After we get the copter fueled up, Diego suggests we take it up for a test flight before heading out on the search, just in case we need to tweak anything or a light needs replacing. I climb in the back and buckle in, only to be jolted a moment later when Candy knocks on the window.
I holler up to Diego to wait and throw open the sliding door. “Hey, what are you doing here?”
“I got your note. Thought I’d come by and help.”
“We’re done, but thanks. Going up for a short test flight before we leave on the search. I’ll be back soon.”
“I can help the search. Kind of like last time, remember when you needed help finding the hunters?”
Frustration fills me. “Yeah, except this time Vivian and Rafe are here. Have you forgotten?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten.” Her smiling face falters a bit, and she reaches up to twist the silver chain at her neck. “But maybe you did. Didn’t we talk about, you know, telling them about us? This seems to be the perfect time. I could help, if you give me the chance. Fly out to scout ahead as an eagle, or an owl. I may not be able to cover as much distance as a helicopter, but my eyesight will be better, and I can get closer to the ground to check for debris.”
“I appreciate the offer, hon. But I’m not so sure it’s a good idea.”
“Why not? You’ve got one helicopter—it doesn’t matter how many eyes are in it, you still only have the one helicopter. Not using me is kind of like not using the only two guns you own when you go into a gunfight, and leaving your shotgun at the house.”
Her eyes open wide, their deep brown depths showing honesty and sincerity. She really does think this is a good idea. I know she has to meet them, I swear I’m not acting like some stupid teenager afraid to introduce his girlfriend to his parents, despite what everyone is saying. There is this feeling inside me, I’m not quite sure how to describe it, it’s a cross between despair and excitement. It makes me feel like I want to throw up.
“Okay,” I say. “Let me think about it, all right? We need to focus on getting the helicopter ready and get out there searching.”
Disappointment crosses her features. “I get it Jon, I really do. We’ve only been together for a few weeks—and you’ve pledged yourself to a master vampire.”
I glance upfront, the tension inside me growing. She talks about this stuff as if everyone knows. Thankfully, Diego’s occupied with running through all the switches and testing of things, and he’s not paying attention to us. Good.
“Can we talk about this later? I know your heart is in the right place but this is not where we should be discussing it,” I raise my eyebrows, and motion to Diego with my head. “You get what I mean, right?”
She rocks back on her heels, clearly annoyed. “Whatever. You’re going to be leaving the resort soon. Without me, right? You, Rafe, Vivian—just the three of you.” The way she says it has me flash-backing to my recent dream and feeling guilty. “You either tell her now, or you spring it on her after you’ve left when she’s going to feel vulnerable and not her best. Do you really think that’s a wise idea?”
I can’t deny she’s making sense. If I were to put myself in Vivian shoes, where I’m trying to battle, conceivably, what could be the biggest conflict I’ve ever faced in a half millennia, and my right-hand man is hiding something from me, how would I react to that? Dammit, I hate it when she’s right.
“Okay, you’ve made your point. I do think you’d be an asset during the rescue. And you’re right, I should tell them about us sooner rather than later. But, can’t you also understand where this puts me? I need to find the right time. I need to find the right words, and so far ‘this,’” I motion back and forth between us with my hands, “is bigger than I ever intended. Our relationship has gone on longer than I feel comfortable hiding a secret from her—and she’s gonna be looking in my mind later.” A sigh eases out of me. “I need to do it. And there’s probably no ‘right’ time.”
Candy leans in to rest a hand on my knee, and gently draws me forward for a kiss. Her soft lips brush mine, the lingering warmth calming the conflict racing inside me. Why am I so undecided? Is it fear?
“Don’t beat yourself up over this, Jon. You’re thinking about it way too much.”
Impulsively, I decide to end all this back and forth crap. “You’re right. Let’s tell them tonight.” Her face lights up and I make another quick decision. “Come on,” I move to the side to allow her entry, “it’s just a short test flight. Might as well join us.”
“Sounds like fun,” she says while climbing in, her good mood restored.
I signal to Diego we’re ready to take off, and slip on a headset, handing Candy one as well and adjusting them to a closed channel between the two of us. Within minutes we’re airborne. Candy can’t hide her enthusiasm, she’s practically wiggling in her seat. “I’m so excited! I’ve never flown in a helicopter before.”
I motion to her jumpsuit. “Really? I never would have figured. You look the part.”
She smiles and unzips the front, revealing she’s naked underneath. “I want to help. Thought I could change into a bird and fly down for a closer look if we see anything.”
“Um… okay. But that would only work if it’s just the two of us.”
She motions to Diego, whose attention is not on us. “You think he can see? His eyes are scanning out the windshield. I’ll be fine.”
Unsure what to say, I sit back in my seat and wait. The door to the helicopter lies open, the wind rushing in to whip our clothes back and forth.
“So tell me,” Candy says, “why isn’t the local search and rescue on top of things?”
“Because we don’t want them to find Drew and the boys.”
“I know why we don’t want them on the job, but what reasonable excuse did you guys give them to keep them from starting a search?”
“We told them the plane went down, we’d heard from the survivors, and had arranged transport back. And that no medical assistance was needed.”
“And just like that, they believed you and called off the search?”
“Well, if you’re an ancient vampire with connections, apparently people listen. Even in backwoods Alaska.”
Diego flies us over the vast, untouched forest below. The never-ending sun hangs just above the eastern horizon, teasing us with its glow. It’s pre-dawn, despite the light, and I’m tired. I’d like nothing more than to climb back in bed and sleep for a few more hours.
Thinking of my bed brings a combination of elation and guilt. Elation, because I’ve finally found someone to share my bed on a daily basis, and quite possibly for the foreseeable future. Guilt, not only because of my recent erotic dream, but because Eric and Pat aren’t home safely in their beds.
I should probably feel bad for Drew, but oddly, I don’t. Maybe it’s because the blood sucking fool has already lived for over a century, or it could be because I have a dark suspicion the damned undead bastard would be fine, and it’ll be my packmates who are drained of their lives before he meets his maker. Sneaky son of a bitch.
“Thinking about Eric and Pat again?” Candy asks, breaking into my silent musings.
“Yeah, you caught me.”
“I’m sure they’ll be okay.”
“Really?” I snap. “And how can you be so sure? There is one thing I am positive of—and it’s that fanged bastard will make sure he’s okay before anyone else.”
Surprise flits across Candy’s face. “I thought he was part of your seethe. You sound kind of pissed.”
I shake my head and look out over the blanket of green trees below us. “I’m loyal to Vivian, Rafe, and my pack first, then whomever Vivian has added to her vampire family.”
She looks contemplative. “Is that something you three worked out when Eric and Pat arrived?”
“Not verbally, no.” Tension coils in my gut. “More implied. Vivian wants me to have my own pack, my own life. She never wanted me to become obsessed with her and lose my sense of self.”
/> Now it’s Candy’s turn to look out over the vast expanse of Alaska unfolding below us, her expression closed and contemplative. “You’re a lucky man, Jon. She’s a good woman.”
I reach out and take her hand in mine. “So are you. I’m sorry I made you— us—wait to tell them. Not sure if it’s my own insecurities or what.”
She squeezes my hand. “I understand. Trust me.”
“You’ve made comments before like that. How do you know so much about living with a master vampire?”
“Because I lived with one, too.”
Before I have a chance to ask her more about her statement, Diego’s voice crackles over our headsets. “We’re about ten miles out from the resort. Wanted to give you the heads up in case… you know.”
That’s his way of referring to whatever ‘magic’ I hope to achieve with sticking my head out the door, like a damn dog scenting danger, or a tunafish sandwich, on the horizon.
Candy looks at me and smiles, sliding her headset off. “That’s my cue, big guy. I want to show you how I can help.” She unzips her mechanic’s jumpsuit and steps out. In an instant she transforms, the change happening so fast, it’s like water pours over her, a new winged shape emerging as the transformation flows across her body.
A very large bald eagle stands in her place, claws curled in the pile of recently discarded clothing and shoes, sharp gaze trained in my direction.
Admiration squeezes the air out of my lungs. “Incredible.”
She doesn’t respond, stepping carefully out of the pile of clothes before walking awkwardly toward the open door. Without a backward glance, she dives out of the helicopter, head first, wings unfurling the moment she clears the door.
I lean out, fist wrapped around a sturdy hand hold, watching her rapid descent into the vast sky. After watching her for a few minutes, she travels under the copter, out of my sight. I tap the mic button on my headset. “Diego, circle to the left. Let’s head back.”
The helicopter banks hard, shifting the contents tied down in the cabin of the military-like vehicle. Grabbing a pair of binoculars, I scan the wooded treetops, hoping for a sign of Candy.
She’s larger than an average eagle, and stunning in her flight. I know she’d be an asset during the search, but I really wish I didn’t have to handle this situation right now, when I’d rather be focused on the rescue.
Life is so much easier without adding love to the mix. Too bad it’s also a lot more lonely, too.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ERIC
We’ve been slowly making our way northeast with the understanding that eventually we’re going to come across Haul Road, the only maintained road that lies between the resort and Fairbanks. Following it will eventually lead us to Coldfoot, which is still farther south than Deadfoot, the village that lies closest to the inn. I laughed the first time I heard the name Coldfoot, but now, as I stumble under the weight of a weak and exhausted vampire, I understand it a bit more.
People who were traveling from Fairbanks to Dead Horse in Purdhoe Bay, which more than likely would have been for the oil industry, would often get ‘cold feet’ half way there and turn back to Fairbanks. That’s how the little town—which is really a last chance stop for gas, hot food, and a bed—found its name.
The ten residents who make up the town often share a chuckle over the visitors who turn back, but they’re nice enough to wait until the runners are out of ear shot first.
“Slow down,” Drew says, his voice panting. “The sun is too much. I need a break.”
Pat stiffens, tension radiating from the grip he has on Drew’s midsection. I imagine he’s refraining from barking out, “Another one?!?” Which I’m grateful he’s able to hold back, because it sure as hell won’t help the situation.
We stop near a tall tree, angling Drew’s body so he’ll get the maximum shade from the sparse leaf coverage.
The battered vampire peers at us through the arm holes of a Victoria’s Secret pink tank top tied around his head with paracord. If he wasn’t so sorry looking, hunched over and bleeding from the small sections of skin that were exposed during shifts of the fabric, then it’d probably be funny. But as the crotchety old bastard said when Pat first chuckled at his ensemble, “It beats being dead.”
The vampire lets out a deep sigh, leaning against the trunk and lowering his head. “I need…”
“Let me guess,” Pat says. “More blood? If we keep feeding you, we may become too weak to continue carrying you.”
He laughs, a raspy sound. “Weak werewolves? Now there’s a thought.”
“He’s right,” I say. “We’re not regular soldiers anymore, Pat. We can handle this.” I step closer, lifting my wrist to Drew. “Here, man. If you need it, I’m here.”
The cowering vampire lifts the tank above his chin and I place my skin against his lips. Drew’s weakness is so severe he can barely use a sharp fang to pierce the flesh and drink. Or, I could be wrong, and he’s holding back his inner hunger to ensure he doesn’t attempt to drink me down in one gulp.
Pat looks on, his lip curled in disgust or annoyance, I can’t tell which. I hope he’ll eventually understand. It shouldn’t matter that Drew’s not pack, not a werewolf, and technically no longer human. Being humane in our actions toward him defines us more than it’s a reflection of him being a blood-sucking parasite.
My old friend appears to have contained his inner conflicts for now, and works to rearrange the clothing covering Drew’s hands, cringing at the blood dripping from a burn on his pinkie finger. “I’ll donate next time, Drew. Just let us know when you need it. I won’t be shitty about it, I promise.”
Finally eager to do something useful, rather than complain, he takes off the backpack snagged from the wreckage and pulls out two water bottles. He twists off the top and hands a bottle to me. “Drink it, man. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us. You’ll be able to produce more blood as you walk if you stay hydrated.”
Next, he fishes back into the bag and pulls out a protein bar. “Eat this next, to make sure you don’t get dizzy from blood loss.”
I set down my water bottle and grab the offered food. “Thanks.”
Drew pulls back, his mouth utterly clean, as is my wrist. “No, thank you. Thank you both. I wouldn’t be able to go on if it wasn’t for the two of you.”
Happy he recognizes what we’re doing for him, I try to add some levity to the situation. “Hey, all of a sudden living above the Arctic circle in summer doesn’t seem like such a good idea, does it?”
“Ha!” Drew barks out, the sound forced from his lungs. “The understatement of the year, right there. If I’d thought the plane would go down, I never would have volunteered to teach you bastards how to fly in the summer.”
Pat eases his shoulder under Drew’s arm, helping to shift the thinner man’s weight back onto his broader shoulders. “Yeah, well, who the hell ever counts on the plane going down? That was fucking freaky.”
Even though Drew’s been giving us flight lessons for a few months now, I don’t know enough about the mechanics of a plane to harbor a guess as to why our aircraft stopped working mid-flight. Without thinking, the first thing that comes to mind pops out of my mouth, “Hey—here’s a thought. Could it have been sabotage?”
Drew staggers and I slip his other arm over my shoulders. “I don’t know,” he says. “Anything is possible. I’m sure we’d need experts to examine the wreckage to determine.”
Pat shakes his head. “Nah, not gonna happen. Who the hell would travel back there to check? I don’t think it was sabotage. There’s no one on the resort who’d wish us harm.” After a few moments of silence, Pat asks, “What about that chick in the dining room you were hitting on last week?”
“Come on, man. I asked her out on a date. That’s not a I-must-kill-them-in-a-fiery-plane-crash worthy event.”
Undeterred by his physical pain, Drew whispers, “What… about… you, Pat? Who’d you bang and piss off?”
“That is so unfair, m
an. And besides, you’re just guessing on the pissed-off part. The ladies I’m with aren’t complaining in the end.”
I bark out a laugh. “Is that because they’re mute or asleep?”
“Snaggle-toothed bastard! Shut the hell up. I’d never touch a girl who was passed out. Give me some credit, man. Well, except maybe to snuggle up next to her and sleep off my own hangover.”
I look ahead, through the bush, wondering if we’re heading in the right direction. Being this far north also means you can’t use the sun as a guide and your magnetic compass may screw up, too.
“Does anyone know where we’re going?” I ask, starting to worry as the day seems to drag on forever. Okay, that’s a valid reason to not be so happy about the constant daylight. It’s hard to gauge how long you’ve been doing something, especially if you’re lost in thought or struggling to make your way through woods that have probably never seen a human before.
“I have a vague idea,” Pat answers.
“Should we be worried?”
“I…ah” Drew stammers. “I know where we are. Or more importantly, I know exactly where Vivian is.”
“Really? Where is she now?”
“That way,” he says, pointing straight to the left of us.
“How does that work?”
“We’re linked. Through blood. I can sense her in my mind, deep down in a corner, like her presence, or a connection, always lingers. She never pushes her way into my mind like I imagine most manipulators would do if they could. Considering all she can do, she’s pretty respectful.”
We’re all quiet for a moment while his words sink in.
“That’s creepy as fuck,” Pat says. “How the hell do you sleep? Jeez, or do the horizontal mambo with Chelly? Aren’t you afraid you’ll have an extra set of eyes on you… you know… while you’re getting busy?”
“Do you actually review the words you want to speak,” Drew’s voice pants out in bursts while trying to step over a large fallen branch, “before they make it out of your mouth?”
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