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

by Nikki Jefford

  Wilson scrubbed his beard with his free hand, seeming not to have heard a word Jared spoke.

  Valerie stomped her booted foot on the floor heavily. “If you run he’ll nail you,” she snapped.

  Wilson’s head jerked. He stared at Valerie as though seeing her for the first time. As she glowered at him, his shallow breaths began to even out.

  “Okay,” he said reluctantly. “But you can imagine my alarm at learning an assassin has been watching me for the past three years.”

  Valerie rolled her eyes. “He’s not an assassin. He’s an informant. His job is to watch and report back to home base.”

  “What did he report about me?” Wilson asked eagerly. His arm dropped to his side, and with it, the papers on Chris. Wilson suddenly sounded a lot more interested in hearing about what the agency had on him than studying his assigned target. Agent material, Wilson was not.

  “Like I know,” Valerie said, gaze flicking upward.

  “They don’t consider you an immediate threat,” Jared said. When Wilson’s shoulders sagged with relief, Jared’s lip curled. “That isn’t something to be proud of. It means they think you’re toothless.”

  “Better toothless and still standing,” Wilson said defensively.

  Jared narrowed his eyes. “Can we count on you or not?”

  Wilson licked his lips. “You said there are volunteers all over the state coordinating similar attacks?”

  “That’s right, Wilson,” Jared said. “There will be so much happening at once, the agency will never be able to link Agent Carroll’s death back to you.”

  Wilson pursed his lips, unconvinced.

  “When is all this supposed to go down?”

  “Ah, ah, ah,” Jared said, standing and shaking his finger. “You’ll know the date when I know you’re truly on board with the plan.”

  “I told you I was.”

  “I sensed some hesitation a moment ago.”

  Valerie snorted derisively. “Some big hesitation.”

  Wilson lifted his bearded chin. “I’m on board. I can’t leave, and I can’t have some government spy trailing me around my own home turf, or these other vamps.” He gave the paperwork a shake. “I don’t know either of the vamps on this list, but they’re probably a couple of regular vamps like me who just want to be left alone. That’s why I moved to Alaska.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Hell, if I’d known secret agents and vampire assassins were so prevalent in the Last Frontier, I’d have stayed in Kansas.”

  So, yeah, if I lived in Kansas, I could see how the Far North would sound more appealing. I imagined there were worse places to live than Alaska. At least my state was scenic. I couldn’t imagine much in Kansas, besides hay rolls and green pastures stretching as far as the eye could see.

  “This is your home now,” Jared said. “Don’t give it up without a fight.”

  “I told you I was in. I haven’t changed my mind,” Wilson said. “When do I put the agent down?”

  “New Year’s Eve.”

  Wilson’s forehead wrinkled.

  Valerie placed a hand on her hip. “You got plans or something?”

  “I do now,” Wilson answered, giving the file another grim glance.

  Wilson could hold on to his party hat and forgo the countdown. He’d never get his chance with Agent Carroll. None of Jared’s recruits would get anywhere near their targeted agents.

  And how exactly to do you plan to stop them all? A nagging voice poked at my head.

  One teenage girl against an entire state of plotting bloodsuckers. Jared may not have raised his army, but he was doing something far more dangerous by recruiting individual vampires hiding in plain sight. An army would have been easier to notice, to track. An army could be taken down all at once.

  Rounding up individuals, on the other hand, was like trying to corral a colony of hungry ants scurrying every which way, getting at every crumb before there was a chance to see what was happening.

  They didn’t have to work in tandem. All they had to do was stay in their designated areas and devour.

  13

  Friends In Low Places

  “Worthless sack of shit,” Jared spat after we got back inside the SUV.

  “At least he agreed to take care of Chris,” Valerie said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

  She sounded much more cheerful now that she was free of Wilson’s pigsty.

  Jared turned his head to back the SUV out of the empty spot he’d taken beneath the carport. While turned, his eyes met mine.

  “Now you see why I gave up trying to liberate and lead these bottom feeders.”

  “Yeah, total scum,” I said sarcastically.

  The SUV swung around and lurched when Jared threw it into drive. He ripped out of the parking lot and onto the roadway.

  “Who’s next?” Valerie asked.

  “Adam in Delta Junction,” Jared answer. “He’s going to have to bring on a friend or do double duty. There’s an informant in Delta Junction and another in Deltana.”

  “Those informants must be bored out of their minds,” I said. “Small-town activity must really keep them on their toes.”

  “You’d be surprised,” Jared answered.

  “What about all the places southeast, like Juneau and Ketchikan? Won’t vampires in the capital feel left out if they’re not invited to the party?”

  Jared sighed. “Unfortunately, we’d have to cross the border into Canada to drive to Juneau, and we’re not going over the border until after the J Day festivities knock the agency off their feet.”

  “What about Kenai, Seward, and Homer?” I asked.

  “What about you shut up?” Valerie said in an even tone.

  “We’ll get to them,” Jared said.

  Which meant we’d have to pass through Anchorage. My heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing Fane again. If I found a way to dispose of Jared and Valerie before the trip south, I wouldn’t have to wait to pass through town. I had every reason to end this as soon as possible, but I only had one shot. Mess it up and Jared really would never trust me again . . . and that was if he let me live.

  Somehow, I needed to get my hands on a weapon, preferably a loaded gun. The duffel bags were the likeliest place to find them. It wasn’t as though Jared would keep them locked up inside with the perpetual road trip he’d embarked on.

  Suddenly I didn’t mind if they went at it all night. Valerie’s screams would make the perfect cover while I snuck out of my room and went through the duffels. Unfortunately, they’d kept the duffel bags inside their bedroom the first night. I remembered Valerie bringing them out of the bedroom to set beside the door the next morning.

  They’d been left inside the living room when we unpacked the car. Hopefully they’d stay that way when we got back.

  After pulling up to the vacant vacation rental, Jared put the car in park but didn’t turn off the engine. He reached behind his back and dug a wallet out of his back pocket. Valerie’s hair fell over her shoulder as she leaned closer, watching him.

  Jared slowly pulled bills out of his wallet and held them out to Valerie, who snatched them up greedily.

  “Why don’t you take the car and grab a change of clothes for Aurora and a few necessities?”

  Valerie’s head jerked up. From the backseat, I could see half her face. Her lips were now frowning.

  “You’re sending me off to do her shopping?” she asked incredulously.

  “We obviously can’t send Aurora off with the car, and I don’t trust her in public, even with a chaperone. One of us has to stay behind to keep an eye on her.”

  “Then I will,” Valerie said.

  Jared dug into his wallet again and pulled out more bills. “Or you could pick yourself up something special while you’re out . . . something for tonight. A surprise.”

  Valerie giggled. She plucked the extra bills from Jared’s hand, her lips puckering into a sultry grin. “Maybe I’ll get us some toys while I’m at it.”

  My nose wrin
kled. I doubted she was talking about Monopoly, though that would have helped pass the time.

  “As long as you get her some clothes,” Jared said, nodding his head my way. “She’s already starting to stink.”

  Valerie giggled again.

  I lowered my chin and sniffed myself. My nose didn’t detect anything unpleasant. It was too cold to sweat and besides, I’d showered that morning.

  “Maybe I should pick up some perfume while I’m at it,” Valerie said in a singsong voice. “Aurora, remember that time we went perfume shopping and I bought a bottle of Euphoria?”

  “We were dress shopping, not perfume shopping,” I said with an eye roll.

  Actually, Valerie had just been plain shopping, buying everything in sight until she blew through the five hundred dollars Melcher had given each of us. I doubted Jared had the same kind of money to draw from.

  “No perfume,” Jared said. “I hate the stuff.”

  Valerie reached over the console and ran her fingers down his arm.

  “You would have liked Euphoria. Makes a man feel crazy.”

  Jared snatched Valerie’s wrist and leaned toward her, lips stretching into a sardonic smile.

  “You don’t need perfume to make me crazy,” he said in a low, warning voice.

  Valerie’s tinkling laughter filled the car. She’d missed the contempt oozing over the edges of Jared’s words.

  “Okay, I’ll do the shopping,” she said, “but I’ll probably have to drive back to Fairbanks to find anything.”

  “We’ll be waiting,” Jared said, opening his door and stepping out.

  As soon as he slammed it closed, Valerie whipped around and glared into the backseat at me. Her smile dropped and her eyes narrowed to slits.

  “Don’t try anything funny while I’m gone or I swear I’ll cut that secondhand heart right out of your skinny chest and Melcher won’t be around to give you a new one.” Valerie sniffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder, looking me up and down. “Not that Jared would have any interest in someone as flat-chested as you. Jared wants a real woman.”

  “I suppose sanity is optional,” I responded.

  Valerie’s eyes opened slightly then narrowed again.

  “Sure, keep sassing me. I’m the one who’s going out to get you clothes. Keep up the shit talk and I’ll bring you back a pair of overalls.”

  “As long as I have clean underwear.”

  “Don’t expect anything lacy,” Valerie retorted.

  Oh no, say it wasn’t so. No lacy underthings while biding my time in captivity? Way to rough it.

  Valerie was beyond mental.

  “Right then,” I said slowly. “I’m a size—”

  “Size stick figure. Got it,” Valerie interrupted.

  Jared smacked the window above my door, giving my heart a startled jolt. I hadn’t seen him standing there, leering through the tinted glass.

  “What’s taking so long?”

  As I opened my door, he stepped out of the way. Valerie exited the vehicle at the same time and made her way around the front of the SUV. I briefly considered telling her I liked to wear black, but knowing the vixen, if I made a specific request, she’d go out of her way to bring back the opposite color. I’d end up with a yellow, peach, or pink sweater . . . and overalls.

  Instead of going to the front seat, Valerie rushed between Jared and me, throwing her arms around Jared’s neck.

  “I’ll miss you, baby,” she cooed, nuzzling her face into Jared’s shoulder.

  And she’d once called Gavin a stage-three clinger. Good grief, woman, have some self-respect.

  Yeah, that had flown out the window the moment she chose to date Jared, the evilest of evil bastards.

  Jared threw his shoulders back and jutted his chin forward. “Can’t live without me, can you?” he said. He spanked Valerie with a loud smack. She cried out, arms slipping down his neck to his chest. She pushed away from him, eyes narrowed.

  “You’re going to pay for that tonight, mister.”

  Jared laughed arrogantly. “I can’t wait.”

  The creases around Valerie’s eyes smoothed out as a small, pouty smile formed over her lips. She swayed her hips as she walked to the driver’s door of the SUV, glancing over her shoulder and blowing Jared a kiss before she climbed in.

  Rocks flew from the tires as Valerie gunned it down the driveway, spraying gravel and snow into the air like a galloping horse kicking up earth as it ran down a track. Valerie, the wild, red-maned mustang.

  Before disappearing into the trees, Jared headed toward the house, tossing me a smile as he did.

  “Don’t you just love our dysfunctional little family?” he asked.

  “Not particularly,” I said.

  “One day you’ll be grateful I allowed you into the circle.”

  Ah, yes, the circle of mistrust. Jared still didn’t grasp that he and Valerie were the last two vamps on the planet I’d choose to be stuck with.

  Jared entered the house before me, not watching to see if I followed. He probably figured if I made a sudden run for it he’d have time to catch up and tackle me onto the rocky, snow-dusted ground.

  Jared was crouched beside the pink-and-white tote bag when I entered the home. The bag had been dropped against the wall along with the duffel bags. I stared at them only while Jared was rifling through the tote. He pulled out a book and lifted it into the air before walking toward me.

  “Here you are,” he said, handing over a book with a cover different from the one I’d semi-started the day before.

  The author and title font was the same, but the pose was different, as was the title.

  “Twice Bitten,” I read aloud, looking down. “This isn’t the one I was reading before. Valerie said to start with Some Girls Bite.”

  Jared snorted. “Yeah, well, some boys bite, too.”

  I rolled my eyes and muttered, “I’ll find it myself,” as I breezed by him toward the tote. I crouched by the bag and began digging around, taking my time. One of the black duffels was close enough to be touching the tote, but its zipper was on the opposite side of the bag. I lifted my lashes ever so slightly to see if Jared was watching me.

  He had his back turned, but it didn’t matter. It would be stupid to attempt unzipping the duffel with him standing in plain sight.

  “So, where did you get the money? Rob a bank?” I asked conversationally, forcing my eyes back on the tote bag full of books rather than stare too long at the duffel.

  Jared sniffed. “Grabbed everything lying around Melcher’s office. There’s plenty more where it came from. This is chump change to Gabriel. No more easy money after this. Once it runs out we’ll have to find other means.”

  I dropped Twice Bitten inside the tote, grabbed Some Girls Bite, and stood, clutching the book against my torso.

  “I am not digging up corpses,” I said, giving Jared a hard, I-mean-it stare.

  He chuckled. “That’s all in the past. It’s much easier to make a living in this day and age.”

  “Oh, really? Tell that to the shrinking middle class,” I said.

  Jared cleared his throat. “I didn’t say an honest living. I said a living.”

  “Sure. That explains everything.”

  “Don’t worry. I have plenty of life experience at this. Several lifetimes of experience, in fact.” Jared’s teeth flashed when he smiled.

  “I feel so much better knowing I’m in capable hands,” I said sarcastically, plopping onto the couch and flipping to where I’d left off. Page three. Wow, real speed-reader.

  “But it won’t all be up to me,” Jared said, voice drifting over to me like stink off a rotting fish. “You’ll have to earn your keep.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” I said, lifting the paperback higher to block Jared from view.

  The words could have been typeset in Mandarin for all the attention I gave them. I couldn’t stop thinking about Fane, my stomach twisting with how much I missed him. Then my mind jumped to the duffel b
ag and what kind of weapons I might find inside and when I’d get a chance to sneak out tonight.

  Jared didn’t leave the den, but there was no more chitchat. I kept turning pages every so often, mind racing all the while. I visualized my moves that evening, sneaking out of bed and tiptoeing out to the den, waiting for Valerie to shriek before zipping back the zipper. After going over the plan a dozen times, my mind drifted to Fane and my friends in Anchorage.

  Had Ashley moved in with Dante? Were they all still training, or were they scouring the state trying to find me?

  How had Selene known Noel would get called away the night she drugged me? Had she gotten lucky or had Melcher let something slip about a local party he needed an informant to check out? Perhaps Selene said she had plans to get out of it—not that Melcher cared much about prior plans. Missions always came first. The agency came first. Before school, family, and anything else.

  I wondered if Selene had gotten away or if the agency had caught up to her. If they did, it wouldn’t do them any good. It wouldn’t help them locate me. Besides, I was rooting for Selene to get away and see her family again. I held no grudge against her, not like Jared. Selene was just another pawn in the game Jared and Melcher were playing with our lives.

  The afternoon wore onto evening. As the light faded, it struck me that I’d need to turn on a lamp to sell the whole “I’m reading, don’t bother me” look. When I lowered the paperback, I noticed Jared on the couch, legs stretched forward, head thrown back as though sleeping.

  My eyes darted from his motionless form to the duffel bags beside the wall.

  I couldn’t know for sure that he was asleep or that he wouldn’t wake up the moment I stood. No, I had to be patient. Night approached and with it, the plan I’d gone over again and again during the last several hours.

  I set the book gently in my lap and stretched, watching Jared. His head remained back, chest rising and falling.

  What if they moved the duffel bags into their bedroom tonight? What if this was my only shot at getting my hands on a weapon?