Tanya scrunched her face in confusion. Why would they make the effort of tracking them down just for this? What was the real purpose for their visit? If they were truly tired of being puppets on a string, then they could run away and live their lives wherever and however they wanted.
Earadessa swore. Tanya had no idea what was happening, but she was starting to get really nervous. If Sabastian was okay, then there would be no need for swearing.
“They’re letting him know of the group that will be here tomorrow. The same ones we’re preparing for I suppose.” Earadessa met Tanya’s gaze, her eyes conveying it would all be alright because they had each other and were in this together.
“Why do they care whether we get killed or not?” Dannika had a good point. What did it matter to them if they survived?
“They know that if Damion takes over the throne then the outcome will be grave,” Earadessa answered matter-of-factly.
“What do you mean?” Serienna asked. Fear marred her face more than it had before.
“I think that I will leave this story for Sabastian.” Earadessa grinned at Serienna.
Tanya looked out the window again, relieved to see Sabastian walking back toward their vehicle. His hands were shoved into his jeans pockets. The smile on his face let her know they would be fine, at least for now.
Earadessa shifted the SUV into reverse, backing out so she could drive toward her beloved. He opened the passenger door to get in, then looked back toward them. “No need to worry.” The tone of his voice and his body language put them all at ease.
Parking in their usual spot under the covered parking area, Earadessa opened the door to get out. “Come on. Let’s get showered, I’m ready for this concert.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Tanya was surprised by how excited Sabastian and Earadessa seemed to be about the concert. The two of them acted like teenagers about to go out to see their favorite band. Both of them fussed over their outfits and shoes. They tried on everything they had with them. Jeez, they were worse than the blonde trio.
In light of the current danger, it was good to see them lighthearted and having fun.
On the way to the event center, Earadessa turned around. “We’re almost there. Are you guys as excited as I am?” She giggled. “I really needed something like this to relieve some of the stress.”
Everyone nodded. This was exactly what they all needed. The last few days had been enough to cause anyone to develop an aneurism.
“Here we are,” Sabastian said as he rounded the corner. “I’ll drop you all off at the door and park the vehicle in the parking area, then I’ll join you in line.”
Pulling up to the front of the building, he let them out and left to park.
The line at the door surprised Tanya. It stretched as long as the building was wide and girls were crowding in groups holding up Enation posters, screaming obnoxiously. “Wow, this band must really be something to get this kind of attention,” Regina said as they found their place in the long line. “I can’t believe I’ve never heard of them.”
“I think you’ll love them. When I looked them up earlier, I was thoroughly impressed.” For Makinzee to be impressed, they had to be a great band. She’s picky with her music, not just any band can make her cut.
By the time Sabastian made his way to them, they were at the front of the line. He stepped in front of Earadessa and bent to speak through the opening in the plexiglass window. “There are seven of us.
The ticket lady leaned forward, exposing her cleavage. “That’ll be eighty-four dollars, sir.” He handed her a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill, and she gave him his change with a bat of her eyes followed by a wink.
Tanya heard the sharp intake of breath then heard Dannika whisper, “Oh no she didn’t.”
Weaving through the screaming girls on their hunt for their assigned seating, Earadessa nudged Dannika. “Honey, please don’t be offended at what you just saw.”
Dannika looked shocked. “Aren’t you?”
Earadessa shook her head. “No. Think about it. Was he holding my hand or showing any signs of interest in me?”
After learning those two were soul mates it was hard for them to remember they kept that nugget of information a secret. “No, and I know that you guys like to keep your relationship a secret. I’m sorry.” Dannika knew the reason they hid their relationship from the world. It clearly affected her as much as it did Tanya.
“No need to apologize.” Earadessa pointed at the row of seats in front of them. “Look, this is where our seats are.”
Eyes wide, Tanya was shocked to see they had floor seats directly in the center of the stage. Sabastian sat on the aisle seat, Earadessa next to him. Serienna sat next to Earadessa then there was Regina, Makinzee, Dannika, and Tanya.
Tanya let the worry of upcoming danger rest on the backburner while she focused on the stage before her. The lights shut off, and bright, neon lights lit up the stage. A guy, maybe the announcer, walked onto the stage and spoke into the microphone. “Hello, everybody. Are you ready to rock this place?”
The crowd cheered, and all the fangirls frantically waved their hands in the air, their voices piercing Tanya’s eardrums.
“Well then, give it up for Enation!” He clapped his hands then exited the stage.
Colored lights flickered along the edge of the stage adding a whole new atmosphere. Drums echoed through the building. The keyboard picked up next, and a tall, handsome guy walked up to the microphone carrying a guitar. “Hello, Oklahoma City!”
If Tanya thought these teenage girls were loud before, now they could wake the dead with their earsplitting screams. A guard had to pull one teenage girl away from the stage. Apparently, she’d climbed up the side.
An elbow hit Tanya in the ribs. “Oh, my gosh, Tay, look at the singer.” Dannika pointed. “Do you recognize him?”
“Um…” Tanya squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look. His shoulder-length hair parted in the middle and framed his face and his facial hair was neatly trimmed. “He looks familiar, but I can’t place a name to his face.” Where did she know him from? Music wasn’t a big thing for her, so she knew it wasn’t band related.
“Okay, Tay, look really hard.” Dannika leaned into her like she thought that would help Tanya’s memory.
Straightening her spine, Tanya focused on his face. It was tough to see him clearly with all the blinking lights. Only the side profile of his face was visible to her, and she bit her bottom lip trying to remember where she’d seen him.
Strumming the guitar, his gaze scanned the crowd and landed on her. As if reading her mind, he turned and gave her a clear view of his face, and she gasped. She did recognize him.
Dannika giggled. “You recognize him, don’t you?”
She did. “Yes, from our daytime soap.” He played her favorite character on GH, but he’d been absent for a couple of years. She had no idea he was out pursuing music. The man had stolen her heart many years ago when he’d first appeared on the show as a kid.
“Yeah. Dang, it’s about time. How on earth could you forget a face as beautiful as that?” Dannika had that dreamy look in her eyes as she watched him sing.
The man could sing. His voice was powerful yet soothing at the same time. Passion erupted from him as he sang the words to Everything Is Possible. Jonathan had quickly become one of Tanya’s favorite singers.
Just as she was getting lost in the song, Regina called out her name. Tanya opened her eyes to look in the direction of her friend. Regina pointed at the stage, at Jonathan, and said, “Oh my goodness. It’s our man.”
A laugh rumbled out of Tanya. They all loved Jonathan, the man was sexy as hell. “Yeah, I know.”
Closing her eyes, Tanya let herself get lost in the lyrics once again.
As the words flowed from his mouth,
she realized that no matter what their current situation was, everything was possible. As long as they believed in themselves and put their trust in Ratri, then they could have victory over anything that dared to attack them.
Chapter Forty-Eight
After the concert, they found themselves at a twenty-four-hour café. None of them were hungry, they just needed the time to unwind after such an electric performance.
Sabastian leaned back against his seat and sipped his coffee. “Okay, girls, we have a lot of training still yet. In the morning, I want to work on using your sense of hearing to visualize your surroundings.”
Groans came from Makinzee and Regina.
Ignoring them, Sabastian continued as if they hadn’t just interrupted him. “We will have full access to the gym again around noon. I have no doubt, after what I’ve witnessed today, that you girls can catch up in the short amount of time that we have.”
Tanya wasn’t sure about that but she hoped he was right.
Serienna bit her thumbnail. “Do you think we will be able to defeat the ones that are coming for us?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.” He lifted his coffee mug to his lips. “You girls were doing very well today, like you’d been in training for months. Honestly, I’m astonished at the rate at which you all are learning.”
The waitress brought a bowl of fruit to the table with several plates.
“Thank you,” Tanya said. Once the woman was out of earshot, she turned her attention back to Sabastian. There was a question weighing heavy on her mind. “Sabastian?” She wasn’t sure how to ask him about the two people he’d talked with earlier. Was there a reason he hadn’t shared this information with them already?
Setting his coffee mug down, he folded his hands. “What is it, Tanya?”
Nervous, she toyed with the napkin in her hand. “Who was behind our hotel earlier?”
“Their names are Ricardo and Carlos DeLeon. They’re brothers.” Scooping fruit onto his plate, he stabbed a strawberry with his fork. “I don’t know much about them, other than Damion awakened them two hundred years ago. All this time they have served him faithfully.”
“But why make the effort to track us down and warn us about his plans?” Dannika asked. Tanya wondered the same thing. Why bother, it wasn’t as if they wanted to join Lazarith’s side in this war.
“I guess they’ve grown tired of being ordered to help build this army against you and Lazarith.” He popped a grape in his mouth. “They said they’ve never been in agreement with Damion taking over the throne. They’ve attempted to leave his ever-growing army, but he has threatened to kill them if they do.”
Damion threatened to kill them if they left his army yet they made the effort to warn them of the upcoming attack. Tanya thought that logic was flawed. “Why aren’t they in agreement, and why would he kill them for wanting to leave?” Tanya was curious why they’d remained with him all this time if they didn’t agree with his plans.
“Well, Tanya, right now we live in harmony with humans. If Damion overtakes the throne, he will go on a killing spree and wipe them from the face of this earth. Of course, he’ll keep several in cages for feeding purposes.” Sabastian cringed at his own words. “With humans gone, the rest of us vamps will either have to join forces with him or starve to death.”
“Oh my…” Dannika said.
“Gosh,” Tanya finished.
“Yes.” Sabastian dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “His plan is to create a world where he is god.”
That was sick and twisted. What kind of a person would be so full of hate and evil intent? Tanya saw the heat rising in Makinzee’s face. It was a mock of her own emotions. She was livid. This monster had to be stopped.
“That’s just pure evil.” Serienna ran her fingertip around the edge of her coffee mug. “But these brothers came here to warn us?”
Why couldn’t everything be simple, like it was before they’d been awakened? A month ago, Tanya’s biggest worry was wondering if she had enough money to pay her cell phone bill. Now, they were on the run from their sire’s biological son. A man that wanted them dead, wiped off the face of the earth.
“Yes. They came to warn us about the group of girls that Damion has ordered to come here and kill you.” Sabastian’s eyes darkened. “These girls have trained for this day for a hundred years.”
Tanya had just bitten into a strawberry and nearly choked on it. “Whoa, wait a minute. They’ve been in training for a hundred years?” Dropping the rest of the strawberry, she asked, “How in the heck are we supposed to win this fight against them, when they’re more skilled than we are?” She was no fighter, and if they had been in training for this long, how did the five of them even stand a chance?
“Like I said earlier.” Sabastian leaned forward. “You girls are extremely fast learners. It would take most people several weeks to learn what you did today.”
Dannika shredded her napkin, a nervous habit of hers and Tanya worried her cousin was in the midst of having a mental breakdown.
Earadessa set her hand over Dannika’s to calm her. “Lazarith knew that you all were special. I think tomorrow will go in our favor.”
Dannika never looked up from the table. “I don’t want to wait until tomorrow to learn to use my ears as my eyes. Can we learn now?”
Sabastian looked at Earadessa. Before saying a word, she glanced around. They were the only customers in the place. Shrugging, she said, “I don’t see why not.” Pushing her chair back, she stood, taking Dannika by the hand. “We’ll start with you, honey.”
The grin that spread on Dannika’s face reached her eyes. “Okay, tell me what to do.”
Earadessa took a moment to explain she would need to close her eyes and concentrate on the sounds around her. “First, you need to determine which noises are important so you can bring those to the surface and let them paint a picture in your mind.”
“Okay.”
“Right now, I want you to focus on me.” At first, Earadessa just walked around the diner, letting Dannika determine which direction she was in. After Dannika could track her without hesitation, she moved on to the harder tasks.
Each person had a chance to practice. When they were able to track the movements of others, Sabastian added another sense to the mix. “Okay. Let’s try something new.”
“What?” Makinzee arched a brow.
He chuckled at her expression. “I want you to use your sense of smell along with hearing. You need to be able to mix scents with sounds, it will help you determine every aspect of your enemy.”
Tanya shut her eyes and zoned in on the sense of smell, soon mixing it with her sense of hearing. It wasn’t long before she could determine what scents wafted in the air, and where they came from.
“Muy bien, girls.” Earadessa beamed with approval. “Now, you will still have the ability to fight even if your sight has been compromised.”
Sabastian wrapped his arm around Earadessa. “Don’t be afraid to use your powers as well, it will be of great help to you.” He dropped several dollar bills on the table. “Once you’re in battle, your combat skills will kick in like second nature.”
Tanya sighed. Tomorrow was something she’d been stressing about. It was good to hear they would be great and their skills would kick in when they needed them. This whole combat stuff was all new to them. Thanks to all the movies they’d seen over the years, they had an idea of what to expect, but having an idea and having skills were two totally different things.
As if picking up on their stress, Earadessa said, “Ladies, didn’t I tell you not to worry?”
“Yes,” Serienna answered. “But we are naturally worrywarts.”
“I can understand that.” Earadessa gave her a hug. “It’s only natural to have fears. It’s when you no longer fear anything that you start to become evil.” Sh
e paused before speaking again. “You will have to learn to put those fears to rest and focus on the positive.”
“Okay,” they all agreed.
“Now, who’s ready to head back to the hotel?” Earadessa asked. “I don’t know about you girls, but I am worn out.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
The trip back to the hotel seemed to take forever, the excitement from the day finally draining the last of Tanya’s energy. Stumbling like a drunken girl, Dannika made her way to the bedroom doorway before exhaustion won out. She turned the doorknob and propped herself up on the doorframe, resting her head on her arm, too tired to trek to the bed.
What happened next passed by in just a matter of seconds but seemed to play out in slow motion. Tanya’s eyes widened, Dannika was about to bite the dust. Sabastian must have noticed her body sagging at the same time Tanya did. Being the closest one to her, he ran over and caught her before she hit the floor.
Footsteps came up behind Tanya and stopped. Serienna, Makinzee, and Regina giggled at the sight of Dannika. Whipping her head around, Tanya gave them a sharp look. It’s not like they hadn’t been exhausted before. They tossed their purses on the desk, waved goodnight, then retreated to the other bedroom.
Pushing her irritation with their lack of concern to the backburner, she waved back. Now was not the time to start a fight. “Goodnight, have sweet dreams.”
“Oh, we will.” Regina blew her a kiss then closed the door behind her.
Though her body was tired, her mind was too wired to go to bed just yet. Knowing tomorrow was the day, prevented her mind from slowing down enough to relax. Tanya sat on the couch with Earadessa while Sabastian checked the voicemail on his cell phone.
The television across the room taunted her. It might do her mind some good to just veg out for an hour or so. Rather than reaching for the remote, she shifted to see Earadessa. “I really had fun tonight. Thanks for giving us a night of fun. I needed it.”
Princesses of the Night (Royal Blood Book 1) Page 17