by Kailin Gow
Kalina signaled to Justin and Jaegar, who appeared immediately. Go through the courtyard – meet me at the back.
One by one, they all rushed to the room on the other side of the domed courtyard. Here goes nothing, Kalina thought, biting into her own wrist. The smell of her blood filled the air. Even from a distance, she could see Octavius’ face change; the second he inhaled her smell, his customary serenity was displaced by a look of voracious desire. Would he be able to keep control?
She pressed her wrist to the ground, letting the free-flowing blood soak the earth.
“I smell it!” she heard one of the vampires cry. “The girl’s down – she’s bleeding. Let’s get her!”
“Looking for blood?” Octavius crowed. “Go find it, then!”
Kalina rushed to the other side of the dome, tearing her shirt and fashioning a bandage from the rags. She watched as all of Molotov’s vampires ran into the courtyard, sniffing and shouting wildly. “Where is she?” “I can smell her blood!” “She’s hiding!” “Where?”
Kalina looked at Max. “Now?”
“Now,” Max nodded, aiming her gun square at the roof. Stuart and Octavius picked up their weapons. “Fire!”
Ten stakes went flying through the air; they pierced the glass of the ceiling, which fell apart like struck crystal. A wild wail went up from the vampires as sunlight flooded the dome; Kalina felt nauseous as the smell of burning flesh reached her nostrils. One by one, the vampires burned into nothingness.
Kalina was bleeding harder than she thought; the blood was soaking through the bandage. “Come on,” she said, “Let’s run.” But a pair of hands was already upon her, grabbing her savagely, pulling her out into the snow.
“What the…Octavius?” His fangs were exposed; he was breathing heavily. She had never seen him look so bestial before – so in thrall to his own desires. The past few days had only tantalized him; he craved her more than ever. She could see it in his eyes – see for the first time a danger she was only just beginning to understand…
“Kalina,” Octavius gasped, fighting his instincts. “I don’t know if I can control it…” He was shaking. “I can’t – your scent, the adrenaline, this feeling…”
Yes, Kalina thought joyously! This was the moment. At last he would take her, drink her blood – at last she would turn him. “Then don’t fight it,” she whispered. “Take me, Octavius. I want you to want me – I’ve waited so long.”
His fangs extended further; he pushed her down into the snow. Kalina pushed back her hair, baring her neck for him, waiting for him to bite, and craving his kiss.
Octavius groaned softly. But he did not bite her, giving his lips over instead to fervent, fevered kissing of her neck, her lips. She opened her mouth to him, her heart throbbing faster still. “Go on,” she whispered.
“Oh, Kalina,” he moaned. “You tempt me too much.” He sprang to his feet, turning his back to her. “I can’t do this…”
In a moment she too was on her feet, running to Octavius, wrapping her arms about his neck, kissing him. “Please, Octavius,” she cried. “I’m yours.”
“Don’t make me do this,” his voice shook. “There are Carriers to be found, Carriers who need us – to bring them back to their families. There’s Molotov.”
“We have Max…Justin…”
“Jaegar?” Octavius looked back at Kalina, jealousy in his eyes. “Or will you turn him?”
“If I can turn more than one vampire,” Kalina began, “then I can turn you both. Give you both what you want. But I know what I want, Octavius and I want to be with you…”
Octavius scoffed. “If your feelings for Jaegar and Stuart are that strong,” he said, “you shouldn’t risk trying it on me. I don’t want one-third of your heart, my darling. I want it all.” He strode back towards the others, leaving Kalina shaking and hurt. The compound was all but empty now; the vampires were turned to char and cinders.
Kalina fought back the tears. Octavius would give in someday, she told herself. She just had to give him time…
Justin was fighting off the last of the minions with two stakes; Jaegar was brandishing his gun to pick out any survivor. In the distance, Molotov appeared, carrying something in front of him. Kalina looked closer.
“He’s using another vampire as a shield,” she said. “We can’t get to him without staking the other vamp.”
Justin fired a shot, but it was no use. The stake went straight into the heart of the other vampire, sending him crumbling into dust.
“We’ve got you now!” Justin called.
Molotov smirked. “You think I lived this long by being a fool? You’ll never get me, boy. I’m your Maker!” And with that, he vanished – leaving nothing but empty space where he had been.
“What the…” Kalina blinked. “How did he do that?”
Octavius did not look at her. “He’s getting stronger – turning must have done that to him. Only the strongest vampires can simply disappear like that. They straddle the line between dead and undead – they can harness the powers of Death at will.”
Kalina frowned. “We should have finished him off…”
“He’ll only get stronger,” Stuart sighed.
“He’ll rebuild his army. First he turns a whole village – what’s next, a city? He’s willing to turn thousands if it means holding us off.”
“Kalina!” Justin turned to his sister. It was the first time she’d been able to touch him since he’d turned. She rushed into his arms, letting the tears flow freely.
“Don’t worry, Kal. I’ve accepted it. What I am. Who I am. I’m living on vampire wine – Jaegar showed me how. They’re going to look after me. Take me back to the Vineyard. Use my medical knowledge to try to improve vampire wine, make it stronger…and if I’m a vampire, it means I might be able to heal my patients. Use my blood for good. And hey, if I don’t need to eat, I can use that money to pay off my student loans, right?” He smiled weakly. ‘I’ll work on looking through the Doctor’s paper’s, figuring out the formula for Life’s Blood. I’ve got more than a lifetime to find the formula now. You haven’t lost me, Kal. I’ve just got more useful, that’s all!” He hugged her tighter. “It wasn’t your fault, Kal. It wasn’t anybody’s fault. I knew the risks when I signed up for this gig…”
“When I thought I’d lost you…” Kalina sobbed. “It hurt so much. I was so worried.”
“Listen, Kal,” Justin grinned. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore. For the first time, I can take care of myself. And that means you can live the life you’ve always wanted without worrying about keeping me out of danger.”
“I love you, Justin,” Kalina whispered. “I thought I’d lose you if you turned – but now I have you back, and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. You’ll always be my big brother.”
“Just what you need, huh, Kal?” Justin joked. “Another vampire man in your life.”
Octavius broke in. “We’ve spent enough time here,” he said. “Jaegar, Kalina told me that you possibly have information about the Carriers?”
Jaegar nodded. “I heard through the grapevine. Molotov wanted to stall us – he sent us out here on a wild goose chase to get his revenge. But Mal…he always knew there was one place we wouldn’t look – a place so simple it escaped us…”
“I don’t understand,” Kalina began.
Justin’s eyes widened. “I think I do. Where do you normally keep something you don’t want found…”
And then it hit her. “In the most obvious place possible. In your own backyard.”
“Right,” said Jaegar. “Because that’s where they’ve been all along. Rutherford, California.”
Chapter 19
After Kalina, Max, and the vampires returned to the hotel and packed their things, it was time to head off again. Stuart commissioned his private jet once more, and the group prepared to return to Rutherford. Kalina's excitement was tinged with frustration. While she was relieved to know at last the location of the Carriers, she w
as furious with herself for not having recognized Mal's gambit earlier. She should have guessed that Mal had been playing tricks on them all along – planting false information and perhaps even false Carrier blood to lure them to Switzerland.
And all along, the Carriers had been in Rutherford! Kalina couldn't believe it. But deep down, Kalina was relieved. She was willing to travel to wherever it took to get the Carriers, but she was exhausted; to return to Rutherford meant, at least, returning home. The others were tired, too, and Kalina knew that the thirteen-hour flight would provide some much-needed rest for all of them. Stuart was up front, directing the pilot. Octavius, Jaegar, and Justin were all asleep on leather sofas, at last resting from the wounds and scars of battle.
“I brought you some tea,” Stuart returned to the cabin. He sat down next to Kalina, his hand touching hers. “I've gotten used to human food now.” He laughed sadly. “But all the caffeine in the world won't take this exhaustion away. I'm not designed to fight like a vampire anymore, Kalina; my body can't handle it.” He turned to her, gazing into her eyes, his own expression filled with sadness. “You don't have to say anything, Kalina,” he whispered softly. “I've always felt it. And now I feel it – stronger than ever. I know I can't keep holding you back, keep standing between what you are and what you feel. You're becoming vampire – a transformation I don't even understand – but a transformation that's keeping you away from me. I'll always love you, Kalina, but I'm a human now. All these experiences have made it clear to me that I'm not cut out for this life anymore. I'll always be there for you – but I know you're not ready for a life with me. And to be honest, Kalina, I'm not sure you'll ever be. You're not built for the kind of life I thought I wanted. And I'm no longer capable of the kind of life...” He kissed her fingers. “My human body won't be able to take much more of this – fighting vampires, hunting down Molotov. And if I last another few weeks at this – I'll give up all the good I hope to do. Settling down. Working for peace. Atoning for what I've done.” He held her close.
“I wanted to marry you, Kalina. To be with you. To have a family with you. But if I can't do that, I need to go back to my original calling. Not to be a Protestant pastor – married, with a family. But to give my life to God more fully than that. To become a priest as priests were when I was a child, when we were Catholics. I will swear off that kind of love with any woman – better nobody than anyone who isn't you. You'll always be the only girl for me, Kalina. And I'll always be there for you. Whatever you need.”
“I know,” Kalina said softly. “I can feel it. We're connected now – by Life's Blood. You'll always be a part of me.” She stroked his face. His skin was rough. “Is this really what you want?”
Stuart grimaced, trying to hide the pain. “You know what I want,” he whispered hoarsely. “But Fate has chosen to deny me...” He took a deep breath. “And so I'll have to accept it. I'll find another path. Not everyone needs to be married, right?”
“Oh, Stuart!” Kalina squeezed his hand; he squeezed hers right back. But she couldn't say anything to change his mind – in her heart of hearts, she knew what he said was true. She could never truly love him – not while she was so deeply, so madly and passionately in love with another. But, she knew, no matter what happened, she would always be Stuart's friend.
She fell asleep halfway over the Atlantic, allowing herself to doze off at last. When she woke, she felt a familiar warmth pressing alongside her.
“Morning, Kal!” Jaegar was stroking her hair softly. He had been watching her sleep. He pulled her into him, his blue eyes full of love. “Did I ever tell you, Kal, you look so peaceful when you sleep. Vampires – we rarely see such a peaceful look. Seeing the way your eyelashes curl so delicately against your face. The way your chest goes up and down – just like that! - when you breathe.” He smiled, almost embarrassed at this display of emotion. “I love...oh, heck, Kal,” he pulled her closer. “I'm not good at this. I don't know what to say. All I know is that I love everything about you.” He leaned in, kissing her.
Kalina looked around, embarrassed. But Stuart was gone – evidently up front with the pilot again – and Octavius too was absent. Max and Justin were having a conversation, their backs turned to Jaegar and Kalina. There was nobody to stop her.
Kalina kissed Jaegar back, feeling their chemistry ignite, while moving to the back of the plane. “Let's be alone together,” Jaegar whispered with urgency. She wanted him now more than ever; ever since his blood had begun to flow in her veins, she wanted to kiss him, to devour him, to consume him; her body was addicted to his. Jaegar didn't even have to speak. It was clear from his expression just what he wanted. Her. She could feel his muscles ache with restraint; all he wanted, she knew, was just what she wanted – for him to throw her down onto the floor and take her, at last.
“Jaegar,” Kalina sighed. “I missed you so much when you were gone. I...” But Jaegar silenced her with a kiss, lightly biting her upper lip.
“I swear, Kal,” he breathed, unbuttoning his shirt. “I want you so badly – if I can't...I'll stake myself, Kal...”
“Don't worry...” Kalina whispered, running her fingers through his hair. “I want you too.”
“No!” Jaegar pulled away suddenly. “No, stop!”
“What is it?” Kalina looked up in confusion. Jaegar had never reacted like this before.
“I can't – I can't get so close – and then stop....I won't be able to stop myself this time. I can feel it. If we get close, we'll go all the way. I can't keep waiting, torturing myself, getting so close to the object of all my desires only to lose it. I want you so badly, Kalina, that it's killing me. And that scares me.” His eyes darkened; they were smooth and black like slate. “And thinking of you with Stuart – or with Octavius – it kills me. It makes me want to kill them.”
“Don't talk like that,” Kalina stroked his arm.
“I can't take it anymore, Kal!” Jaegar's face was filled with a mixture of love and rage as he stormed off.
Kalina remained in the back of the plane, shocked. What had happened? Her vampire lovers were always willing to take it slow before, to respect her space, to respect the time it was taking for her to make her decision. But now she saw a different side of Jaegar. A hungry, impatient side – a side that frightened her.
About ten minutes later, when Kalina had returned to the cabin, Jaegar again sat down alongside her. He took her hands in his and kissed her. “I'm sorry, Kal,” he said. “I don't know what's gotten into me. Something about your blood – about our connection – it's making me crazier than usual. My blood's acting up again.”
“Don't worry about it,” Kalina blushed. How could she blame Jaegar for being jealous, when after all she couldn't bear to make the decision that would end all rivalry forever? “Hey, I don't mind when you lose control around me.” She tried to make a joke, but as she spoke, she felt the full heat of her desire coursing through her. She could see that Jaegar felt the same way.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kalina spotted Octavius emerging from the back of the way. He looked smug, sated. A drop of blood lingered on his lips as he leaned back comfortably on the level chair. One of the flight attendants, a slim blonde girl in her early twenties whom Kalina had not seen before, emerged just after him, conspicuously covering up her neck with her scarf. She was beautiful; Kalina couldn't help noticing, with snowflake-white skin and blonde hair, and a complexion so perfect as to be almost doll-like. She was smiling at Octavius, and Octavius was smiling back.
Kalina couldn't restrain her jealousy. Octavius never smiled at just a meal like that. There had to be something more between them.
“Relax,” Jaegar patted Kalina's leg. “Don't worry about it. Believe me, the last thing I want to do is reassure you about Octavius – I'm jealous that you're jealous – but I'll be honest: that girl means nothing to him. She meant nothing to me. She's just...a good source of blood, that's all.”
“Then you two...?”
“We ran low on v
ampire wine,” Jaegar explained quickly. “I don't even remember her name. Alice or something? Maybe it was Suzanne.”
Kalina had to stifle a laugh. “Alice or Suzanne?” she said. “How do you even get from one to the other?”
“I told you, I couldn't remember. I was hungry.”
“Listen, Jaegar.” Kalina rubbed her hand up and down his thigh. “Soon, my love, you won't have to dine on waitresses and flight attendants any longer. You'll be able to get your meals from me.”
Jaegar's eyes widened with surprise. “You mean...”
She nodded.
“I meant what I said,” Jaegar said. “When I said I wanted to show you how much I loved you. I only wanted the chance. To woo you the right way. To be the romantic one for change, instead of the unreliable bad boy. To deserve you. I want to give you everything you wanted. Fly you to Paris, take you on a gondola ride in Venice – everything your heart desires, Kal. Won't you give me that chance?”