Fight For Me

by K. A. Last

  Find Grace.

  That was the last thing I wanted to do. I had so many mixed emotions when it came to her. I couldn’t remember her, but she stirred something inside me I couldn’t explain, and I didn’t like it. I hated not knowing the truth.

  I retraced my steps through the tunnels, but I got lost and ended up wandering back and forth in the dark for I don’t know how long. My laughter bounced off the walls around me. Since I couldn’t die from anything other than a stake, beheading, or fire, I could spend an eternity trying to find my way out.

  When I’d almost given up, I found the door back into the subway tunnel. I’d never been so happy to see light penetrate the darkness. I waited for a passing train before I made my way along the tunnel to the platform. There weren’t many people around to notice me. They’d either boarded the train, or were headed up the stairs and out of the station. Those who did spot me climbing up from the tracks turned the other way. That’s how everyone was in the city. Mind your own business, or you could get into trouble.

  I stared at the train guard at the ticket gates to the station, using my glamour. He let me through, no questions asked. When I reached the end of the pedestrian tunnel, I stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Sunlight shone halfway down the steps, the stairway roof creating a shadow. People jostled around me, coming and going from the busy station.

  Could I really cross the line into the light without burning to death?

  What a spectacle that would be—bursting into flames in front of all those people.

  I stuck to the left wall and took a few steps up, towards the light. Maybe I could stick my hand into it to test it. I stopped one stair below the line of muted sunlight, gathering the courage I needed to take the final step.

  I flexed my fingers at my sides, trying to imagine how much it would hurt when my skin caught on fire. Slowly, I put my hand out, watching the line of light come closer to my fingers as I stretched them forward.

  A wave of people came up the stairs behind me, pushing me across the line. In a flash, everything became brighter. My skin prickled and I cried out, falling to my knees. I twisted against the wall, covering my face with my hands, waiting to die.

  “Watch it,” an angry voice said.

  “Move out of the way,” someone else said as they tripped over my foot.

  I held my hands out in front of me and watched the sunlight dance across my skin. It made it glow, as if it had a small amount of light below the surface, bursting to get out.

  My body sat half in and half out of the sun’s rays. From the waist down I was in shadow, but it was only my arms and face that felt the slight tingly prickle.

  Charlotte hadn’t lied.

  She was my creator, and I had her blood running through my veins.

  The tunnel had cleared of people, and I got to my feet, standing completely in the light. I turned my face up to the sky. Patches of grey-blue peeked through the heavy winter clouds. I climbed the stairs to the street, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city noise. My ears were in surround sound. I was so used to only being out at night, when there were less people and less cars; everything during the day was so much louder.

  I passed through Dhye Park, away from the station and the war memorial, concentrating on walking at a human pace. I didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to myself. I couldn’t quite believe I was able to walk around during the day.

  All sorts of different emotions coursed through me as I walked. Why didn’t Charlotte make more of an effort to tell me I was like her? Why didn’t Lilith want me to know she had a history with Charlotte? And Grace … In one moment I hated her, and then I loved her. Why was she really here? Did she care enough to come and find me, but not enough to try harder?

  Was I expecting too much from someone I didn’t remember?

  Charlotte had said Grace would be at home, and she was counting on me to know where she meant. I had two choices when it came to a place to call home in this city—Lilith’s place, or my original terrace with Charlotte.

  I was betting on Charlotte’s, and I hoped Grace was there when I arrived.

  We had some things to talk about.

  TWENTY-TWO

  Grace

  Sunday afternoon

  We misted and orbed back to Charlotte’s terrace to find the door kicked in. Archer secured it enough so we could get some rest, but I was on edge. It had probably been Lilith and Josh. She’d been wearing my crossbow, and an arrow was embedded into the bloodstain on the wall. I’d also found the empty photo frame in Josh’s room, the glass broken. He could’ve already had the photo on him, but if someone was after Charlotte again, vamps may have stopped by for a visit.

  Archer took the first watch, and with the five of us, we each managed to get a few hours rest.

  The contents of the fridge were next to nothing, unless you counted the bottles of blood, so Justice took a quick trip up the road to the nearest service station for some food.

  “Some weapons are missing,” Archer said. Our bags sat in the middle of the floor. He put them back behind the couch.

  “The mini crossbow. Lilith had it,” I said, biting into my sandwich. “Don’t stress, we have a room full of weapons at home.”

  Archer threw me some stakes to replace the missing ones from my belt, and he restocked his own.

  Hope stood at the glass doors, staring into the small courtyard. She’d been quiet since we’d left the park. Justice sat on the couch, picking at the edge of the slash in the cushion. His eyes had that vacant look achieved when someone was lost in their own thoughts.

  I wasn’t sure if I completely trusted them yet. Everything I’d been taught told me I could. They were hunters, the same as Archer and me. But I’d never come across another hunting team before, and the last angels that came to earth didn’t particularly like me, even when I was technically on their side.

  Hope reminds me of you, Archer thought.

  She’s nothing like me. I straightened and laid my sandwich on the bench.

  Archer smirked, but didn’t say anything. He polished the blade of his dagger with a tea towel he’d found in the bottom drawer.

  Someone knocked on the door.

  “Who would that be?” Justice said, pushing up off the couch.

  “Beats me.” I grabbed one of the crossbows from the suitcase and loaded it with a wooden arrow.

  “Grace, it’s the middle of the afternoon. What do you need that for?” Ryan scratched his head.

  “There’s a psycho vampire out there on a mission to create an army of sun-walking vamps.” I clutched the weapon, my finger on the trigger.

  “She has a point,” Justice said.

  I motioned for him to get the door. Archer stood next to me, at the ready with a stake in his hand.

  The knock sounded again, then a voice, “Josh. Are you home?”

  Archer sighed, and his shoulders drooped. “More trouble.”

  I lowered the crossbow. “Let her in, Justice. We know her.”

  He hesitated before opening the door.

  Abby had her hand up, ready to knock a third time.

  “What are you doing here?” Archer asked.

  Abby gave Justice a once-over before sidling past him into the hallway. “Nice to see you, too, Archer.” She stopped when she saw what I had in my hands. “Were you expecting someone else?”

  “Abby …” I shook my head, and pinched the bridge of my nose. This was one headache I didn’t need. “How do you know Josh lives here?”

  She frowned. “He told me his address after he left.”

  It seemed Josh hadn’t cut all his ties to home, and for some reason it bugged me that he’d stayed in touch with Abby.

  “He won’t return my calls. Did you find him? Where is he? Why isn’t he here? And who are they?” Abby turned up her nose.

  Hope mimicked Abby’s expression. She took a few steps away from the glass doors, and Abby stepped into the kitchen from the hallway. Hope went to the sink, never taking her ey
es off Abby, and poured herself a glass of water.

  “Who’s this?” Hope turned to me.

  “Josh’s ex-girlfriend.”

  “I thought you were his ex.”

  I pursed my lips. “I am.”

  Hope scoffed, and Justice groaned, running a hand down his face.

  “Let’s get one thing clear,” Justice said. “We’re not here to sort out your relationship problems.”

  “I never asked for your help,” I said, “with anything.”

  “It’s true; she didn’t.” Archer leant against the counter and smirked.

  “We have bigger problems,” Hope said.

  I gritted my teeth. “Don’t you think I know that?”

  “Why does everyone always have to argue?” Ryan threw his hands up and walked down the hall towards the door. “I’m going to get some fresh air.”

  Abby stared at the stake in Archer’s hand and shook her head. She reached out and picked up a stake, inspecting the pointy end. “I’ve been thinking about what I saw the other night.”

  Hope’s eyes widened. “How many humans have you told?”

  “It’s not like we told her on purpose,” I said. “She got mixed up in a fight.” Hope was getting under my skin. I wished she would leave. I didn’t need her, and I made sure she could hear it in my head.

  “You do need me,” she said. “I know this city better than anyone.”

  I laughed. “It doesn’t matter how well you know this city. All that matters is how well you know how to fight a vamp on a power trip, while fighting an angel on a power trip at the same time.”

  “Josh really doesn’t have cancer.” Abby stood in the middle of the kitchen, staring at Archer.

  Everyone looked at her. I was at a loss for words.

  “Josh is a vampire, Abby,” Archer said. “Would you for once, try not to act so … stupid?”

  The front door flew open and Ryan skidded along the hallway floor on his back. Josh stepped into the doorway, his eyes dark with anger. He ran at me, grabbed my shoulders and pushed me across the room until the glass doors to the courtyard stopped me. The back of my head hit the glass and it cracked. The crossbow slipped from my hand and clattered to the tiled floor.

  Abby screamed.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Josh shook my shoulders.

  I put my hand to my head and winced at the lump that had formed. It started going down as quickly as it appeared.

  “Tell you what?” I asked.

  Ryan got to his feet, wincing. “Get off her.”

  “Josh, what are you doing?” Abby asked.

  “I have her blood! I can walk in the sun.” Josh shook me again. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Anger boiled inside me, and I looked Josh straight in the eyes. I’d come to the city to find him, and make sure he was okay. Well, I’d found him, but he was far from okay. The guy standing in front of me was someone I didn’t know. The Josh who had loved me was gone, and there was no trace of him behind those eyes. That Josh would never have treated me this way.

  I raised my arms and pushed him off me, then kicked him in the stomach. He stumbled back and bumped into the kitchen bench. Archer grabbed him by the neck and slammed his head onto the marble bench top. His lip split, spraying blood across the surface. Josh grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut.

  “No one treats my sister like that.” Archer slammed Josh’s head down again.

  Abby sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

  “Arch, stop.” I put my hand on his arm.

  “If I had my way, I’d put a stake in you.” Archer shoved Josh. “You’re nothing but a—”

  “Don’t,” I said. “You can’t blame him. None of this is his fault.”

  I turned to Josh, wishing I could change the anger in his eyes to what it used to be. There was a time when I loved the way he looked at me. He’d been so nice and pure hearted. But all that had changed. The memory loss had changed him. The city had changed him. I wanted to hunt Angelica down and make her pay for what she’d done.

  I took a deep breath. “I can’t help you if you attack me.”

  “Why do we even want to help him in the first place?” Justice asked.

  “Shut up, dude,” Ryan said. He stood beside Abby and put an arm around her shoulders.

  Josh ran a hand through his hair in that way I remembered he used to when he was human. “They have Lilith.”

  I clenched my teeth. “And?”

  “We have to get her out of there. Lucas will kill her.”

  “She’s killed him before,” Hope said. “I’m sure she can do it again.”

  “I’m sorry, Josh, but Lilith isn’t our priority.”

  Josh growled and his fangs extended. I knew how he felt. I knew what it was like to want to fight for someone so badly that you lost your judgement when it came to everything else. It hurt that Lilith was that person for him. It should have been me.

  “What’s the one thing we all want?” Josh asked.

  I looked at the others in turn. Justice spun a stake between his fingers.

  “Lucas dead,” I said after no one answered.

  “They have Charlotte, too. We can save both of them and get Lucas.” Josh wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. Archer had given him a beating, but he didn’t seem too put out by it.

  Hope pursed her lips and stepped towards Josh. “Let’s get one thing clear. I don’t like you. I will not protect you, or any other vampire, no matter who they are.” She looked at Justice and he stopped spinning the stake.

  He nodded, and they both headed for the door.

  “Where are you going?” I asked. They must have spoken to each other silently.

  “To fight.” Hope glanced over her shoulder. “One way or another, Lucas has to be stopped.”

  At least there was one thing we could agree on.

  TWENTY-THREE

  Josh

  Grace didn’t move when Hope and Justice headed towards the door.

  “We’ll catch up,” she said.

  The blonde girl with the tears streaming down her face stared at me. She wasn’t familiar, but then, none of these people were. I only felt like I knew Grace a little because of Angelica and her mind invasion.

  “What happened to you?” the girl whispered.

  “You shouldn’t have come, Abby,” Grace said.

  “I … I had to know.”

  “I don’t know you,” I said. “I don’t remember you.”

  Abby flinched. Her brow furrowed and she formed an O with her lips. “Three years meant nothing to you?”

  Three years? Was she an ex-girlfriend as well? If the circumstances were better I’d be big-noting myself. She seemed to be on okay terms with Grace, too, which was weird for an ex. Lilith would have torn both of them to shreds by now if she could.

  “What are we supposed to do with her?” Archer said.

  Ryan turned to Abby and she covered her face with her hands.

  “You need to go home,” he said.

  Abby nodded. She came over to me and stared into my face. “You may not love me anymore, but I care about you, and I want to help. Tell me how I can help.”

  Archer coughed behind his hand.

  Abby stood close enough to me that I could take her and sink my teeth into her neck before anyone had the chance to move. I balled my hands into fists and fought the burn in my throat.

  “No one can help me,” I said.

  The air beside me shimmered, and a ball of light materialised. Blue tendrils swirled around the edges of the orb. More spinning lights broke away, spreading to create the shape of a person, and Angelica appeared. I pushed Abby out of the way. She crashed into Grace, who managed to keep both of them on their feet.

  “I’m pretty sure I can help you,” Angelica said.

  She reached out to grab me and I ran. Something curled around my ankle and I fell to the hallway floor. Blue fire extended from her hand and bit into my skin. She dragged me along on my stomach, and
pain shot up my leg. I gritted my teeth so I wouldn’t cry out.

  When I reached her feet she shot another tendril of blue from her fingers and it wrapped around my body. She pulled me up.

  Grace lunged at Angelica, but the kitchen of the terrace disappeared, replaced by darkness. It was so thick even my vampire eyes couldn’t penetrate it. Then it began to recede, and a sky filled with tiny lights came into focus. They couldn’t have been stars because they moved through the blackness without any clear purpose. Last time I checked, stars didn’t bounce around all over the place.

  When I looked down, the dizziness washed over me again. My feet were on a solid surface, but it was as black as the sky. It gave me the unsettling feeling that I wasn’t standing on anything.

  Laugher penetrated the darkness, and a space to my left lit up enough for me to see someone sitting on the non-floor. Blue light pulsed through the restraints that bound his wrists and ankles. His shoulders shook as the laughter bubbled out of his throat, but the-should-be-happy sound didn’t reach his eyes. They were dark and filled with hatred.

  Great, someone else who hated me and I didn’t even know who he was.

  “What’s he doing here?” the guy asked.

  Angelica stepped out of the dark and stood beyond my reach. The blue fire binding my wrists and ankles burned me.

  “You two need to learn to get along,” she said. “It’s time for you to help me get what I want.”

  The guy on the floor laughed again. “You won’t get away with this. Someone will notice you’ve brought a vampire to the In-Between.”

  “Who? This is my place. I’m the Guardian … the one responsible for the fallen. No Angel of the Light would have the guts to come here.”

  “You’ll never win,” the guy said. “Grace is far more powerful than you’ll ever be. She has something you don’t.”

  Angelica’s jaw clenched. For a being that was supposed to be full of goodness, she was scary.

  “If Grace had done what she was supposed to do and killed Charlotte, we wouldn’t be here, would we?”