Rachel paused the video as Victoria sprinted by the camera phone. It was a quick flash, but it was definitely her, in the middle of a night she would never forget.
“It's true,” Rachel said. “The terror attack in Baltimore, it was a lie. It was vampires.”
Victoria nodded. “Long story short, yeah. I helped keep it under control. Roll the video back five seconds.”
She shook her head as the camera caught a winged half demon flying across the field, one of her best friends.
“If Alex knew there was such a good shot of him out there, he'd freak.”
“Alex? That's the flying vampire there?”
“Alex isn't a vampire. He's a whole other story. Let's get back to us. Kevin, I'm sorry I broke your neck and buried you in a coffin last night.”
Rachel looked at Kevin. “She did what?”
“Apology accepted, I guess. I'm sorry I burned your face off and made a mess of your basement.”
Victoria laughed and looked at the blood everywhere.
“This was brand new carpet.”
“Like I said. Sorry.”
“Eh, don't worry about it. Nothing a few phone calls can't fix.”
He laughed. “You don't act like a vampire.”
“Oh, I don't? How do vampires act?”
“I thought you'd be wearing tight leather, seducing men with your boobs hanging out.”
Rachel smacked Kevin's shoulder.
Victoria shook her head. Modern entertainment served a very important purpose in keeping the supernatural world a secret, but it filled people's heads with some ridiculous notions.
“I only seduce one man, if he'll ever speak to me again,” she said. “Vampires aren't any different than humans, Kevin. We laugh, we cry, we make mistakes. And leather isn't comfortable.”
Kevin laughed.
“Hold on,” Rachel said. “I'm glad we're all friends now, but why did you attack my boyfriend last night?”
“Because you're a witch, and witches are dangerous.” Victoria felt a lump in her throat. She hoped she wasn't making a terrible mistake. “I'm hoping you'll prove me wrong.”
Everyone was quiet for a moment. Rachel reached for Kevin's hand. Victoria started cleaning up the empty blood bags on the floor.
“How did you find me, anyway?”
“Check your jeans,” Kevin said. “You'll find a pebble in there. It's like a tracking device.”
“Witches and their damn magic. You'll be real helpful in dealing with this werewolf. Maybe you can help me get through to him.”
“Get through to him?”
“Yeah. He doesn't have a master, never been trained. We just have to talk to him, tell him he's not a slave to the moon. He can change whenever he wants. He has total control. Then the killing will stop.”
Victoria studied the young witch. Rachel didn't like her eyes traveling over her boyfriend.
“Are you up for the task of hunting a werewolf?” Victoria asked.
“Wait,” Rachel said. “Kevin, can I talk to you for a minute?”
Victoria nearly laughed as the couple walked to the far side of the basement, still well within earshot.
Kevin looked at Victoria, then back at Rachel.
“Holy water?”
“Oh, shut up,” Rachel said, turning red. “Look, I have a bunch of problems with this.”
“Like what?”
“Let's start with she tried to kill you.”
“I almost burned her face off. I think we're even now. And she could kill us both right now if she wanted to.”
“Okay, whatever. Then let her hunt the werewolf. You can stop worrying about all this.” She grabbed his hand. “You and I can go make out in the back of a movie theater.”
Kevin smiled, enjoying the thought. “Rachel, I have to see this through. I can't let anyone else get hurt.”
She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms with a frown on her face. “What if that lady kills you after you deal with this werewolf?”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know you're feeling powerful and cocky right now-”
“I am not.”
“But that woman is dangerous.”
“I know, but we both want to stop the werewolf.”
She threw her hands in the air. “This is all just silly. The full moon's over, anyway. Go do what you want.”
Rachel had one foot on the stairs when Victoria headed for the couch.
“Rachel.”
Both Kevin and Rachel gave the vampire their attention.
“Please. Come over here and sit a moment.”
Kevin met his girlfriend's gaze. He shrugged and gave her a sheepish smile. She rolled her eyes and led the way to the loveseat across from Victoria.
Victoria smiled at the two teens. They were young, and their body language was a glowing neon sign. Rachel was irritated, worried for her boyfriend, and just a touch jealous of Victoria. Kevin cared very much for Rachel, always leaning toward her and touching her. He was both excited and afraid of his magic.
Victoria felt sympathetic for him. She was familiar with not having a master, being forced to learn about herself with no help.
Rachel reached out and took Kevin's hand in her own.
Victoria smiled. Young love. It was an experience that was robbed from her. Even her relationship with Jake, whatever it was, was tempered with the fact that she knew she'd outlive him.
“We didn't get off on the right foot,” she said. “Rachel's right. I am dangerous. But believe it or not, I'm one of the good guys.”
“You heard-?”
“Yeah. Vampires have strong senses. Kevin, most of us believe witches are too strong for their own good. Can you see why?”
Kevin laughed sarcastically and put an arm around Rachel's shoulders, leaning closer to her.
“The lady drinks blood like chocolate milk, and she tells me I'm too strong.”
Rachel giggled.
Victoria shook her head. “Look, let's just put it this way. If you agree to not do any crazy magic things, I won't kill you. Agreed?”
“Sure.”
“Now, tell me about yourself.”
Victoria hung on his every word as Kevin told her everything. His parents, Martha, Oscar, Kristin, meeting Rachel.
She couldn't help but feel she was in the presence of someone very special.
Living in a small town was a full-blooded witch. He had the power of magic literally at his fingertips, and wanted nothing more than to spend time with his girlfriend and pet kitten.
He didn't even have his own bed.
“I bet this werewolf thing has really thrown you a curveball,” Victoria said.
Kevin swallowed. “We knew the two people he killed.”
“Well, look. I'm here to stop the killings. Either I find this wolf and convince him to change, or I kill him. I would definitely accept your help. But I completely understand if you would rather not.”
“Martha told me I wouldn't have any trouble with a werewolf.”
Victoria thought back to the pain she felt not even an hour ago. The boy had nearly killed her with a hand-held mirror.
He obviously had no idea how strong he was.
She missed the olden days, when witches were convinced they needed a cauldron to make magic.
“I wouldn't doubt that. After all, you enchanted Rachel here.”
Rachel smiled and put her head on Kevin's shoulder.
He looked into his girlfriend's eyes. “I want to help.”
She took a breath and finally nodded slowly. “Okay. We have to wait another month for the full moon anyway.”
Victoria raised a finger. “Actually, not true. It'll look full one more night, maybe even two, and that's all that matters to an idiot werewolf.”
“So, we go camping at the graveyard again?”
Victoria smiled. “Or we play it smart. You stabbed him with a silver knife?”
“Yeah.”
The vampire stood up a
nd stretched her long legs, then crossed the basement. She sat at her laptop and typed at blinding speed.
Kevin and Rachel traded glances, unsure if they were supposed to follow.
By the time they moved away from the entertainment area Victoria was already on her feet, stifling a yawn.
“Okay,” she said. “That will take a few hours. And I really need some sleep. So unless you want to see a naked vampire in the next few minutes, you should leave. There's food upstairs in the kitchen, courtesy of my movers. Make yourselves at home. And for God's sake, leave that basement door closed until I come up.”
Victoria grabbed the bottom of her shirt and started pulling it over her head. Rachel and Kevin both turned their heads. She grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs.
Chapter 20
Kevin and Rachel rummaged through the kitchen. Kevin found a jar of peanut butter, Rachel some bread and grape jelly in the refrigerator. They were quiet as they made sandwiches at the counter.
Kevin dropped the knife on a plate and stared at his hands. Rachel touched his shoulder, concerned.
“Kevin?”
“If I took some garlic, salt, and sugar, mixed it with some water, and made someone drink it, they'd be sick for over a day.”
“That's a little gross.” Rachel said as she took a bite of her sandwich.
“This stuff just pops in my head. I don't know where it comes from. I thought it was cool, at first,” he said, avoiding her gaze. “It might be too much for me.”
She hugged him and leaned her head into his chest.
“When I got here, you had a vampire on the floor, bleeding all over the place. I'm the one that messed you up. I almost got myself killed. You're handling this okay. And besides, you got me.”
He squeezed her tight.
“Thank you,” he said. It felt like he'd been thanking her a lot lately. “It's, uh, definitely been a weird day already.”
“Yeah. And now we're eating lunch in a vampire's kitchen.”
Kevin laughed. “Please, let's do something normal.”
Rachel looked over the living room, impressed with the TV and stereo system.
“Watch some television?” she asked.
“Perfect.”
A voice rang out from the basement.
“The TV's rigged up with the works,” Victoria called. “Order a movie if you want.”
He rolled his eyes as he took her hand. “I guess she wasn't kidding about the good hearing.”
Rachel fumbled with one of five remote controls as they sat on the couch. Kevin felt the tension drain from his shoulders as he sank in the cushions. It felt great to just sit, do nothing.
For the first time all day, he noticed what Rachel was wearing. Shorts, sandals, and a low-cut shirt. There was a beautiful vampire in the basement beneath them, and she didn't compare at all to Rachel.
He shook his head, in awe of his girlfriend. She wasn't even afraid of a vampire.
“What?” she said, noticing his stare.
Kevin, always cool and confident, was nearly at a loss for words.
“I'm fighting with Victoria downstairs, and I look over and see you standing there, two feet away from a vampire, throwing holy water on her. You're, uh-”
“Amazing?” she said as she struck a pose.
His heart melted. “Yeah, you are.”
“My magical boyfriend is calling me amazing.”
“Where did you get holy water, anyway?”
She took another bite of her sandwich. “The church near my house. You should have seen the looks I got.”
Kevin laughed, feeling his confidence returning. “You know Homecoming is in two weeks, right?”
“Yeah, don't remind me. Do you remember David Hicks? Before he moved out west, for one last big joke, he invited me to Homecoming last year. I should have known better. I bought a dress and everything. Then he moved three days before Homecoming. Lucky the store I got it from took pity and let me return it.”
“I'm not David Hicks, but would you want to go with me?”
“Really?”
“Rachel, what part of the boyfriend girlfriend thing don't you get?”
“You're not moving, are you?” she asked, smiling.
“Nope.”
Rachel felt her face growing hot. She felt threatened at Victoria wanting to hunt a werewolf with Kevin, but he only had eyes for her, and she knew it. Insecurities and low self-esteem had ruled her life, but Kevin was quickly changing that.
“Homecoming with you would be fun.”
“Look, don't get too excited. I'll have to pick you up in my sister's car. Won't exactly be the coolest thing.”
“We could take my car.”
“I guess. But isn't the guy supposed to be all suave and pick up his girlfriend?”
“I have no idea.”
“Me neither. Never been to Homecoming.”
“We'll figure it out.” She turned off the TV and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. “I can't find anything to watch.”
“You barely looked.”
She simply smiled, and turned her entire body to him, hoping he would get the hint.
It took a good five seconds before his eyes lit up.
“Oh.”
Rachel laughed and gently pushed his shoulders back. She lay on top of him and kicked her sandals off.
“Maybe this day won't be so bad after all,” he said.
Kevin's pulled her to him as he settled in on the couch. Being sexy wasn't her thing, but the look in Kevin's eyes told her all she needed to know.
They kissed, letting pent up emotions out to play.
*****
Victoria was surprised when she woke up and heard nothing from the living room above. No television, no music, no conversation. Her ears twitched as she opened the basement door and heard quiet breathing.
She smiled as she stood over the couch and watched Kevin and Rachel sleep together. Their clothes were a mess. Her shirt was pulled up, his was twisted. He had his arms protectively around her. Her leg curled over his waist, her hand rested under his shirt.
Victoria had no doubt they kissed and groped for hours before slipping into unconsciousness.
They made a cute couple.
She truly hoped she wouldn't have to kill him.
Deciding to be a little more civilized than earlier, she grabbed a glass from a cabinet and poured a blood bag, squeezing it to get every drop.
She turned on the living room light and shook Rachel by the shoulder.
Rachel opened an eye and looked up at Victoria. The vampire couldn't help but be impressed with the teen, and her loyalty to Kevin.
Victoria smiled as Rachel shifted her body to cover Kevin more, protecting him.
“Relax, Rachel. I said we had a truce. No more fighting.”
“What's going on?” Kevin said, stretching his arms.
“It's time to wake up.”
Rachel sat up on the couch and turned red as she adjusted her shirt and pulled it down. Kevin yawned and stood up, helping Rachel to her feet.
“Time to go find a werewolf,” he said.
“Or we drive right to his house.”
Victoria produced a name and address and handed it to Kevin before grabbing her glass of blood and taking a deep drink.
Rachel grabbed Kevin's shoulder and gagged.
“That might be the grossest thing I've ever seen,” she said.
Victoria licked her lips and fangs. “You watched me drink twenty blood bags this morning. I was naked and covered in blood. And this is gross?” Victoria said, raising her glass.
“It was different this morning.”
Victoria laughed. She'd known Rachel only a few hours and already liked her.
Kevin held up the piece of paper.
“This can't be true.”
“What is it?” Rachel asked.
He handed her the paper as he watched Victoria drink. It was hard to imagine a beautiful woman living like everyone else, with a Porsche o
utside, a nice house, and drinking blood from a refrigerator.
Rachel shook her head as she read the name and address.
Walter Hawkins.
Their literature teacher.
“What's the problem?” Victoria asked. “You know the guy?”
“He teaches at our high school.”
“I emailed a hacker buddy of mine to get some information. You stabbed the wolf last night with a silver knife. Now unless he feasted on around two or three people, that wound wouldn't heal right away. That name right there is the only guy who went to an emergency room to get a back injury stitched up.”
Rachel's cell phone rang. She frowned as she answered it, and squeezed Kevin's arm before crossing the living room and stepping onto the front porch to talk.
Kevin looked at Victoria. “There's just no way. He gives me a hard time every morning I come in late. He makes little jokes about not paying attention in class. He's a good person. There's no way he killed Paul and Donna.”
“Maybe he didn't mean to, Kevin. I don't know yet. The first thing we need to do is go to his house.”
“Okay. I know where that street is. Just let me get my backpack, and the three of us can get moving.”
“The two of us.”
“Look, I don't think you'll be able to keep Rachel away.”
“No, but her mother will.”
Kevin frowned, and he turned to see Rachel arguing into her cell phone, pacing on the porch.
“You can hear that?” he asked Victoria.
“Yeah. She's getting in trouble for skipping school today.”
“She's amazing. She did that to help me...fight you. No other girlfriend would help their witch boyfriend fight a vampire. Your ears are that good? Did you hear earlier?”
“You mean did I hear you kissing and petting on my couch? Yeah, I did.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Don't worry about it. Rachel's a good girl. You hold on to her as long as you can. It won't be all candy and roses, but she seems like she's handling everything well. She really cares about you.”
“What do you mean, candy and roses?”
“You're a witch, Kevin. Relationships are crazy enough just being people. One of my best friends is a half demon. He's got a great fiancée. But there are times Cindy gets me in a corner and whines to me. Hell, just look at me. I'm having sex with a vampire-hunter.”
A Witch to Live Page 18