4 Vamp Versus Vamp

by Christin Lovell

  I didn’t reply. There was nothing I could say in this moment that he would listen to. He was on the pity train. Was this what I was like? More than one person had said I was a masochist. Taking everything into my own hands, trying to protect everyone else at the potential cost of my own life…. We were both a mess. This mission had hit too close to home. Cesar was hitting us too close to home.

  “Let’s get inside so we’re not a visible target at least.” I spoke softly, calmly.

  He didn’t argue. He led me into the house, not even bothering to knock.

  Chapter 29

  The moment we were inside, Kai rushed us. He punched Kellan square in the jaw. I squealed, covering my mouth with my hands. Kellan swung back at the vampire, connecting with his lip. Kai’s lip split open, blood dripping.

  “Stop! You’re fighting the wrong person here.”

  Kai glared at Kellan with disgust. “If anything happens to her, it’s on your head.”

  “Let’s go,” Kalel called. He stood beside the door that led down a hall to the weapons room and lab.

  Auggy and Chek barged in the front door, Auggy mid-rant when he noticed Kellan’s bruised jaw and Kai’s bloodied lip. They were both already starting to heal, but the damage was still visible. “For Christ’s sake, can’t you two give it a rest? At this rate you’re going to kill each other and leave her with no one. You may as well call a truce and consider a ménage.”

  I drew back, my eyes widening. I immediately flew to Kalel, not wanting to see the guys’ reactions or even consider it. I loved them both, but it didn’t mean I wanted to be with them both, especially not at the same time. It wasn’t fair to them.

  “Come on.” Kalel ushered me into the back hall and led me through several doors to the massive weapons room. It’d been a while since I’d been back here.

  The warehouse was expansive, larger than any I’d ever seen. Weapons of every kind lined the walls and shelves in neat sections. The tall, clear bin of grenades startled me every time, though.

  I followed Kalel through the maze to the laboratory tucked in the right rear section of the space. The first person I looked for was Ralph, but I didn’t see him.

  “We’ve turned him over to the High Authorities,” Kalel said.

  “Have my thoughts been open this whole time?”

  “No, but I know you well.” He approached a ghastly pale male with bleached blond hair, pale blue eyes, and not an ounce of fat on his body. His lack of plumpness caused him to have a sallow appearance that aged him beyond his years. I heard no heartbeat, indicating he was a vampire. “Rupert, this is Leka; Leka, this is Rupert.”

  “Hello.” The man smiled shyly and nodded his head in a courteous greeting.

  “We have an emergency. Odorless gas with molecular trackers has seeped into our pores. Any way to extract it?”

  The male immediately went to the oversized Mac desktop computer and began typing an equation on the screen. He faced us, a grave look on his face.

  “Just give it to me.” Kalel was impatient.

  “I can remove it, but I would have to dehydrate you with a chemical powder to an extremely dangerous level.”

  “How dangerous?” Kalel focused on the scientist.

  “Possible irreversible damage.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it is a vampire-class chemical that I would have to use, not a human-grade one.”

  Kalel punched the table in front of him. Glass beakers of liquid shook. “Are there any other options?”

  “Without knowing the specific formula you’ve been introduced to, I can’t do anything more,” the meek vamp replied.

  “How could you get to it?” Kalel pressed.

  “I would have to remove a chunk of flesh down to the muscle.”

  Kalel ripped off his shirt. “Do it.”

  “Kalel! Don’t. We can find another way.”

  “No, Leka.” He closed his eyes. “I’ve never felt anything so concentrated. I know you have to understand to some degree, but I’d do anything to be with her again, even if it means enduring some pain to get there.”

  “Then he’ll have to do both of us, because the chemical may affect vampeens differently from vampires.”

  His focus shot to me. He ground his teeth. “Fine.”

  “We don’t know where the trigger was aimed, but most of the time it’s higher rather than lower. I will cut the minimal amount from the center of the back where the neck meets the shoulders,” Rupert said.

  “Just do it already,” Kalel growled.

  Rupert fumbled around for a surgical blade and tweezers. I grabbed Kalel’s hands, willing his attention to be on me.

  “It’s a good thing the others are doddling; otherwise, our plan would have been squashed by now.”

  He smiled, gripping my hands. Rupert came around the table and sprayed a liquid on Kalel’s back. I knew the second the knife had bitten into his skin because his entire body tensed; he squeezed my hands before softening his clutch. Rupert grabbed a Petri dish off the table and laid the thin slice of skin and tissue in it.

  The scientist pressed a tissue to Kalel’s back. “Turn around and let her hold this in place.”

  “I don’t need it.”

  Rupert shrugged his shoulders, tossing the bloodied paper into the trash. He came around to my rear. I focused on Kalel, looking no place but in his eyes. He was strong. He was always brave, the perfect big brother I never had.

  I lifted my shirt over my head, leaving my arms intact so the shirt covered the front of me. I felt the cold liquid freeze my pores. I gasped, my eyes watering as the blade pierced my skin. A sharp pain shot through my upper body and down my arms.

  Kalel frowned. “We have company.”

  “What the hell are you doing to her?” Kai yelled.

  “Leave him,” Kalel ordered, his voice echoing through the space.

  “He’s slicing her up. The hell I’m going to leave him,” Kellan barked.

  “Don’t!” Footsteps halted at my panicked, agony-stricken tone. “Hurry up, Rupert.”

  One final cut, one last blazing ache, and then he said, “Done.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the blood beginning to pour down my back. Kalel hugged my hands before releasing them.

  “There better be a damn good explanation for that move, Kulani,” Auggy snapped.

  Kalel didn’t reply. He watched as Rupert examined the flesh beneath the microscope. He dissected the skin into smaller vertical slivers and transferred them to other dishes. He added a different-color drop of liquid to each dish, followed by some clear fluid.

  “You have blood running down your back.” Kellan pressed a cloth to my back. He came around my side and kissed my cheek. His upper body was bare. It was his shirt pressed to my back. “It should start closing up in a minute or two.” He held the shirt in place until the time had elapsed. He prompted me to fix my shirt when the bleeding had stopped.

  I gazed around. Kai, Auggy, and Chek stood off to the side. Chek was searching the place high and low, what for I wasn’t sure. I didn’t get an uneasy feeling. His actions seemed more habitual than anything.

  “I have good news and bad news,” Rupert announced.

  My pulse accelerated; my muscles stiffened. I looked at the dishes. One in particular stood out. The liquid had turned a frightening black, completely clouding over the skin. Rupert had separated the lineup. Kalel was on his left; I was on his right. It was a dish on his right that had changed.

  “Go on,” Kai said. I glanced down the table at him. His lip had already healed, with a minor bit of swelling remaining.

  “This only affects vampeens, not vampires.”

  I looked at Auggy; he looked at me. Nothing like having a wrench thrown in your plans. He clenched his jaw, turning back to Rupert. “What can you do?” Auggy’s tone was softer than usual, yet still tight.

  “I’m afraid we don’t have the correct substance to separate the molecules from your cells and extract them
. I can order it, but even with overnight shipping, we’re looking at a minimum of three days.” Rupert sounded empathetic enough, but it did no good.

  Kellan had been silent beside me. I’d felt his body clench when the news was given. I was terrified to face him.

  “If I get us into Cesar’s, what’s the likelihood that he would have a counter-formula or the stuff we need to get rid of it?” I asked to no one in particular.

  “He’s in a compound full of only vampeens, which is who this thing affects. He has to have something we can use. Or at the least, we can possibly gain access to the tracker’s signal read and disable it,” Kalel replied.

  “Let’s go with that, then. Just give me a day to get myself together.” I turned to Auggy. “Call my aunt.” I regarded everyone in the room. “Thanks for everything, guys.” I headed for the door. I stopped when I realized I didn’t have the correct access to get in and out.

  “I’ve got you,” Kai said, catching up with me.

  Kellan was on the other side of me, a grim expression on his face. I slipped my hand into his, trying to reassure him. This was the original plan anyway. The only difference was I actually had to extract something from inside Cesar’s lair.

  Once we were back inside the main house, I asked to speak with Kai alone. Kellan glared at Kai. “Don’t try anything.”

  Kai didn’t respond. He focused on me.

  I waited for the front door to close. “I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me, and maybe I am a bit confused as to why I have feelings for you, but the one thing I’m not confused about is that my feelings for Kellan are stronger.”

  “Even though his aren’t the same?”

  I didn’t know what they were or weren’t at this point. Kellan seemed as muddled as I was lately. Nonetheless, it would always be a resounding, “Yes.”

  “I will always be here to protect you when he fails to. I’ll always be here to support you when he doesn’t.” He sighed, shaking his head. He gazed into my eyes. “One of the vamps you love is a ticking time bomb, baby, and it isn’t me. I’m not saying that to upset you. I’m telling you because love is blind sometimes, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  Based off Kellan’s erratic behavior lately, I understood his point of view. I gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”

  A smile lit up his face. “Come here, Leka.” He held out his arms to me.

  I moved into his embrace. I immediately stuffed my nose into him, inhaling him, inhaling all I loved about Kai. “Will you do me a favor?”

  “Anything.”

  “Stop beating on my fiancé.”

  His chest contracted in a laugh. “I’ll work on it.”

  “Thanks.” I kissed his cheek and strolled to the front door. I waved. “Bye, Kai.”

  His look was pensive. “Bye, Leka.”

  Chapter 30

  When we returned to the condo, several guests were waiting. I stalled as I came through the door. “Will, Imara, what are you two doing here?”

  Drexel stepped forward. “They said it was urgent. I called the High Authorities and received clearance for them.”

  “It’s okay. They’re good,” I assured him.

  “What’s wrong?” Kellan asked. We all moved to the island, using it as a conference table.

  “I am to enter the dragon’s den with you, Alexa,” Imara stated.

  “What? Why?”

  “She is telling the truth, Lexi. I’ve studied the prophecy, and it says you do not enter alone.” Will placed the thick binder on the island.

  In truth, the prophecy was a blur to me. Will had forced me and Kellan to read a translated version of it, but I merely skimmed over it. Who wanted to know that much detail about their future? I’d been freaking out about one vivid scene ever since Puerto Rico. Or perhaps I had willed it to the back of my mind, not wanting anything to do with the possibility that it was all true, particularly the part about Kellan’s death.

  I shook my head. “It’s too risky. I’m not even a fan of going in.”

  Imara closed her eyes. Silence fell over the room. She opened her eyes. My heart leapt into my throat at the sight of her irises lost in a sea of white. “You doubt. You do not believe what has happened to be fate, but rather the orchestration of several to make it fate. Regardless of the coordination, fate is fate. If it was made to happen, if it was allowed to happen, then it was meant to happen.” She blinked, and her eyes returned to normal.

  Will adjusted the tie over his button-up shirt. He avoided looking at me, finally aware of my innermost doubts about him and everything. He fingered the edges of the worn binder.

  I sighed. This wasn’t how I wanted it to be. “Yes, I have doubts, and questions, and concerns and a lot more. But I’ve learned to ignore them. I’ve done my best to accept what was and is. I’m not perfect, and I have a hard time believing that I could ever be the female vamp described in that prophecy. I’m just a teenage vampeen with a pile of hopes and dreams, not a kick-ass warrior who makes the highest powers in the vamp world shudder. I have a hard time with this sometimes because there seems to be such a huge disconnection from who I am to who everyone thinks I am or expects me to be.”

  “It is not your job to question the validity of those words; it is your job to believe in yourself enough to become those words.” Imara’s statement was like a blazing arrow that shot straight into and scorched my heart.

  Kellan laced his fingers through mine. “We’ve both struggled. We haven’t been the united front we need to be lately, and that’s primarily my fault. That doesn’t help us in the faith department. That’s what that entire book is. It’s two men believing in their visions enough to document them and claim them as truth. It’s our job, though, to make sure they become the truth.”

  Kellan turned me sideways to face him. “Let’s make them true, babe. Today is proof more than ever of how bad things have gotten.” He took a moment. “I’m not sure if you’ve considered this angle, but perhaps the molecular tracker was left by vampires since it only targets vampeens. At that point, we may have a larger enemy to contend with.”

  “It was not.” Imara’s confidence cut through Kellan’s theory.

  “How do you know?” he countered.

  She waited for him to calm down before speaking. “Cesar set the trap to keep all vampeens away. Should anyone disobey his direct orders, he was easily able to track and kill them.”

  “Why would he do that, though?” I tried to think of a good reason to allow a home to be condemned and continue to rot.

  Imara’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “You will uncover the truth when the time is right.”

  I blew out a breath. “No pressure.” I caught a glimpse of Will; he was still hurt from earlier. I grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry, Will. I don’t doubt your abilities or your dedication. I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

  “We both do,” Kellan said.

  He slipped from my hold. “This book is my life. My job as your Eislom was for my life to revolve around yours. I can’t do my job if you doubt the validity of everything.”

  “I don’t doubt the validity of everything. I’m analytical, though, Will. You know that. I’m going to cross-examine everything.”

  “Yes, I suppose so.” He pepped up. “I’ve grown fond of the two of you. I thought my direct interaction was complete back in Wales, but it seems fate does deliver new twists at times, so I can understand your wariness. Just promise me you’ll address your concerns with me immediately from here on. I am here to educate and guide you. Answering questions is in my repertoire.”

  “Really?” I scoffed. “Every time I’ve asked you something in the past, you’ve given a riddle of an answer or none at all.”

  “Then we shall work on it together.” His British accent gave a fluent spunk to his words.

  “That sounds good, but if you give me the run around again, I’ll thwack you over the head with that encyclopedia.” With my hands on my hips, I leaned into my words.


  Kellan chuckled. “Who says ‘thwack’?”

  “Indeed.” Will smirked.

  I rolled my eyes at them.

  “I will be waiting in the lobby at 10 a.m.,” Imara announced.

  “Are you sure? Does Jack even know what you’re doing?”

  “This doesn’t concern my son. I will see you tomorrow.” She walked herself out. I didn’t like the idea of her coming with me, but I couldn’t deny that she would be a great source of knowledge and tact.

  “Do you plan to get furniture?” Will asked, peering around at the space.

  “Ironically, it’s supposed to be delivered tomorrow.”

  “I’m sure it will look splendid when you’re through.” His eyes sparkled with amusement, as if he knew something I didn’t.

  “You’re doing it again.”

  “I am going to leave you. I have a library on the second floor if you wish to drop in sometime. Apartment two-oh-two.” He picked up the binder and a briefcase I hadn’t noticed on the floor. “Stay safe, you two.”

  “Bye,” Kellan and I called in unison.

  Drexel closed the door behind Will, securing the lock in place again.

  Kellan pulled me into him. “What do you want to do for the rest of the day?”

  “I want to take a nice hot shower, put on my pajamas — ”

  “You realize it’s only two in the afternoon.” He smirked, his dimple dotting his left cheek.

  “So?”

  He chuckled. “Go on.”

  “I’m going to put on my pajamas and bake. I figure tonight is the perfect night to try out new recipes for my bakery. I’ll call a few people, see if they want to come try things. My only rule will be it’s a pajama pastry party.”

  He kissed my lips. “That sounds like a good day to me.”

  I caught Drexel moving in the corner of my eye. “Drexel, do you have any pajamas?” Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen the vamp change clothes, shower, or do anything hygienic since he’d been with me. He didn’t stink, though.