The droning voice of the professor made it hard not to nod off. Between my weapons training weekend, staying up late at night trying to catch up on schoolwork, and just getting by on a few hours’ sleep, I felt a bit like a zombie that next morning.
I thought I’d put enough time aside to get enough sleep, but I was exhausted. Four to five hours for a few days should have been enough for one of the Blood to get away with, but perhaps it was the added tiredness from the emotional storm my life had been for the last two weeks.
Captured and locked up by a crazy necromancer. Promised forever by Christina, locked up for a week by the witches, untrusted by the very Blood I risked my life for and warned off Carl’s daughter. Betrayed by Christina in a way that was final. I understood now her declarations that night must’ve been false passion due to her worry of my death, at least in part, but it still hurt. She’d been so sure and passionate when she’d said we’d be partnered in all ways. Though, it was already getting better, but I had a long way to go. I also wondered if her father had told her the truth, that I was some experiment to jump start a prophecy, a product of the council.
Then there was the half-demon, shifter, non-stop training, and trying to catch up on my work.
Is it any wonder that I was exhausted, physically and emotionally, or that I missed Serena so badly this last weekend? Serena was my only friend in this it seemed, the only one who hadn’t betrayed me or held me at arms-length from the beginning. So… I was pretty sure that’s what it was about, missing her I mean, she was the only part of my life that didn’t suck right now.
Oh, and I couldn’t forget that on top of all of that, I had to worry about the prophecy that may or may not be about me, and the true history that I’d learned of the past from Sara, no pressure there. I still didn’t have a clue how to move forward with that, or maybe I’d just had enough for now and was putting off that inevitable betrayal.
I knew exactly what to do, I had to reveal the truth, and prepare for the explosion of denials and betrayals, and the shadow of war. The fourth line made that clear enough, one will defend the last chance for peace and end the necromancer's blight on this world. Of course, figuring out what the last chance for peace was would be the trick, and living long enough to defend it.
Right then though, I found it difficult to think of a good enough reason to start that ball rolling, and free the Blood from their oath. Except, it was perhaps the one way to win past all the insanity, and maybe get back to a semi-normal life. There was also that family of necromancers I’d passed by the other day, a whole race of them. That did call to me, and I’d be saving or trying to save those kinds of necromancers from the blight, and the misled Blood.
But I needed a plan, this wasn’t something I could just wing and hope for the best, which had been my approach to most things in life as long as I could remember. Timothy was right, I wasn’t lazy, but where I could, I’d always coasted and went with the flow.
My mind however, wasn’t yielding one, a plan I mean.
The lecture came to an end, and I closed my notes and tossed them into my backpack. I tried to stretch surreptitiously as I stood up, maybe my late morning weight lifting and lunch would wake me up a bit. I wasn’t really paying attention as I left the building and headed toward Blood headquarters, so I winced a little when Christina walked up next to me.
“Can we talk?”
Nope. Absolutely not, too early for this shit and I was too tired.
But my mouth said, “What’s there to say?”
Christina said, “I’m sorry. Not for what I did, but how I did it.”
“Excuse me?” I asked a little incredulously.
She huffed, and I still hadn’t looked at her, and had no plans to do so.
“I’m not sorry for obeying my father, or for doing my duty. You know how I feel about those things. I am sorry I didn’t talk to you first, to settle things between us before Matt and I mated. It was… cowardly, to let my father’s words be the last spoken between us. I’m also sorry I did it without telling anyone first, and for worrying everyone about our safety, but I don’t regret the end result.”
Right, keep telling yourself that, she was nuts. The whole damn Blood race was crazy.
“Is that all?”
Christina replied, “That’s up to you, I don’t want things to be this awkward between us. I also wanted to thank you for your quick actions, you saved Matt’s life Friday night.”
My stomach roiled a bit at that. The first part, the let’s still be friends comment. Would it really be that easy for her, or was she just being naïve about relationships again?
“It made sense for me to handle that, not that I thought it through at the time, but you and your sister had the guns, and you both fight better than I do. Matt and I don’t get along all that well, but I have his back. As far as the other, that’s going to take time, longer than four days anyway.”
Christina said, “Fine, but I won’t let you ignore me forever.”
I sighed and stopped walking for a moment, as she jogged off ahead.
Chapter Twelve
Whap!
I rolled to my feet as my muscles screamed for mercy. My back hurt too, I’d hit the mat a little bit wrong that time.
Serena held up a hand, “You overdid your workout again, didn’t you,” she accused.
I tried to look innocent, and failed. I had taken out my frustration in the weight room again, not just with my conversation with Christina either, all the rest of the crap too. The muscle burn and physical pain helped, sort of. I pushed all that down, again, I was tired of thinking about it, but it was my life right now.
“Maybe?”
She snorted, “You’re moving slowly, like your arms are too tired to lift themselves. Did something happen?”
That… was accurate enough. My arms felt like cooked noodles. Which was stupid, but I was pretty sure they’d recover enough before patrol time tonight. The Blood bounced back fast and six or seven hours was almost a full day of recovery for a human. I’d be sore later, but not helpless.
I shrugged, “Got a lot on my mind.”
She studied me for a second, probably deciding whether to tell a wiseass joke, or take it seriously. I almost winced when she chose the latter. Her voice and eyes were compassionate, and she sounded truly interested.
“Want to talk about it?”
I shook my head, the last thing I wanted to talk to Serena about was Christina, and all the rest of it I couldn’t talk about, not yet. I wasn’t ready for Carl to find out, I wasn’t even sure when I would be ready. I needed to stop thinking about the problems, and start planning solutions, soon. But… not right now.
“We could play hooky, think Timothy would kill us?”
We were supposed to work out and spar every day to keep our edge. While he did have a good point, we put our lives in danger all the time and needed to be at our best, there was also a balance to life. A balance between duty and simply enjoying life that the Blood didn’t seem to know existed. Besides, I’d already worked my body hard enough today.
She laughed, “He might, what did you have in mind?”
I said conspiratorially, “Something that’s a total waste of time, fun, and possibly unhealthy.”
She giggled, “Let me get changed, out front in twenty?”
Her bright infectious smile forced one out of me, “That sounds like a plan.”
Now all I had to do was think of something that fit my off the cuff description…
The afternoon was fun, a blast, and more than a little bit silly. I almost felt like a normal person again, or as normal as I’d ever felt, for those few hours. Serena as usual was a bright spot in my life, and I couldn’t help but enjoy myself in her presence. She lifted the shadow of betrayal, and the weight of the knowledge I held about the future of all supernatural races off my shoulders for a short time.
She was passionate about life, and just a little mischievous and rebellious. She was the only Blood I knew that seem
ed to want more in her life than duty, and made it happen within herself, but at the same time she didn’t depend on others or things for her happiness. I don’t know how her attitude and amazing personality survived being raised as she was. Perhaps it was despite her surroundings, she’d been the youngest. Where some would have gotten bitter and resigned, she’d gone in the opposite direction.
She was not only fun, mischievous, and had a great sense of humor, but that kind of thing meant she was also probably the strongest person I’d ever met.
First, we’d gone to get ice cream cones, totally frivolous, and quite possibly unhealthy. Then I took our supernaturally advanced proprioception, added it to a quick stop at a sporting goods store, and we became street performers for about an hour. It took maybe five minutes to come up with a juggling act with nine tennis balls between the two of us. It was silly, and quite possibly ridiculous, but we had fun doing it.
We even made about thirty bucks in loose change and dollar bills.
Serena laughed as she sat on the bench beside me. She was… gorgeous, not just her looks, but the flush of excitement in her cheeks, and her dancing eyes. Her very presence added to her natural beauty. I looked away before I stared too long and it got weird. I was starting to question my conclusions about why I’d missed her this past weekend, but it was impossible. Wasn’t it? As things stood now, she was Christina’s sister, who I was still tied up in knots about from the betrayal, and she was another Blood I wouldn’t be allowed to pursue anyway. Plus, she’d already told her father she had no interest in me that way, we were just… friends. Right? Then there was the fact she was the only fun attractive woman in my life right now, it was all too confused.
Dear lord, I was an idiot, and a sucker. Because my traitorous mind jumped to the point that things were about to change in the supernatural community, just as soon as I opened my mouth and revealed the truth. Which meant it was merely highly unlikely, instead of impossible. But even if I was starting to have feelings for her, it was too soon. Even if the reverse was somehow true as well, after all, just because she wasn’t looking for more, didn’t mean she wouldn’t find it anyway and change her mind.
We’d had an awful lot of fun together and got along great the last week, but this was hardly the time for it, so I pushed it all down. I’d settle for my fun crazy friend, and she was definitely that, at least I wasn’t tired anymore, and in a much better mood, if slightly confused about what I felt.
It was safer that way, wasn’t I messed up enough? I didn’t need more complications or drama right now. Still, we were kind of perfect for each other, or at least it seemed so. I was such an idiot.
“What next?” she asked a little breathily.
I thought about it, glad for the distraction. A game of some kind maybe? But pool and darts were too easy for us, I’d never had fun playing them before, and now I knew why. Advanced proprioception along with spatial awareness made that kind of thing way too easy. We needed a game or sport that depended on luck more than skill. There weren’t many of those, the only thing that came to mind was miniature golf, that was far more about luck, and knowing the tricks of the course than about putting skill, but we’d have to go to the suburbs for that.
“I’m out of ideas, at least frivolous ones. How about a movie and dinner before we go back to face the music, and arm up for patrol?”
She snickered, “It won’t be that bad, stern disapproval and head shaking. I’ve skipped before, the very first time we met if you recall.”
“I did, I was rather tied up at the time.”
She giggled, “Yes, you were. Theatre? Or did you want to watch something in your dorm room?”
She fluttered her eyelashes at me, her play flirting wasn’t helping my state of mind at this point, but it still made me smile.
I laughed, “I’d say the latter, but I’m pretty sure my dorm room is bugged.”
Shit, that kind of just slipped out. It was too easy to let my guard down around Serena.
She gasped, “Seriously?”
I nodded, “It could be my roommate, I’m not sure.”
She frowned, “But you think it could be my father.”
I shrugged, “There are still things you can’t tell me about, right? Just in case I taint myself and go rogue on you all? I know he wanted me to move into the facility, I suppose I wouldn’t put it past him but I’m not really worried about it either. If it’s him, I’m sure he just wants to keep an eye on me. Point was, the dorm room is out. Which is a shame, because my bed’s very comfortable.”
She looked a little amused at my return flirt at the end there, but sobriety won this time.
She sighed, and leaned against me, “Yes, there are a few things. Nothing major, just the everyday specifics, not about the other races or history or anything.”
It seemed like every time she told me something I might take offense at, she touched me or leaned against me. I wasn’t complaining, I just really hadn’t put that together until now. This time though she had her whole body against mine.
I cleared my throat, and tried not to enjoy her against me, or her scent. I failed. She was a perfect fit.
“Operational security,” I muttered the first words I could think of that sounded sane.
She nodded and bit her lip before patting my leg and sitting up straight. I missed the warmth of her body against mine under the cool October afternoon sun, but her hand lingered for a moment as she said, “You make me forget all that when we spend time together, you know. I don’t believe you’d ever turn on us, not even my sister. You saved Matt without a second thought… and you won’t even let me walk home alone. If it wasn’t already clear, I trust you with my life, I have from the start.”
If only it was that easy, because she was right, but it was them that would turn on me if they knew what I knew. I was starting to think duty was a bad four letter word. They wouldn’t see it that way of course, they’d follow their orders, and believe I was crazy, or had a dangerous soft spot for the enemy. At best, I’d be dropped in a hole somewhere to rot.
Even if I did convince the Blood, what about the Witches and Shifters? The Necromancers too, after being slaughtered for thousands of years, I doubted they’d accept a simple, I’m sorry my bad, let’s be friends now and trust each other, were here to help, and the slaughter was just a simple misunderstanding. Nothing about this would be easy.
I smiled though, her trust touched me, “I wish I could keep you too, our…” I struggled for the right word, and rejected friendship out of hand. Finally I said, “Our partnership is the brightest part of this crazy world I’ve been pulled into. So… a movie? We can eat too much popcorn.”
She blushed and smiled in agreement at my words, maybe she did feel more for me now than she did when she’d told her father she didn’t and wouldn’t, if that makes sense. Things change after all.
Then she nodded her approval of my plan, but it wasn’t to be. Both our phones went off at the same time. I pulled mine out and it was from Carl, we had to get back to headquarters, Sam Mendelson was headed back into town…
Chapter Thirteen
We’d already had our knives with us, but we stopped by the weapons vault and I grabbed a nine millimeter along with one extra clip. I wouldn’t need more than that, or rather I’d be dead if I did. I also had to change my shirt, and picked a loose sweatshirt to hide the bulge in the small of my back. I’d made sure the weapon was on safe, and no round was chambered, so I wouldn’t shoot my ass off, but it was still uncomfortable. I wasn’t used to it.
It was also cool enough out now that wearing a sweatshirt wouldn’t look weird, still it would be easier in the colder months, when I could wear a long heavy coat. We shared a glance and got our game faces on, and then headed for Carl’s office on sublevel two.
I was thankful when Serena took the chair next to her sister so I wouldn’t have to, and I slipped into the seat next to hers.
Carl asked, “Where were you two?”
Serena frowne
d, “Taking the afternoon off. Tom was too sore for a sparring work out. What’s going on with the target?”
Carl sighed, “We’ll talk about it later then. Jo called and said he was moving back into town, we’re waiting for a call back now. We’re assuming he’s on his way to one of the parks in the city, and Jo will call us with which one as soon as she knows. It’s still early, but if we can catch him in human form things will go much better. Tom was cleared by Timothy this weekend, so is carrying as well. Hopefully, you’ll all be able to take him down before he kills again.”
“Do we know where he went?” I asked.
Carl nodded, “He was in Indiana for a couple of days, one city per day, the local Blood there failed to catch him, and he added two more counts to his kills. He’s given in to his darkest instincts, and is extremely dangerous, watch each other’s backs, and don’t screw up.”
Right, hunting a stronger apex predator with animal instincts and the intelligence of a human, extremely dangerous seemed rather understated to me. It made me miss the vampires and crazy necromancer. It also wasn’t lost on me that the last Blood to give their life in Chicago had been Carl’s mate, the sisters’ mother, which had happened during a shifter hunt.
Christina said, “We should eat, just in case it becomes an extended hunt.”
Carl grunted agreement, and said, “Go put something together quick, she might call any minute. Everyone but Serena, now.”
Serena and I shared a look, she looked horrified and embarrassed, but the truth was obvious to me. Playing hooky was never that big a deal for her before, but running off with me for a few hours? Suddenly it was a big deal. Never mind that we were just bonding as partners and enjoying our friendship, it was suspect activity with me involved, and she was about to be questioned about it. No doubt with judgement to catch any lies. After all, I was the dirty half-breed.
I got up and walked out, before I punched him in the face. Asshole. I also felt pity for them, all of them except Serena who was the only one who seemed to realize that life was more than just duty. We’d been born with a hero complex, each and every one of us suckers for a good cause, but that wasn’t all there was to life. What good was our appointed time on this world without enjoying it? In balance, of course. Still, the pity only went so far, the lack of trust was demoralizing, I’d done everything they’d asked, and hadn’t struck back or even complained at their unreasonable demands.
Revealed: Necromancer's Blight: Book 2 Page 9