly an adult. They couldn’t keep sheltering me forever.

  Mom’s eyes snapped up to mine. But instead of lecturing me, she pointed to her right. “Go set the table.”

  I held up my hands, but did what she asked. Sometimes arguing was just as futile as what we were arguing against. We could be five hundred years old and Mom and Dad would still treat us like little kids. With blurring movements, I set the table. The doorbell rang just as I finished. Good timing.

  Julian sped to get it, but I was a step behind him, and since I was faster now, I beat him to the door. It seriously irritated him whenever I did that. “Show off,” he muttered as I pulled the door open.

  Trey stepped inside the minute he had enough room. Honestly, I was a little surprised he’d even rung the doorbell—he acted like he lived here. Arianna must have rung it. “Dudes, we have good news.”

  Arianna stepped in behind him, and wrapped her arms around Julian. Like he was freezing to death and she was the only source of heat in the room, Julian immediately melted into her. The affectionate display made me miss Hunter. “What news?” I asked, melancholy in my voice.

  Mom wasn’t so ambivalent, and she rushed into the room with hope on her face. “Did you find out something about Starla and Jacen?” Olivia’s name hung heavy in the air, but we were all avoiding saying it out loud. Tracey usually became hysterical when she heard it. And we were pretending Starla was alive and well, because thinking of her any other way was too painful.

  Trey lifted a finger of victory into the air. “We…were invited to a party.”

  Everyone’s shoulders slumped. Expanding our social life wasn’t the goal right now. Mom immediately turned away from Trey. He looked a little hurt that we weren’t all jumping for joy over the news. “Dudes?” he said in question. “A par…ty. With a bunch of kids. Kids who might know something…?” He held his hands out, like he was waiting for an explosion of adulation.

  Mom gave him a tired smile. “It’s better than nothing,” she told him, mimicking Hunter’s earlier words; they were practically our family motto now. “Good work, Trey.” She turned away from him again with a noticeable heaviness around her shoulders.

  Trey dropped his hands. “Yeah…and there’s this rumor that some hot new drug is going to be there...” He met eyes with me. “They say it’s…unforgettable.” He said that last part with air quotations, just so we’d be sure to pay attention. And I certainly was now. Mom too.

  “Unforgettable…as in, the compulsion vaccine unforgettable?”

  Arianna removed herself from Julian’s embrace far enough to look at me, but she stayed glued to his side. “That’s what we’re thinking. Henry must have mixed it with something kids would like…to up the exposure.”

  I twisted to Mom, who was watching us with a shocked expression. She honestly never thought Trey and Arianna’s day missions would amount to anything. “We have to go, Mom. This could be it! A solid, undeniable lead!”

  Mom was nodding and shaking her head. “Yes…but it’s too dangerous. Your father and I will go with you.”

  I scoffed at her answer. “No offense, Mom, but you and Dad, well, you look like a mom and dad. The kids will instantly know they’ve been busted, and the drug will vanish. If we’re gonna catch the distributor, then we need to go. We’re the only ones who will fit in at a party like that.”

  Mom bit her lip, struggling. This went against every parental precaution she had. “Nika…I don’t know.”

  From the doorway leading to the kitchen, a soft voice said, “Em…let them go. Please.”

  Tracey was standing there, eyes red and bloodshot, and for the first time, hopeful. Mom couldn’t resist her best friend, and she let out a heavy sigh. “Fine.” She quickly twisted back to us. “But Hunter and Halina will go in with you. They can still pass for teenagers.”

  Smiling, I nodded. Finally, I was going to be able to do something. It was about freaking time. Looking over at Trey, I asked, “When’s the party?”

  He grinned. “Starts at nine…so we shouldn’t get there until eleven.” He winked at my mom. “That’s called being fashionably late.”

  Mom smirked at him. “Just be fashionably careful…and find out something we can use. They’ve all been gone for far too long.”

  A somberness fell over the room. Yes, they had been. God, I hoped this party led us somewhere. I hoped the drug was what we thought it was. I hoped they were okay…

  Mom called Hunter and Halina, to get them to come back so we could all leave together. Tracey was a nervous wreck, but it was a different sort of anxiety than before. Now she was eager and full of hope. Now she was nearly bouncing off the walls, like we’d already found Olivia, and going to the party was just a formality to pick her up. I had a feeling that if we didn’t come back with Olivia, Tracey would have to be locked up somewhere.

  Even though the party was hours away, Tracey helped Arianna and me get ready. “Wear something short…show lots of skin. That will get the dealer’s attention.”

  Mom smacked Tracey in the shoulder, gently so she didn’t break her arm. “Stop encouraging my daughter to dress like a skank, Trace.”

  Tracey rubbed her arm anyway. “I’m not. I’m just giving her the right tools for the job, and if she’s going to a party and wants to attract attention, well…” She shrugged, like the rest of her argument was obvious. The older woman was still very attractive, with plump lips and bright blue eyes, and I could easily picture her and Mom turning on the charm for the boys. Considering my father and Ben were the boys in question, that was a slightly disturbing thought.

  “We’ll be fine,” I assured Mom, putting on a short, flirty red dress. I wasn’t typically a party girl, and generally preferred staying at home with a good book, but I was eager to get out of the house and do s
omething. Anything.

  Mom pursed her lips, but didn’t comment on my outfit. Arianna’s dress was similar to mine, but in a dark blue color that she was hoping Julian liked. I didn’t bother telling her that she could have worn a paper bag and he would have liked it. Mainly I didn’t tell her that because I was also stupidly hoping my man liked my outfit. It seemed reasonable that he would, but I was still hoping.

  I was in the middle of curling my dark brown locks when Hunter and Halina returned. I couldn’t feel my boyfriend, but I could feel Halina and I knew they’d be close together. After hurriedly finishing my hair, I rushed from the room to tell him the good news—that we’d be spending the evening together. I was sure that had already been relayed in the message, but I wanted to tell him too; I could be just as ridiculous as Arianna sometimes.

  Hunter was in the dining room with Halina and the others when I got downstairs. I could hear his deep voice just as clearly as if he was whispering in my ear. He was asking Trey details about the party: where it was, where he’d heard about it, how many kids were expected to show up. Trey’s answers were vague at best. “This one place. I don’t know. A lot.”

  Like we were still bonded and he’d known I was coming, Hunter stopped questioning Trey and turned to look my way when I entered the room. A peaceful look came over him, a look that clearly said, I missed you, and I’m so glad to see you. But he stayed where he was near the table, something he never would have been able to do if our bond was still in place. His eyes lit up when he noticed my dress though. I knew he’d like it.

  Julian watched me enter the room with an intense expression, and I knew he wasn’t really watching me. He was listening to Arianna, calculating how long it would be until he could see her all decked out. I didn’t need to tell him she was almost done, he could hear that she was on her way down.