True North (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 6)

by Nikki Jefford

  “Hello to you too,” Fane said, barely containing a grin.

  “I do wish you’d take this seriously, Francesco,” Joss returned.

  “We were only kissing,” I said. “Not fornicating.” I rolled my eyes as Noel breezed inside the room in a pair of red leggings with white snowflakes and reindeer. She wore a thin white off-the-shoulder sweater. There was a stainless steel travel mug in one hand and a tan purse in the other. The smell of coffee wafted in with Noel.

  She stopped in her tracks, a big grin lighting up her face. “Fornicating?” she asked. “And here I thought it was going to be another dull Monday morning at the office.”

  She walked over to her usual desk and set her purse and mug on top. Noel planted both hands on her hips and faced me, her back to Joss.

  “Josslyn is right. There’s a time and a place, you two.” The little sneak was smiling hard. I bet she was laughing her head off on the inside.

  Fane covered his mouth, probably to hide his smile and keep from laughing.

  “Yeah, well, it’s probably the best use I’ve gotten out of this desk since we started tracking Jared,” I said.

  Noel’s eyes widened. “You were doing it on the desk? Scandalous! It’s a good thing I took the extra time to brew a second cup of coffee or I would have walked in earlier and had an altogether different kind of pick-me-up this morning.”

  “We weren’t doing it on the desk,” I said with an exasperated huff.

  Joss scowled and dropped into his desk chair.

  “We should all be concentrating,” he said.

  “On what?” I challenged.

  Rather than answer me, Joss snatched a file from the pile stacked neatly on the right corner of his desk and bent his head over the papers. By now Fane had already seated himself at a desk with a computer and was moving the mouse around the mouse pad.

  “Sometimes no news is good news,” Noel said cheerfully.

  “Are you sure that’s only your second cup of coffee?” I asked.

  “You sure you didn’t do it on the desktop?” Noel grinned deviously.

  I rolled my eyes, walked over to Fane, and peered over his shoulder. He clicked quickly through emails.

  “Any sightings over the weekend?” I asked.

  The question was fruitless. Fane kept on top of email all the time and informants had strict instructions to call in anything suspicious immediately.

  “Appears he’s laying low,” Fane said. “He’s sure to resurface again soon, though. The vamp doesn’t keep quiet for long.”

  “Speaking of which, it’s way too quiet in here,” Noel said. “Mind if I turn on the radio?”

  “Go for it,” Fane said.

  “Josslyn?” she asked.

  “I shall let you know if it begins to bother me,” he replied evenly.

  Yeah, I bet he would. Why did he have to come in so early, anyway? Him and Noel. There were no set schedules around this place.

  I think we all wanted to be ready to go at a moment’s notice, like firefighters waiting for a fire. Jared’s whereabouts were unknown, but now Jab was on the radar. He wasn’t my top priority, but he was still unfinished business. As soon as Dante got the go-ahead, I wanted in on the mission.

  A static hum filled the room before turning into the lyrics for “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

  “Perfect!” Noel squealed. She skipped over to Joss and said, “Can I do anything to help?”

  Joss swiveled around in his seat and held out the rap sheet he’d been studying a moment earlier.

  “It says in here that this bloke, Aden Holtz, moved from Anchorage to Fairbanks a month ago. Do you recognize him?”

  Noel stared at the papers awhile before shaking her head.

  What did it matter if Noel recognized the vamp? It wasn’t as if a move from Anchorage to Fairbanks tied him to Jared. It didn’t help us at all, nor did staring at Fane’s emails over his shoulder.

  I sighed and plunked down by the desk Fane and I had molested earlier. Happy thoughts, I reminded myself.

  “Maybe you could re-examine this pile,” Joss said to Noel, handing over a small stack of cream-colored file folders. “See if anyone stands out.”

  I began scratching the surface of the desk with my nails. We’d been through the files a dozen times. Going over them again wasn’t going to get us any closer to Jared. I was beginning to think Dante had the right idea, getting himself and the recruits in prime condition for a takedown.

  I was sick of pushing papers around a desk. As Noel settled into her favorite position, seated on top of her desk, “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” trilled from the radio.

  I ground my teeth together. I felt like the holiday tunes were mocking me. I was so not dreaming of a white Christmas.

  “Can you please turn that off?”

  “I like Christmas music,” Noel said, looking up.

  “Well, I don’t.”

  “Bah humbug.” Noel stuck her tongue out at me, retracted it, and laughed.

  I flipped her off and smiled back.

  “Oh, it’s on, bitch,” Noel said with an evil grin. She dropped the file on her desk and rushed over to the radio, cranking up the volume.

  I stood and started toward Noel and the radio. She began singing along as I approached.

  “Say hello to friends you know and everyone you meet,” Noel belted out, more shouting than singing the lyrics. Dante was much better at maintaining a tune.

  “Now the music is beginning to bother me,” Joss said.

  His words were practically drowned out by Noel when she chorused, “Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas . . . THIS YEAR!” She quickly turned the volume down before I had a chance to maim her.

  Noel shot me a cheeky grin. “I was thinking of organizing a secret Santa exchange with the other agents. You want in?”

  My scowl only made Noel’s smile widen.

  5

  Training

  Heavy snowfall brought Dante and his recruits back inside the gym. Disappointment coursed through me when I found them taking turns wearing thick vinyl mitts while their partners threw punches at the stiff material.

  No surprise to see Jennifer and Kate, the giggle twins as I’d been calling them, paired up using their mouths more than their fists. Ashley was with Reinhardt and Dante with Gunter.

  The sound of smacking fists reverberated around the room.

  Ugg, flashback of gym class.

  It hadn’t been all bad. Fane and I had shared gym period together. Days of yore. And, as with the old days, there was no one for me to partner up with. I was the odd woman out.

  I breathed in deep, prepared to leave the gymnasium when Dante looked up and smiled.

  “Sky,” he called. “Take over for me with Gunter, will you?”

  I walked over and took the mitts from Dante. Gunter lowered his fists.

  “Keep punching,” Dante instructed.

  Gunter glanced from Dante to me then at the mitts. He gave one a weak punch. Gunter was a scrawny-looking teen with dirty-blond hair that looked uncombed.

  Dante tsked. “I don’t know. What do you think, Sky?”

  “I think he can do better than that,” I replied. He might be slight, but so was I, and might had nothing to do with size.

  Dante chuckled. “You hear that, Gunter? Try again. Don’t hold back.”

  Gunter gave a determined nod before pulling his arm back and hitting the mitt. I held my ground even as the force of his fist made my arm spring back.

  “That’s more like it,” Dante said approvingly. “What do you think, Sky?”

  “Good punch,” I said.

  Gunter beamed.

  “Okay, keep practicing. I’m going to check on everyone else,” Dante said. He walked over to Jennifer and Kate, who immediately shut their mouths and pretended to concentrate on punching.

  “Ouch!” Kate cried out. “I’m starting to get wrist burn.”

  “Find the punch that works best for you,” Dante said, stepping
closer. “That’s why we’re doing this exercise, so you can get a feel for what you prefer. Remember you have multiple options. There’s closed fisted, the palm, or even the open-handed slap. I’m a traditionalist, myself. Nothing like an old-school knuckle sandwich.” Dante chuckled.

  I caught Ashley glowering at him right before smacking Reinhardt’s mitt. She was probably pretending it was Dante’s face.

  Dante walked over to them. “I’ll take it from here,” he said, reaching for Reinhardt’s mitts. Dante put them on and grinned. “Let’s see what you got, Scott.”

  This time Ashley didn’t request a pass. She laid into the vinyl, arms flying like pinwheels. A right. A left. Right. Left. Technique didn’t appear to play any part in her assault. She just went at that thing like a blond Tasmanian devil, hair flying into her face as she swung and landed blow after blow.

  Gunter had stopped practicing with me to eavesdrop. Couldn’t blame him. There was something awkwardly entertaining about watching Dante get under Ashley’s skin.

  Dante stood firm. The muscles in his arms corded. His lips puckered as though on a sigh.

  “You’re tiring yourself out again, Agent Scott,” he said.

  Ashley stopped, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She blew hair out of her eyes and glared at Dante. His chest expanded.

  “Pretend like I’m Jared or Jab.” Dante loomed over her. His eyes brightened. “Pretend I’m someone you really want to hurt.”

  Pretend? I thought wryly.

  Ashley lowered her fists and studied Dante’s face. He raised his eyebrows.

  Ashley lifted her leg and aimed her knee between Dante’s legs. In a flash, he lowered the mitt and deflected her attempt on his groin. By now the room had fallen silent and we were all watching, not even pretending to work on our punches. I had to hand it to Ashley for maintaining eye contact with Dante while going for his nether region. That said, I really had to hand it to Dante for guessing Ashley’s move before she had a chance to cripple him.

  “Careful if you go for that play,” Dante said. “If you miss, you’ll only anger your target. You have to be ready to follow it up immediately by hammering the crap out of the vampire.” Dante signaled Reinhardt over. Once the teen was close enough, Dante removed the mitts and handed them back to Reinhardt. “Keep practicing your punches,” Dante said, addressing everyone in the room. He walked away from Ashley and Reinhardt.

  Jennifer and Kate, who had been gawking, quickly faced each other and began practicing when Dante approached.

  Kate smacked Jennifer’s mitt and uttered another cry of, “Ouch.” She shook out her hand, lower lip pouting.

  For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what she was doing here. She must not have had a choice or maybe she was one of those girls who fussed about everything, yet somehow still managed to get by.

  Dante sidled up beside her. “Is it your wrist that hurts or your knuckles?”

  “My knuckles,” Kate said in a whiny voice.

  “Try using your palm,” Dante said gently. He took Kate’s hand and opened her fingers then rubbed her palm. “Right here. Make this your place of impact.”

  Ashley glared over at Dante and Kate before punching the mitt so hard Reinhardt stumbled back a foot.

  Dante was too busy instructing Kate to notice Ashley’s stellar punch. Meanwhile, Kate was slamming her palm into the vinyl held up by her partner with impressive force.

  “There you go,” Dante said enthusiastically. “Good job, Kate.”

  She stopped what she was doing to flip her hair over her shoulder and grin.

  “You’re right, this way works much better for me,” she said.

  “I want to try,” Jennifer said. “Let’s trade.”

  “Not yet,” Kate said.

  “We’ll all switch in thirty seconds,” Dante said. “How many more punches can you get in before I call time?”

  Gunter twisted his body to throw the next punch at my mitt. He began throwing them faster, but with less impact, as though it was the number that mattered more than the force. His face turned red and sweat beaded around his hairline and beneath his lip. When Dante called time, Gunter’s arms dropped like dead weights on his body.

  “Now switch,” Dante said.

  I handed the mitts over to Gunter and grinned. The teen was going to have to gather up his strength a bit longer. He might not be throwing punches anymore, but taking them took a great deal of energy, too, especially with the force of the punches I planned on throwing.

  Gunter stumbled back when I slammed my fist into the vinyl.

  Dante chuckled beside us. “Hold on tight, Gunter.”

  Gunter had to lean into the blows to stay upright and in place. I relished the burn that shot through my knuckles with every punch I threw.

  Now this was therapeutic.

  Before I knew it, Dante called time. Damn, I was just getting warmed up. I frowned while, in front of me, Gunter rapidly blinked as though averting tears of relief.

  “All right, everyone, that’s it for today. Let’s get this stuff put away and then you’re free to go.”

  Ashley and Gunter headed for the supply closet and disappeared inside with the mitts. Kate handed the mitts she’d been holding to Jennifer and flipped her hair over her shoulder before walking up to Dante.

  “I like the open palm shove,” she said, smiling at him. “That’s going to be my go-to move. Thanks for helping me . . . for helping all of us.”

  “No problem,” Dante said. He crouched to tie his shoe, no longer looking at Kate.

  Her eyes followed him to the floor.

  “I wish I’d had your training when I first started out.”

  Dante finished tying his shoe and stood up. “Well, you have it now. See you tomorrow, Agent Carson.”

  Ashley walked past them, the first to leave the gym, shortly followed by Gunter and Reinhardt. The teenage boys slowed as they neared me. Reinhardt pushed his chin forward. “Is Josslyn in the parlor?” he asked.

  “Last I looked,” I answered.

  “Cool,” he said, continuing by.

  “Wicked punches,” Gunter said as he passed me.

  “Yeah, you too,” I said.

  Jennifer and Kate left next, huddled together. They turned in unison before leaving and waved. “Bye, Dante.”

  “Bye, ladies.”

  They looked at each other and giggled as they walked out. I was about to roll my eyes when Dante walked over and nudged the tip of my shoe with his.

  “Wasn’t expecting to see you,” he said, grinning. “Thought you were more comfortable behind a desk.”

  “I feel useless in there,” I said with a sigh. “At least in here I can brush up. If I ever come face to face with Jared again, I want to be ready for the kill shot.”

  “That’s the spirit, Sky.”

  Also, there was no Christmas music in the gym. At least Dante understood. I was in the spirit. The killing spirit.

  I leaned to one side. “So, going after Jab anytime soon?”

  Dante’s grin broadened. “You want in?”

  “At least I could do something useful,” I said. “I’m going stir crazy stuck on base.”

  “Once a hunter, always a hunter,” Dante said, eyes gleaming.

  I shook my head. “Not me. Jared dies, I’m done.”

  “What about all the other Jareds running around out there?”

  “That’s what you and your trainees are for.” I patted Dante on the shoulder before heading for the door. “Good night, buddy.”

  “Night, Sky. Enjoy your spaghetti dinner.”

  I spun around and caught Dante’s quirked lips. He lifted his hand in the air and gave a little wave.

  “Enjoy your apple pie,” I returned without thinking. I giggled at the inside joke.

  Dante cocked his head to one side. “Apple pie? Who’s serving?”

  I stifled more laughter. “I bet Agent Carson would be willing to bake you a pie.”

  Dante’s whole body stiffened.
I lowered my hand, unsure what I’d said to wipe the smile off his face in one smooth stroke. Dante gave me a long, hard stare before sighing.

  “You said it yourself once before, best not to date colleagues. I learned the hard way.”

  I shifted my weight from one foot to the other.

  “Don’t let me jade you,” I said. “You made a good point before about it being hard to date someone on the outside and having to withhold information. Secrets make building a meaningful and lasting relationship impossible. It’s nice to have someone to share your day with—your real day.”

  Things hadn’t worked out long for Fane and me when we were keeping secrets. Granted, Fane had thought I knew he was a vampire. I’d been the one keeping the most secrets. It wasn’t until the full truth came out that we were able to move forward.

  I was lucky Fane was a patient vampire, especially after I’d left him behind in Anchorage. Attempting to exchange Jared for Dante on my own hadn’t ended well. I’d missed Fane so much while on the run with Dante and Giselle.

  I swear my life couldn’t get any crazier. I was done with crazy. I wanted spaghetti. I wanted to wrap myself all around Fane Donado until we were all tangled up and nothing, and no one, could pull us apart ever again.

  I was sound asleep when my phone went off early the following morning. I’d set the ringtone to “One Way or Another” by Blondie after returning to civilization. Given our current vamp hunt, the lyrics had seemed funny at the time. Gonna find ya. Gonna getcha. At five a.m., hearing “getcha, getcha, getcha” over and over wasn’t so funny. And it was especially unpleasant being shocked out of sleep.

  I sprang up like a jack-in-the-box or, rather, Aurora-in-the-bed. My hair flew into my face, adding another curtain of darkness to the room. I swiped my long locks aside and grabbed my phone off the nightstand.

  “Hello?” I answered frantically, my voice shrill despite my heart being lodged inside my throat.

  Fane lifted his head off his pillow and looked over.

  “Hello, sweetie,” an older woman’s voice said.

  It took me a moment to register that the voice on the other end of the line was my gran’s.