I frowned. I’d read the newspaper reports but there’d been no mention of a pattern in the victims. “But the police didn’t say...”
“The police think there's a serial killer in East Hampton,” Xavier said. “They’re holding back the details of the victims so they can use them to find the killer. You know Claude and Andre’s father is a cop. We're getting the details from him. Every victim so far has been a teenaged girl with long, brown hair.”
Icy terror shuddered down my spine. “All of them?” I asked.
“The three in East Hampton and the two in Highland Home. They’re all the same. It’s like the cat is hunting for you, but doesn’t know you well enough to find you.”
“Or is trying to perfect its killing before it comes for me,” I said softly.
We pulled up in front of Elise’s house and Xavier turned the car off. “Kerry, I want you to promise me that you’ll stay with Mathias and Mairin tonight at the game. Some of the boys will be there too, but you know how many of them are on the team. I don’t want you going anywhere alone or putting yourself in danger. I trust Mairin and Mathias to keep you safe.”
Elise stepped out onto the porch and waved. “Your grandmother is waiting for us,” I said. I waved at Elise and reached for the door handle. Xavier reached across me and put his hand over mine, stopping me from getting out of the car.
“Promise me, Kerry,” he begged. “Promise you’ll let them keep you safe.” The depth of Xavier’s concern for me was obvious. He was begging me to promise to stay with a vampire for safety. If he thought Mathias was a better option than this unknown panther, Xavier truly believed I was the panther’s ultimate target.
I nodded slowly. “Ok. Sure. I can stay with Mairin and Mathias,” I said. “But you’ve got to be wrong about this, Xavier. There can’t be some random, homicidal panther loose in East Hampton and Highland Home on a quest to kill me.” I shuddered as I spoke the words aloud, as though doing so made the possibility more real.
“I’d rather be cautious and wrong than for you to get hurt, Kerry.” Xavier circled the car to open my door. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me hard. “I love you, babe.”
Most of the pride was waiting in Elise’s living room when we got there. Six of them were on the football team with Xavier, the rest would be at the game to support the others. Elise always cooked for the pride on nights like this and tonight she’d cooked an enormous lasagna and stood smiling in the kitchen as the boys devoured it.
“Xavier told you about his suspicions?” Elise asked me as I helped put the plates in the sink after the pride had devoured every scrap of food she had prepared.
“Yeah.” I said. “He thinks whoever is killing those girls is looking for me.”
Elise nodded and started washing dishes. “When I told you two to stay close to each other before you left for Florida, I thought the issue would be solved there.” She handed me a clean dishcloth and a wet plate. “It seems the problem I saw before you left has followed you back to East Hampton. I want you to continue to stay close to Xavier.”
“I do my best, Elise,” I said with a smile. Staying close to Xavier was not a difficult task for me on my own, though my mother did limit some things. “If Mom wouldn’t freak out, I’d move down here.”
“I may have to ask Loraine if you can do that for a time,” Elise said. “I could claim I’m getting old and tell her I need your help.”
I shrugged. I knew my mother wouldn’t go for that, but it was pleasant to dream about moving in with Xavier and not having to leave him every night. My mom might be good with the metaphysical messes that cropped up in our lives on a regular basis, but she was pretty conservative when it came to the everyday things like teenaged daughters keeping their virginity until they got married. Even if she thought I would stay away from sex, she wouldn’t let me stay at Xavier’s house because of what the people in Highland Home might think.
“Gram, dinner was great, but we need to get going. Football waits for no man,” Xavier said, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my neck.
“Be careful, Xavier,” Elise said. “I expect you home before one. Even if you win the game.”
Xavier kissed his grandmother before pushing me out of the kitchen. The Toyota groaned under the weight of the five panthers shoved into it. With the din of conversation and the blaring heavy metal music pouring from the speakers, I was left alone with my thoughts. The idea that someone was hunting me was something I just couldn’t wrap my head around. By the time we pulled into the parking lot at the high school I had decided that Elise and Xavier were both nuts. No one was hunting me and I wasn’t going to let the misfortune of those poor girls make me a prisoner in my hometown.
“Do you guys want anything to drink?” I asked, rising from my seat. “I’m gonna get a soda.”
“I will accompany you,” Mathias said.
“You can see the stand from here, Mathias,” I said. I pointed toward the concession stand where we could see the line of students waiting to buy snacks and drinks from the band booster parents. “I think I can get a soda without getting killed.”
“Xavier asked...” Mathias began, rising from his seat. I held out my hand.
“I know what Xavier asked, but really, you’re both being ridiculous. I don’t think some panther is going to leap out of the crowd and rip out my throat in front of everyone.” I could feel the heat in my cheeks and knew that my face was glowing. Mairin and Mathias had stuck to me like ticks from the moment they’d arrived and taken me away from the pride members who didn’t play on the East Hampton team so I could sit on the Highland Home bleachers. I was getting tired of feeling like I had babysitters and bodyguards rather than friends and family.
Mathias must have seen the determination in my expression because he nodded and sat next to Mairin again. Apparently, spending time with my sister was teaching him how stubborn the women in our family could be and he was learning to pick his battles. I could see he didn’t like the idea of staying in the stands but apparently he couldn’t come up with a good enough reason to insist on being my shadow.
“Maire?”
“Nope, I’m good, sis.” Mairin smiled at me and I could see she was reading my mood as well as Mathias. They’d watch me, but from a distance. Sometimes a sister who was psychic was a good thing.
I made my way through the stadium to the little stand where the band parents sold sodas, hot dogs and popcorn at every football game. It wasn’t until I was on the ground and looking for the end of the line that I realized it was wrapped halfway around the stadium. When I found the end of the line, I looked up and realized I couldn’t see Mathias and Mairin from where I was standing. Mathias was going to be pissed and suddenly I was more than a little apprehensive. I was breaking every promise I’d made to Xavier, Elise and Mairin right now. I was away from Xavier, separated from Mathias and Mairin and not even in their sight. I shuddered and turned to go back to the bleachers when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
“Hello Kerry.” The deep voice startled me. I turned to find Lane facing me from the edge of the dark parking lot.
“You scared me,” I said, laughing. I could hear the edge of panic in my own voice and tried to force my heartbeat into a more normal rhythm. “Did you come all the way up here to watch Xavier play football, Lane?” I asked. He didn’t say anything and I rambled on. “You should have come to dinner tonight.” Lane scared me and knowing he was here when people were dying made me wonder what I didn’t know about this man. I remembered how I’d felt when Lane had invaded Xavier’s birthday party in Florida and I began backing slowly toward the stadium.
“I don’t believe Elise would like me to visit,” he said. “I’m not really family, am I?” Lane took a few steps toward me and my heart rate cranked up another notch.
“Elise is pretty open minded,” I said. I scanned the crowd, hoping to see Mathias turning the corner of the stands. I was pretty sure that as soon as he realized he couldn’t see me, Mathias w
ould come looking for me. I was just praying he would be quick about it.
“Who are you looking for?” Lane asked, stepping closer to me. He moved quickly, surely and silently. He made my skin crawl and I considered screaming, but I didn’t want to drag anyone else into whatever Lane had planned.
“My sister,” I lied. “She said she was going to join me here in a sec.”
“I don’t think so.” Lane’s grin sent chills up my spine. “Why don’t we take this discussion somewhere a bit more private?” He closed the distance between us and put his hand under my elbow. I felt the strength in his hand and realized how much danger I was in. He could snap my arm easily and his look told me he wouldn’t hesitate.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I said, jerking my arm even though I knew it was futile. Lane didn’t release me, but grinned more broadly.
“Oh, I think you are. Unless you’d like to explain to everyone in East Hampton and Highland Home about what kind of monsters live among them and play football with their children on that field.”
Lane’s revelation stunned me. How did he know about the panthers and the demigod? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I insisted.
Lane began pulling me toward the gate that led to the parking lot. I tried to set my feet to stop him, but he was so much stronger than I was it was as though I did nothing. I kept casting panicked looks over my shoulder and praying to see Mathias‘ dark head above the crowd.
“You know more than I do, I think,” Lane said. “There are a lot of strange creatures in this area. More than I’ve ever encountered before. I wonder why that is.”
I shook my head and continued to struggle against Lane. I could see the dark panel van toward which he was dragging me. The side door was open. I knew if I let Lane get me into that van, I’d never come out of it alive. As he pulled me toward the van, Lane’s body began to jerk and tremble. We were about ten yards from the van when I realized the hand holding my elbow had claws and was covered in dark fur. I’d had enough of trying to remain calm. I screamed.
Lane growled at me and pulled me toward the van faster. I was convinced I was going to die in the parking lot if I couldn’t get away from him. “You’ve been hunting me,” I said. “Why?” Xavier had been right that the panther who had hunted brown haired girls had been looking for me, but now that I knew it was Lane, I couldn’t imagine why. “Xavier is your son. You know if you kill me, you’ll kill a part of him.”
Lane grinned and I could see his teeth had begun to elongate. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve taken something from him and he survived,” Lane said. “Xavier is strong. He’ll survive this as well.”
I shuddered at the cold, distant tone in Lane’s voice. He really meant to kill me and intended to do it to hurt his son. Lane was sicker than I’d thought and definitely deadlier.
“Release her, cat.” I had never before been so glad to hear Mathias‘ voice. I looked over my shoulder and saw Mathias moving quickly and smoothly across the parking lot.
“Buzz off, leech,” Lane snarled. He tightened his grip on my arm and I gasped. “This one is mine.”
Mathias reached over me to grasp Lane’s hand where it held my arm. “I think not,” he said. “Release her and I may let you live.”
Lane laughed. “You’re not going to expose yourself in front of all these people just because I got to your dinner before you did.”
Mathias snarled and bared his teeth at Lane. A shudder rolled down my spine. I’d never seen Mathias like this and I was suddenly and forcibly aware of how dangerous he really was.
“She is not a meal to me, cat,” Mathias said. “She is my sun’s sister. Release her or I will remove your hand for you.”
From the football field, I heard screams and whistles. Something big had happened on the field and the paramedics began parting the crowd to get the ambulance through the gate and into the stadium. Mathias and I both turned back to the stadium and Lane seized the opportunity we gave him. The hand with which he’d been reaching for the side of the van swung around and raked down my chest. The pain of the claws sinking into my flesh was hot and the scent of blood filled my nose until I was certain I was going to vomit. My senses became hyper focused and I could feel hot liquid running down my body and hear each drop as it splashed to the ground. My heart thumped heavily and pushed the blood out of my chest, forcing more drops to hit the pavement. The world began to spin and I reached out for anything that would steady it. What I found was Mathias‘ arm.
“Kerry?” Mathias‘ tone was a terrifying combination of concern and hunger.
I looked down at my chest and saw the gouges. At the same time I heard the van’s tires squeal as Lane barreled out of the parking lot. The earth tilted and I slipped to the ground and lay panting on my side. I could see the stadium through the lanes between the parking spaces and watched the crowds flow through the gates. The paramedics were backing the ambulance into the stadium when I started screaming in earnest.
Mairin skidded to a halt between me and Mathias. “Oh my God, Kerry,” she whispered. She pulled her jacket off and pressed it against my chest. I shrieked as pain burned under the pressure. Mairin turned to Mathias and waved him off. “Go, Mathias.”
Mathias shook his head. “I am fine,” he said. I could still hear hunger in his voice, but it wasn’t as loud as it had been moments before.
“Then go get the paramedics to come here,” Mairin said. “They won’t need all of them for Xavier and Braden.”
Mairin helped me lay flat in the parking lot and leaned against her coat where it covered the gouges in my chest. I gasped and batted at her hand. I didn’t want her to lean on me. It hurt too much. “What happened to Xavier?” I gasped.
“Later,” she said. “What happened to you?”
“Partially changed panther,” I said. I still hadn’t wrapped my head around the implications of what Lane had done. All I could concentrate on right then was the searing pain in my chest.
“Can you heal yourself?” Mairin’s voice held an edge of panic I’d never heard before. Usually she was calm and cool under pressure. I tried to focus and raise the energy to heal myself, but I couldn’t. I was too distracted by Mairin’s panic, Xavier’s absence and the lights of the ambulance now pulling up next to us.
“You have to try, Kerry,” Mairin whispered. “Please, honey, I need you to try to heal.”
I shook my head. I was too fascinated by the color of the blood and the quick nature of its flow to focus on stopping it. I glanced toward the stadium again and saw Christian, one of Xavier’s youngest panthers, rushing across the parking lot. He stopped and knelt next to me.
“I got the East Hampton crew to agree to take you, Kerry,” he said. “Doc Coffman will meet us at the hospital.” The sadness in Christian’s eyes told me what I had already guessed and dreaded. The were virus was only transmitted when a wereanimal was changed into its animal form. Lane had clawed me. Christian believed I was going to be a panther when the moon was full next. Doctor Coffman was the doctor the pride trusted to help when a panther needed medical attention. He was researching the virus and trying to find ways to reverse its effects. He was also the only doctor who would know what to look for when they tested my blood for the virus.
“What happened to Xavier?” I asked again when the paramedics had done what they could to slow the bleeding on my chest and were pushing me toward an ambulance.
“That quarterback from Highland Home hit him high and hard,” Christian said. “Xavier was looking away and didn’t have a chance. The refs ejected the quarterback, but Xavier was out cold when I came looking for you.” Christian patted my hand. “Xavier’s tough. He’ll be fine.”
“Is he going to the same hospital?” I asked.
“Yeah, Doc Coffman’s waiting for you both.” Christian lowered his voice to a whisper. “Can’t let a normal doc X-ray Xavier. The lack of damage would mean too many questions.”
“Kerry, we’ll call Mom and Tawnya a
nd meet you at the hospital, okay?” Mairin called as the paramedics loaded me into the ambulance.
“Mom’s gonna have kittens,” I said.
Something deeply sad crossed my sister’s eyes. “Yeah,” she said. It didn’t dawn on me until after the paramedics closed the ambulance door why Mairin wouldn’t find humor in my kitten comment.
Chapter 5
“I’m Dr. Coffman,” the kindly looking older man said, pulling the curtain closed behind him. “The boys from the football team told me what happened. You’ll be just fine...Kerry.” He glanced at the chart in his hands and then stepped next to the bed, reaching for the blankets the nurses had piled on me while I’d waited for the doctor to see me. He pulled the blankets back and lifted the bandages the nurse’s assistant had laid over the stitched-up gouges in my chest. I swallowed hard and kept my head turned away. I knew intimately how those gouges felt. I didn't need to see what they looked like.
“It looks like the stitches are nicely done. You probably won’t have anything more than a few light scars once you’ve healed,” he said, putting everything back as it had been.
Despite the pile of blankets, I trembled and shuddered. I couldn't get warm, no matter what. One of the nurses had whispered something about shock, but all I could wrap my brain around was how cold I was.
“Is my sister here yet?” I asked. I was desperate for someone other than a nurse or a doctor to come and tell me I would be okay. I wanted Mairin to come and joke with me. I wanted Xavier to hold me and whisper that he loved me. I wanted family. I needed comfort and anything that would keep the terror I was fighting under control.
Dr. Coffman checked off a few things on his chart before looking at me again. “Your sister is in the waiting room with that young man of hers. As soon as I take some blood and have the analysis done to confirm your...well, your condition, I'll send them in."
From the way he'd talked about Mathias, I knew Dr. Coffman was aware something was different about my sister's boyfriend. Considering how easily the doctor had accepted the existence of and problems associated with the were virus, I doubted he'd be too upset to know other monsters lived in our small town. However, a vampire in a hospital room posed problems the doctor might not want to deal with.
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