“Yay!” Mel exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.
Kai hung up. For a brief second I panicked, worried I’d made an irrational decision bringing Mel out like this, but the moment I saw her utter elation, I pushed past it. We would be safe. Kai would take care of us. Worst-case scenario, I’d go diving in the Cooper River after Mel.
Chapter 11
It took longer than I expected to cross the bridge and find parking on the Mt. Pleasant end. The roads were busy, despite the height of rush hour being over.
“O.M.G. I can’t believe we’re actually going to do this,” Mel said as she got out of the car.
Kai ambled towards us as we closed the car doors. Ropes and harnesses were encircling his buff bicep. He had a military appearance, serious features, and an air of confident deception. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, his civilian clothes dark yet alluring, like him in the moment.
I ran my hands along my curves. “Are we going to get in trouble for this?” I warily studied the trail of cars crossing the bridge.
“How could we?” He locked eyes with me, reminding me of the control we had over the situation.
A shiver ran down my spine. There was something in the depths of his eyes that shook me, a cold, hard desire so basic and savage my heart skipped a beat. He thought this was his moment, a moment to get close to me again without Kellan. I swallowed hard.
He cocked his head, frowning. “I’m not Jacob.”
I felt my mental block firmly in place, so he must have read me another way. I needed a distraction, something to pull me out of him in this moment. “Has everyone read that series?” I chuckled softly.
Kai pursed his lips, recognizing my initiative. I turned to Mel.
“Craig hasn’t. I’ve been trying to get him to, but he keeps saying he’ll never sell his soul for a pufferbull story, whatever that means.” She looked back at the water. Her body was stiff. She was afraid, yet eager to push her human self one last time. She shook her head slightly, pulling herself back to the moment. “So, are we gonna do this?” She tucked her hands in her pockets, looking expectantly between Kai and me.
“After you, ladies.” Kai indicated for us to walk ahead of him.
It took us thirty minutes at a safe, human pace to reach a few yards from the center of the bridge. We were stationed on the opposite side of the crosswalk to avoid causing a scene or unwanted attention. The sun was sinking below the horizon, the cover of night helping us.
Five minutes later, we were harnessed in, the cords secured to the bridge. Kai yanked on them a few times to ensure they were properly anchored. I tried not to get upset when he avoided eye contact. The way he jerked the cords through their hooks, I could tell he was bothered by what had happened at my car. I didn’t push anything, though. This was Mel’s time. I was here for her.
“How are we doing this? ’Cause I refuse to go swimming in that muck below.” Mel tugged on her harness.
“I’ll pull you back up. Once you reach the bridge, you’ll have to climb a bit to make sure I don’t knock you around,” Kai replied.
“Sounds like a plan.”
I caught Kai’s attention. I studied him for a moment. He was a muted matte showing nothing, giving away no thoughts or emotions. I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth, turning my focus back to Mel. She looked at me, then the water.
“Go with me the first time, Lex?”
I smiled. She appeared childlike, her anxiety curbing her enthusiasm. I grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
Kai helped Mel climb up to the jumping-off point. “You’ll have to wrap your arms around her,” he advised.
Mel was lost in the large drop below us. “I’ve got her.”
He nodded. “Be careful, Leka.” The gentle concern in his voice was endearing.
“Always.” I positioned Mel and wrapped my arms around her. “On the count of three. One… Two… Three!” I bent at my knees and jumped, projecting us up and outward.
Mel screamed as the cool night air rushed over us. I knew the skyline would be a blur to her human eyes, but she laughed and squealed vivaciously over every swing of the vine.
“Oh, my gosh! This is the best thing I’ve ever done! So freakin’ awesome!” Her ponytail hung towards the water as we swung from side to side, in and out of the bridge’s shadow.
I peered up at the bridge above us. Kai stood leaning against the rails, watching us carefully. A few curious humans dotted the bridge’s threshold. Camera phones clicked shots of the crazy teen girls jumping off the largest cable bridge in the U.S. I wasn’t too concerned, though. Despite the bridge being well lit, the lights weren’t bright enough to illuminate the water below, where we were skimming a few feet above it.
Kai began to hoist us up. I noticed he was grunting and straining, ensuring he put on a good show for the humans who lingered. Once we reached the railing, I gripped a bar and helped Mel grab on. Kai reached down and pulled her up and over the barrier.
“O.M.G. That was amazing, Kai. I want to go again.” She was bouncing in place, unable to contain her adrenaline.
Continuing the human charade, Kai bent down and grabbed my upper arms to help me up and over the bars. He set me down, his eyes penetrating mine, trying to push beyond the walls I’d erected between us. I couldn’t let down my guard, though, my carefully constructed fortress that made sure I didn’t hurt Kellan again.
“Uh, guys?” Mel cut in.
I shook my head and turned towards her. I forced a smile on my face. “That was great, right?”
“More exhilarating than sugaring plums. I want to go again.”
I checked around us. “Do you mind setting her up again, Kai? I don’t think I can pass as strong enough to lift her.”
He didn’t respond verbally but immediately acted on my request. He lifted her to the top of the railing. He stayed behind her, his hands ready to nab her should she become unsteady.
“Oh, my gosh. O.M.G. I can’t believe I’m doing this again!” she shrieked. I’d never seen my friend so happy. She bent at her knees and propelled herself off the bridge, yelling with delight the entire way.
I rested next to Kai along the metal bars, observing the scene below.
“You haven’t called or stopped by,” he stated.
“Sorry.”
He glanced at me sideways before facing the water again. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too.”
He studied my ring. “I take it things are going good?”
“Um, yeah.” My heart fluttered in my chest as I gazed down at the stone.
Abruptly I was yanked into him, Kai’s mouth descending on mine before I could stop him. His lips were soft, covering mine like a silk sheet, but there was power behind his touch. He caressed my cheek, sliding his hand down and around to cup my head. Warmth spread over me, and my body began to tingle with awareness. I was always aware of Kai, but I fought that awareness. I didn’t want to be sensitive to him. I didn’t want to have those feelings for him, but if I was honest with myself, I already did.
“Maybe I’ll never be the love of your life, but you’ll always be the love of mine.”
I froze, quickly coming to my senses. I immediately fought to extricate myself from his tight grip. Our breathing was harsh, erratic. The way he looked at me, the way he wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to me, nearly broke me. I hated the pain I was causing him, but I also loathed him for putting me in a position to hurt Kellan again. He’d seen the ring on my finger yet acted anyway.
I narrowed my eyes at him, my face pinching. I was shocked to feel tears prickling my eyes. “You can’t do that, Kai. You just can’t do that to me,” I pleaded.
His gaze traveled the well-lit bridge before landing on me. He closed the gap, pressing my head against his chest. He bent near my ear. “You can’t do that right now, Leka. Your tears are bloody.” His hushed tone calmed me, despite its delivery.
He lifted my face towards him, his thumbs sliding beneat
h my eyes. “I will never apologize for how I feel about you. With or without a ring, my feelings will never change.”
“Why? That’s what I don’t understand, Kai. There are millions of women on the planet, plenty of vamps, too. Why not go after one of them?”
“Because none of them—” He stopped at the sound of Mel’s frantic voice.
“Um, guys, there’s a boat heading straight for me. Guys? Holy sugarplums! Lex!”
The bungee cord bounced against the railing. I was at the handrail, pulling her up at the speed of light. I forgot all human façades and focused on rescuing my best friend.
“Hurry, Leka. Your grandfather is on that boat,” Kai warned.
“How do you know that?” I fumbled with the cords, wishing they weren’t so pliable.
Kai took over once Mel was close to the bridge. He bypassed the rails, pulling her to safety immediately. “We have to go now,” he ordered.
Mel’s expression was anything but happy now. Concern etched her brows; fear widened her eyes. “We’re in danger, aren’t we?”
Kai helped me with the last cable attaching us to the bridge. “No time to explain.” His eyes led me to footsteps in the distance behind us.
I looked to see a group of army joggers, their uniforms claiming they were, anyway. I knew better. If Kai was rushing, they were a vamp threat.
“Kai—”
“I’ve got her. Forget the human crap. Run.” He heaved Mel onto his back and took off at full speed.
I followed suit, my heart racing. Serum flooded my mouth, reality shaking me to the core. For me to be in danger was one thing, but for Mel to be… My body hummed, the telltale sign that I was being electrically charged. Crap. Not now. Please not now.
At my car, Kai shoved Mel in the back seat and climbed in the driver’s seat. Every security feature was activated by the time I closed the passenger door. He sped off towards Mt. Pleasant, away from danger, but likewise, away from Mel’s house, where she was set to transform in roughly three hours.
Chapter 12
Kai pressed a button of the side of his watch, a simple silver square design with a black leather wristband. Suddenly, the front plate illuminated a dial pad. He spoke a phone number aloud. I watched in awe as the advanced technology punched the numbers in for him. A moment later, Kalel came in loud and clear over the speakerphone function of the watch.
“What’s wrong?” Kalel’s voice was calm, yet held a sharpness in the clip of his words.
“We’re being tracked and chased on the Mt. Pleasant side of the Cooper River Bridge. We need an airborne diversion.”
“Who’s we?” he countered.
“Mel and Leka.”
I heard a rush of air escape Kalel’s lungs. “I can send our guys, but it’ll take about twenty minutes since the pad is at the lake house.”
Kai shook his head, swerving in and out of lanes, barely avoiding pedestrians along the sidewalks in front of the plazas. “Call in the army.”
“I’m accessing your satellite location from Bet-batch. I’ll send it to Auggy now.”
The watch returned to its former façade as an ordinary accessory that millions owned. Kai ground his teeth, repeatedly checking the rearview mirror. A yelp from the back seat reminded me that Mel was still there; her heartbeat was erratic to the point of nearly being a solid blip on a monitor.
“Holy sugarplum fairies. Lex, are we going to die? I mean, I haven’t even really lived yet. I’m way too young to die. I at least need to live another decade to see the progression of fashion as a vamp with the cash to indulge in it.” She was rambling, trying to talk through her nerves.
“It’s okay, Mel. We’ll be fine. The car will protect us, and we’ll protect you,” I assured her.
“What’s with the air stuff?”
I looked back at her. She’d pulled her knees to her chest. Her arms were firmly wrapped around her legs; her hands were encircling her ankles and her fingertips white beneath her grip. She leaned her head on the tops of her knees; her eyes were darting all around.
“The air stuff is a helicopter that they’ll send up in the air. It’ll trail over my car and take out any targets that we can’t see,” I explained.
“Even with all these people around?”
I sighed, trying to think of a way to explain it. “I once saw a show. They taped missing children posters on the walls and pillars in a busy mall then had the same children posted walk around. Not one person recognized the children or even paid any attention. Humans are oblivious. They’re so caught up in their own world that they miss what’s right in front of them. Vamps move fast. If a human can’t even recognize a flower bush they pass every day on their way to work, what’s the likelihood that they would notice a vamp being hit with a tiny dart from the air? It’s rare.
“Plus, the vamp army works above and below. Even if a human saw what happened, the vampers on foot would clean it up before the local police could get wind of it.”
She seemed to accept that. She took a deep breath. “I trust you, Lex.”
“Thanks.”
“But if you ever electrocute me, I’m hosing you down.”
I laughed. She was definitely feeling more at ease. “Deal.”
As I turned to face the front again, I heard the blades of a helicopter slicing through the air off in the distance. Backup was on its way.
“Have you seen anything?” I asked Kai.
He was in mission mode, focused on the task at hand. His lips were slightly pursed, his nostrils flaring each time he breathed. His eyes were like swords, cutting through the terrain in front of us, seeking out our escape route, seeking out the enemy we were trying to outrun while calculating the options and risks in his mind.
“Black SUV two cars behind has stayed on our trail,” he stated, never diverting his focus.
“Why do the bad guys always drive a black car?” I mused.
Mel laughed. “The ultimate prank would be to spray-paint their cars bubblegum pink. That’d probably be worse than taking out all their men.”
“Ooh. We should so do that one day!”
“I say we start with Jack’s car. It’s only fair since he was somewhat responsible for what happened to Rafi.”
My serum rose higher at her reminder of Rafi. It felt like I’d lost so many people, that I was forgetting them slowly but surely. It didn’t sit well with me but was better than wallowing in self-pity over it.
“Sounds like a plan.” My voice lacked the enthusiasm I’m sure she was hoping for.
I knew Gabi struggled with the situation; I didn’t know anyone who wouldn’t. It would take some time before we all accepted things for what they were. Kai and Kalel hadn’t even allowed Jack into their house yet, and Gabi owned a third of it. The circumstances were awkward at best, but you can’t change who you love, unfortunately, and Gabi and Jack had an undeniable connection.
I heard the high-pitched whistle flying through the air straight towards us, pulling me quickly back to reality. A chill ran down my spine as the car went black, all electronics ceasing to work in that split second. It was as if we’d driven into a dark tunnel and turned everything but the engine off. The car stuttered to an abrupt halt. An eerie silence filled the car.
“Kai!” Kalel’s voice echoed through Kai’s watch.
“Yes,” he replied, hesitance in his tone.
“Don’t touch anything. Don’t attempt to open the car. Don’t move a muscle.”
Mel gasped, holding her breath subsequently. A tiny whimper escaped her right as the first splinter was heard.
Like a rock rippling a pond, something was causing the glass of the windows, windshields, and sunroof to crack and spiderweb outward. The crackle of tempered glass rattled me to the core. I’d tucked my hands beneath my thighs, afraid to touch anything.
“Talk to me. What’s going on?” Kai demanded.
“Ah!” Mel yelled when the car rumbled, a vibration shaking the outside.
“They hit you with someth
ing new. The entire car is coated in some sort of black tar. Problem is it went on wet, seeped into every crevice, and hardened within seconds, so there’s no penetrable corner. It looks more like glue or sealant when it dries, though. They’re trying to see how they can get you out, but so far nothing short of a jackhammer seems to be a workable option.”
“Uh, guys.” I bit my lip, feeling their eyes turning in my direction. “We may have another more serious problem. If they coated the car, then we’re not breathing clean oxygen — we’re breathing carbon dioxide.”
The tension was palpable, the silence working me.
Suddenly, Mel’s hysteria broke through. “O.M.G. I’m gonna die. We’re all going to die. What the hell? I live sixteen years, am a model citizen in every way, and yet I’m still going to be punished by death.”
“Mel.” My tone was strong, willing her to listen to me. “I know you’re scared. We all are, but I promise you, they’ll get us out of here.”
“I want out, and I want answers,” she declared.
“Where the hell was our air support?” Kai barked.
“Apparently they were distracted by some army men on foot and missed the SUV,” Kalel replied. “Hold on.” Kalel’s voice was muffled as he spoke to someone in the distance. “Alright. Listen to me, Kai. I need you to see if there is a way to get all of you into the front seat with you. They’re going to try a chainsaw first, but if that doesn’t work, then they’ll be forced to use a jackhammer in the back of the car to avoid any fire hazards under the hood. The slope of the back of the car will probably have it caving in before they get to you. The moment you see light, tell me. I’ll have you and Leka break through from the inside out at that point.”
I opened the dash compartment I’d shoved my phone into earlier. I couldn’t even worry about the missed calls from Kellan, Gabi, and Craig. I immediately turned my phone and lit up the area around me. In the dark, it was a bright light, but still meager at showing the details of what we were up against. I lifted it up to the passenger window. Serum flooded my mouth; spider veins covered the glass. I didn’t know how it hadn’t caved in on me yet.
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