“Okay, I’m just playing with you.” Although, I really wasn’t. “We need something that’s going to accentuate your handsome features.”
“We don’t have time, Red. I’m on stage in two hours and I still have to meet with the band and set up the equipment.” He glanced down at the floor.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m kind of nervous. My family’s going to be there tonight.”
“Your family? As in your mother and father?”
He nodded. “My little brother, too. I haven’t seen them for a year.”
“Why not?”
“After I was turned, life changed. My family was scared of me, and the family didn’t trust me.” Jonas sat down on his bed and continued.
“I wasn’t all that different. I mean, my sleeping habits changed and of course, my eating habits, but aside from that, I would have never hurt them.”
I sat next to him and took his hand. “You are an amazing person. Being a vampire has only enhanced who you are.”
“You think so?”
I tilted my head and tried to get his attention, but his eyes stared toward the floor. “No doubt in my mind.”
I understood how he felt. When I’d lost my mother and found out the true nature of my father, I was devastated. How could that be? How could something so despicable result in two great kids?
That was only the beginning of my turmoil. After I heavily evaluated my father, I’d started to question Damien and myself. If he was our father, than what were we? We must have been bad or evil. I’d tried that side of the fence. I’d tried to hate and hurt others but it never felt right. Afterward, I’d always regret and feel remorse.
It took time for me to realize that although I was my father’s daughter, I wasn’t my father. I was Dhellia Hunt, a good-natured, kind, sarcastic soul who loved to love and be loved. If anyone understood Jonas, it was me.
“I don’t want to disappoint them tonight.”
“Listen to me. Tonight is not about disappointing them or making them proud. Tonight is about you and your band. It’s about the hard work and dedication you five have had over the past year. Tonight is your night. You remember that.”
I didn’t want Jonas to measure the entire night on what his parents thought because quite honestly, they may not be proud. Parents never truly understand our choices in music and our style of clothing. Sometimes, I think older people have forgotten what it’s like to be young. So, if Jonas based his entire performance on their reaction, he was setting himself up for automatic failure, no matter how well they performed.
“You’re right. I’m glad they’re going to be there, and we’re going to kick ass on that stage. I’m not holding myself back for anyone.”
I wrapped my arm around him and rested my head on his shoulder. “Jonas?”
“Yeah?”
“You really need something else to wear. I have an idea.”
“I don’t have time for the mall,” he said.
“I know, but what if the mall comes to you?”
“How you gonna pull that off?”
***
Gavin stood with arms across his chest, his stance rigid and his mind made up. “I’m going to tell you for the last time, I’m not using my magic to clothe Jonas.”
“You’re going to let your friend walk out on stage looking like something that the cat dragged in?” I asked, my hands on my hips.
“Jonas is fine. That’s his trademark look.”
Jonas finally stood up from the bed. “Actually dude, I’ve had those clothes since I was in ninth grade. My parents didn’t have a lot of money, so they bought me what they could. I’ve worn this stuff because it’s what I know. I guess I don’t have a sense of style.” Jonas walked into his closet and pulled out a red striped t-shirt and pair of black polyester pants. “But I understand where you’re coming from.”
I dramatically dropped the sides of my lips down and batted my eyes. “Ninth grade. How sad.”
“Oh, all right! You two are hopeless. Nothing outrageous or over the top and this one time ONLY.”
I clapped my hands, excited.
“Red!” Gavin said sternly, “This is one time only. Don’t get any funny ideas.”
“Deal. Tell you what, you supply Jonas with a new outfit for tonight and that will be your birthday gift to me.”
Gavin huffed. “What is he going to wear?”
“Jonas?” I wanted him to pick something. He needed to learn fashion but it had to have his twist.
“I’ve always wanted to wear a pair of well-fit blue jeans with a white button-down shirt and a pair of brown leather boots.”
“Nice! You do have a sense of style,” I exclaimed.
Gavin glared at me. “Are you feeding him thoughts?”
I laughed. “Who me? Never!”
“Lying doesn’t suit you, Dhellia.”
Jonas smiled. “Keep giving me clothing tips, Dhellia. I think I’m gonna look hot.”
Instead of sending thoughts to Jonas, I said, “Okay, and a black sports blazer that he’ll leave open. Get busy, magic man, we’re running out of time.”
I saw Gavin roll his eyes and I inwardly chuckled. I grabbed styling gel from my bathroom and ran it through Jonas’s hair, giving him the messy, sexy look and Gavin presented him with a gorgeous ensemble that would set him apart from anyone else.
I have to admit, I was proud.
Chapter Twelve
Gavin and I watched from back stage as Jonas’s band, Disastrous Grace, played like a top-notch rock band, ready for the big league. The crowd was riled up, the music slammin’ and we looked fantastic.
I threw on a cute pink dress with a thick black belt around my waist and a pair of four-inch open-toed heels with a pink-heeled bottom and black overlay. My makeup was perfect and my hair was braided down my back.
“What are they doing here?” Gavin leaned in and yelled in my ear above the music as he nodded toward the seats where Jonas’s parents were sitting.
“You know them?”
“They kicked Jonas out on the street six months after he was turned. I found him two nights after that.”
His parents looked so much alike, they could be mistaken for brother and sister. They both had dark hair, glasses and scowls on their lips. The face of the teenager sitting next to them had piercing holes in his nose, lips, eyebrows and tats up and down his arms. That was all I could see of them because of the rowdy group in front.
“Where did you find him?” I asked.
“At an underground club. I was helping Gan Zeng find his daughter and we were directed to that club.”
“Gan Zeng?” I yelled over the band into Gavin’s ear.
“A Chinese wizard. Powerful. But his daughter had a spell placed on her that would keep her father from finding her. Sort of like you. He contacted me.”
“So, how did you end up befriending Jonas?”
“He was a kid, lost and alone. He was dirty and he hadn’t had blood in a couple of days. Every time he tried to drink the blood of a human, he swelled up, so he wasn’t sure what he should eat. When he lived with his parents, his father brought him animal blood from his veterinary clinic. So, he didn’t realize he was allergic to human blood until he was on his own.”
“And you took him in.”
He nodded. “He’s a good guy, Dhellia. I figured it couldn’t hurt me in the karma department. Statistically, speaking…”
I put up my hand. “You’ve been doing so good refraining from using statistics in your interactions with us, let’s keep that record going.” I winked at him.
We both turned our attention back to the last song that Disastrous Grace had planned to play for this evening.
***
We made our way through the crowd of groupies and snuck up on Jonas. He was signing some autographs, mostly for women, but he stopped when he saw us.
“What’d you guys think?” he asked excitedly.
“You were amazing. I didn’t know you coul
d sing like that and play the guitar. I’m so impressed. Loved the songs.”
Gavin shook his hand and pulled him in for a hug. “You rocked it, man.”
Jonas smiled. He was pleased with their performance and at that very moment, I could tell that he felt as if he were on top of the world. Then his face changed.
“Hi, son,” his father said.
“Hey, Dad.”
The people were clearing out, the noise had died down and they didn’t have to yell to greet each other.
“Hey, Mom,” Jonas said as he leaned in and gave her a hug. She sheepishly hugged him back.
“What’s up, bro?” Jonas addressed his brother.
“You guys rocked the house, Jon. I was thinking you guys should be on stage with Poets of the Fall or Seether.”
“Oh wow, thanks, Jacob. That’s a huge compliment.”
“How have you been, son?” his mother asked.
Jonas smiled. “I’m great. I wanted to introduce you all to my very close friends and roommates. This is Gavin and this beautiful woman is Dhellia.”
Jacob cut through everyone’s greetings and went straight to shake my hand. “You are an angel from the sky.”
“Quite the contrary, Casanova.” I winked at him.
Apparently, that must have excited him because the next thing I knew, he was standing by my side, pressed against me like an annoying growth that I needed to have removed.
Jonas leaned over and grabbed his brother. “Leave her alone, Jake. She’d go to jail if she dated you.”
“Sometimes, true love has to hurt.” He stuck out his tongue in slow motion to show me the two piercings right in the middle. I cringed. Jonas pulled him back by his mother.
“Dad, I wanted to thank you for keeping up the payments on the studio.”
His father looked confused. “Payments? I stopped those right when we…well…right when you moved out.”
Jonas cocked his head. “I didn’t move out, Dad. You kicked me out and the landlord said the payments have continued. I just assumed it was you.”
“Not me, son, but I’m glad you have somewhere to go in order to get out of the cold. Your mother and I have worried.”
I saw Jonas narrow his eyes at his father. “Parents that worry, Dad, make an effort to look for their kid. Plus, I have a home. Remember, I have roommates?”
“Yes, that’s right. Geno and Donna.”
“Gavin and Dhellia, Dad.” Jonas was upset. He whispered under his breath, “Hopeless.”
“Well, son, we really have to go. Thank you for sending us an invitation to your shindig and we’re happy to see you’re doing well.” His father leaned in and half patted him on the back.
“Let’s do lunch sometime,” his mother said and then immediately cupped her hand over her mouth realizing, I’m sure, that Jonas didn’t eat lunch anymore. He drank it. “I’m sorry, we’ll do tea or chat on the phone.”
“Right, Mom. Sounds good.” When Jonas leaned in to hug her, it all just seemed entirely too awkward.
Jacob blew me a disgusting kiss from where he was standing and I leaned to my right to make sure that it passed me by. He pouted on his way out.
Jonas grabbed his guitar, said goodbye to a few more people as he stormed out of the establishment.
“Are you okay?” I asked, following behind him.
“Fine.”
“Can you slow down? Running in four-inch heels isn’t fun,” I asked breathlessly.
Jonas kept moving. Gavin walked behind me with long strides.
“Stop.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him to a halt. He glared at me. “Jonas, remember what I told you in your room. You had an amazing performance. You didn’t do it for them; you did it for yourself and your band.”
He stared at me, a soul-deep saddened look on his face. He released air from his lungs. “You’re right. We did good out there, didn’t we?”
My heart ached for him. I knew what it was like to feel like you didn’t belong where you should belong. I smiled sincerely. “You guys kicked ass.”
“Serious ass,” Gavin said.
“I love you guys.” Jonas leaned in and hugged us. It was at that moment that I realized that a vampire was actually teaching me about compassion.
Chapter Thirteen
My twenty-first birthday was finally here, but I could hardly get out of bed. My stomach ached; my body was wet with sweat, and I was overall sick.
I heard Jonas and Gavin bantering back and forth in the living area while Jonas played the guitar, but their muffled words sounded like a slow motion commentator at a basketball game.
I pulled the covers over my head to mute the sunlight coming in through my blinds. I wanted to open my eyes but the pain of lifting my eyelids kept me from doing so.
My mouth was parched and I desperately needed water. I wondered if Gavin could read my mind from a different room in the house. It couldn’t hurt to try.
Gavin, it’s Dhellia. I need water.
Nothing.
Magic man, get your ass in here, I’m dying.
Still nothing.
Window Licker, I’m going to throw off the solar system, make the planets collide and take out humankind and it’s going to be your fault.
I groaned, “And that wizard thinks he’s powerful? He can’t even hear my mind in the next room. He’s a fraud.”
I could fall out of bed and crawl my way to the door or I could attempt to yell for them, but with Jonas playing his guitar in the living room, they’d never hear me.
I reached for my cell phone. The pain in my fingers to push the buttons made my body shiver. I laid the phone on the bed, under the covers, next to my head and listened for Gavin to answer. “Come on, Gavin. Please.”
“Hello.”
Oh my hell! Finally. “Gavin, I’m sick.”
That was all I needed to say. My bedroom door opened and Gavin ran over to my bed and pulled the covers from my head down to my neck. He rested his hand on my forehead.
“You’re burning up. What’s wrong? What hurts?” His voice was frantic.
“I’m sick.”
“I know, Red. I need more info than that. What hurts?”
“Everything,” I managed to say, opening my eyes and squinting against the sunlight. “The light hurts my eyes.”
Jonas pulled the blinds shut. “I hear ya.”
Gavin turned to Jonas who stood at the edge of my bed. “You have to call her brother. I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but she’s hotter than any person should be.”
Jonas didn’t move. He stared at me with a horrified look. “Gavin, what’s that?”
My eyes were finally adjusting to the room. A red glow illuminated under my covers. I threw the covers down and sat up against my body, screaming out in pain. “What’s that?” I screamed out, holding my palm open.
Under my flesh, under the surface of my skin was something that resembled a triangular birthmark—a beacon of sorts that pulsated and glowed under the surface of my palm.
Gavin slowly stood and took two steps away from me. “Oh my Gawd.”
“Did He do this?” I moaned.
Gavin looked from my hand to my face. “Dhellia.”
“What? Gavin! What’s wrong with me?” My mind told me it was the worst thing possible. I was going to die.
“You’re a key.” The look on his face resembled that of a soul who realizes for the first time that they’re going to Hell.
The temperature of my fever was rising; sweat dripped from my hairline at my temples, ran down my cheeks, and then disappeared into the material of my pajamas. “A key? What’s that mean? Give me answers, Gavin, please,” I begged.
He swallowed loudly. “Jonas,” Gavin said calmly, keeping his eyes on me. “Dhellia’s brother’s cell phone number is in my phone. Call him. NOW!”
Gavin followed Jonas out of the room and returned with a cold, wet washcloth. He pressed the cloth on my forehead, down my face and onto my neck and upper chest.
I co
uldn’t take my eyes off the thing pulsating in the center of my palm. It moved in rhythm with the beat of my heart. I lifted my eyes and stared at Gavin.
He was concerned, scared even, and his kind, caring nature was something I wasn’t used to. At that moment, I knew I was lucky to have both Gavin and Jonas in my life, not only as roommates, but as friends.
“Is it alive?” I asked.
“You really don’t know what you are?”
I shook my head. The pain in my neck limited my range of motion even though I was again lying on my side with my head nestled into my feathered pillow.
“You’re a key, Dhellia. You’re one of the seven keys.”
This was the second time that I heard Gavin say I was a key. I had no idea what he was talking about. Talking hurt but I forced myself to say, “Laymen’s terms, magic man.”
“All you need to know right now is that you’re sending out a signal to the underworld.”
“No. My father will find me.” I felt the panic scramble through my blood. “How long will this thing send a signal?”
“Twenty-four hours, until your key turns off. We have to get you out of here. You’re no longer protected by my cloaking spell.”
Jonas ran in with Gavin’s cell phone up to his ear. “I’ve tried to call him twice, but he’s not answering.”
“Give me my phone.” Gavin reached for and snatched his phone from Jonas’s hands.
Damien’s scent filled the room. He pushed Gavin out of his way and came to my bedside. He knelt beside me, rubbed my forehead with his hand. “Three demons were searching for you in Asia but they’ve just changed course. There’s one in South America and two in Africa. And Father’s hellhounds are in Australia. They’ve all detected you. Some will be here within the hour.” He glanced at Gavin and Jonas. “Where can I take her?”
“They’ll find her wherever she goes,” Gavin said.
“Is there anything that will slow them down?” My brother continued to run his hand over my forehead. He turned back to glare at Gavin. “Let’s go! We’re running out of time!”
“I’m thinking!”
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