Kai unzipped the backpack and removed four stakes. He handed two to Janie. “Just in case.”
Jerome emerged from the side of the house with the clatter of gold chains and a gangsta swagger. His jeans rode low as he boosted his ego with an urban strut, an attempt to hide his vulnerability through a homeboy façade. He seemed to be the only gang banger around. Janie eased her fighting stance, dropping the stakes to her side.
“We’re here. Now tell us why you came,” Kai said. He stepped closer to Jerome.
“How about we first lose the stakes? I’m rollin’ solo tonight.” He raised his arms. “Like I said, I just wanna talk.”
Janie slid her backpack off her shoulder. She shoved the stakes through an opening. Kai hesitated, but handed his to Janie. She noticed he still had one shoved in his waistband. She dropped the bag on the grass and displayed her palms. “No weapons. Let’s hear it.”
“I’m here to offer help. We want the same thing—to stop Antony,” Jerome said.
“Go on,” Kai said.
“They’re killing vamps and jacking up our lifestyle.” He cocked his head. “And I hate that tubby bitch. If you want help taking Antony out, we’re your vamps.”
“So we can count on you to help us when the time comes?” Janie said.
Kai leaned into Janie and whispered in her ear. “There will be a price.”
Jerome flashed a smile. “He’s right, Seeker. We do have a few minor requests before we agree to help.”
“I thought you wanted Antony dead and Daychildren to stop killing vamps,” Janie said.
Jerome brought his hand to his chin. “Well, Miss Seeker, you know, it sounds all fair when you say it like that, but I know you need us more than we need you. You aren’t gonna take ’em down without my crew. They have the big dog behind them.”
“Tavares—” The name sounded like acid rolling off Kai’s tongue. His shoulders squared and he swallowed back a repugnant lump in his throat.
“You’re right, my man. Tavares isn’t gonna be happy if we wipe out his Baltimore crew.”
“What do you want in return for your help?” Kai said.
“Her.” He pointed to Janie.
Kai flew across the patch of grass, stake in hand, ready to take out Jerome. “No deal!” His hand shook. He pressed the stake against Jerome’s chest.
“What do you need from me?” Janie said.
Kai shot her a rage-filled look. “No, Janie. You can’t trust him.” Janie tensed. It was the first time she’d seen Kai’s fangs.
Jerome focused on the stake crushing into his chest. “Man, back off. I didn’t threaten your girlfriend. I just need her to do somethin’ for me.” Jerome barred his fangs. A low growl emerged from his chest. “If you kill me, no one’s gonna help you. Those teenagers are gonna keep gettin’ Turned.”
“Kai, get off him. He has a point. This is too big for just the two of us, and so far the Chapter hasn’t been any help.” Janie took a step forward, extending her arm to Kai. “Please, Kai. Let him go.”
With hardened features and a glare that could kill, Kai flipped the stake into his belt and stepped away from Jerome.
“Why is Antony targeting teenagers?” Janie said.
“Do we have a deal?” Jerome persisted.
“I’m not making any deals until I know all of the details. Now tell me, why is he targeting teenagers?” Janie joined Kai.
“In order for Antony to Turn a human, he needs males with high levels of testosterone and endurance,” he said. “Teenage boys have the most of both, especially the ones who have the endurance to play sports. That doesn’t mean it will work every time. Some boys will just drop dead if their bodies aren’t strong enough to Turn, but Antony figured out young male athletes are the strongest humans possible to survive the Turn.”
Janie thought about the teenagers who had been attacked. Matt and Billy were wrestlers, and the boy who disappeared from his neighborhood had gone out to play basketball. All three guys were athletes. “What demonic component are they using?” Janie said.
“Lost souls. I’ve seen them. Antony had one in a glass container the night of that party you were at. That’s some freaky shit.” He grimaced.
“So you’re saying in order for a human to be Turned into a Daychild, Antony needs an athletic teenage boy, a lost soul, and pure vampire venom,” Kai said.
“You got it.” Jerome’s eyes fell on Janie. “Now it’s your turn.”
“What do you need from me?” she said.
“Antony has something of mine. I want it back and you’re gonna get it for me.”
“I’ll get it for you.” Kai inflated his chest as if to show Jerome that he’d be a better choice for the job.
“No, no, no—that’s not gonna work. You see, that’s no fun for me. I want to see her do it, and if she makes it out alive, I get what I need and so do you—we take out Antony, no more teenagers get jacked.” Jerome set his dark gaze on Kai. “You see, my man, it’s kind of a love thing. I killed Antony’s girl last night, so he took mine. I figure, Miss Seeker gets my girl back, then you’ll get your girl back. Everything works out.”
“I’ll do it,” Janie said. She thought about the beautiful young Hispanic girl, Veronica, whom Jerome had killed. She remembered sensing anger and pain in Antony’s voice, but she had no idea Veronica was Antony’s girlfriend. “What is your girlfriend’s name?”
“You don’t have to do this. We can find another way without using the vamps.” Kai placed his hand on the dip of her back and guided her to him. She inhaled the scent of clean sweat and lavender. She realized then that this was part of his human anatomy. That’s why he smelled human and not like filth and decay. Wavy golden strands wisped over his furrowed brows. “You can’t trust that he will keep his word, if you make it out alive.”
“I forgot one thing,” Jerome added, slicing through Kai’s words. Janie rotated out of Kai’s hold and set her gaze back on Jerome’s cold black stare, seeing straight through his faux glam. “In the city, we vamps are a gang. We take sides. We don’t see things neutrally,” he snarled. “And her name is Tanya,” he spat out.
Jerome switched his attention to Kai. Kai’s nostrils flared and a feral growl reverberated through his chest. Janie had no doubt he wanted to tear the gang banger to pieces.
“If your girl doesn’t get Tanya back, we’ll choose a side, and it won’t be yours. We’ll offer up our venom without a fight. You’re either with us or you’re against us. What will it be?”
“With you,” Janie said.
Kai protested.
Janie held up her hand. “I’ll do it. I’ll get Tanya back for you.”
“She could already be dead,” Kai said.
Jerome cracked his jaw. “She’s not dead. I’d feel it. We’re connected that way.”
“Well, then, it’s settled. We have a deal,” Janie said.
“Good. I’ll meet you back here at midnight. You have my girl and we have a deal.” Jerome kissed two fingers and stuck them in the air, flashing a peace sign, and left.
Kai leaned into her.
She placed her hands on his chest. “You go back through the wall. I’m going in through the front. I need a glass of water and an aspirin. Suddenly I have a migraine headache.”
“How will you get in? The door’s locked.” He looked at the house. The only room lit was Janie’s.
Janie pointed. “Spare key, under the fake rock in the garden.”
Kai kicked at the ground, playing with the grass under his shoe. “Look, I’m going to go. Spending the night wasn’t the best idea. It probably breaks some of the friendship rules.”
Janie nodded. “Then I’ll see you after I get Tanya.”
“I’ll meet you outside the lair,” he corrected.
“You can’t. You have to stay far away, no matter what.” Kai didn’t speak. Janie spoke louder. “Do you hear me? No matter what. I’ll see you at midnight—here.”
Dark circles rimmed his eyes. He traced her s
kin with his finger, from the base of her neck to her cheek and curled a loose piece of her hair around his finger. He gently tucked it behind her ear. “Please be careful.”
“I’ll be better planned this time,” she assured him. His lush green stare stayed on her face.
“Maybe I should come by beforehand so we can strategize.”
“Kai—I’ll be fine. This isn’t the first time I’ve confronted a gang of them. I’ll admit, I didn’t do the best job planning my attack last night, but this time I’ll be prepared. I know what I’m walking into. Besides, we already took out a few of them.” She wasn’t used to having to explain herself to anyone but Abram. Even then, she made most of the Seeker decisions on her own.
Janie touched the scar on Kai’s chest. He closed his hand around hers. She let her eyelids fall and focused on his heartbeat under her palm. With her eyes closed and lost in the rhythm of his heartbeat, she felt his lips graze her forehead, her cheek and slide to the corner of her mouth.
She pulled back, a quiver in her voice. “I should go.” She wanted to burst into tears, but had no idea why. She bit back the urge to release the floodgates. She’d save that for her pillow. She refused to let him see her weak. Besides, love got people killed. There wasn’t any emotion worth risking the pain of loss. She knew that as long as she kept people at a distance, she couldn’t get hurt. It’s not worth the risk.
Kai’s lips parted. “Good night, Janie.” He seemed as unsure as she was about what had just happened.
The motorcycle roared to top volume. He turned back once to look at her and sped off, disappearing into the blackness. She didn’t even care that he’d probably woken the entire neighborhood, even her mother. She was too angry with herself for letting herself fall.
CHAPTER 10
Janie woke to the sun filtering through her light curtains. Her comforter wrapped around her like a burrito. With her arms and legs pinned to her side, she figured she’d slept restlessly. She twisted out of the thick cotton material, lifted her body upright and stretched her arms over her head. The neon numbers on her clock caught her attention. She leapt from bed, realizing Matt would be there in a half hour. She remembered she’d told him noon would be a good time. Janie hadn’t anticipated staying up until the crack of dawn talking with Kai and Jerome.
As the warm water ran over her head in the shower, she replayed the events of the evening. It turned out Kai was partly human. This explained his eyes, his heartbeat, his scars, his smell and most importantly, his soul. Janie squeezed her raspberry almond-scented shampoo into her hand and ran it through her hair, massaging her scalp with the soapy bubbles as if that would help process everything she’d just learned more quickly. Unbelievable. Kai isn’t a demon. He’s part human. He’s loveable, if I was capable of loving. At least my instincts weren’t wrong.
He’d been healed by a witch. The demon inside of him had expunged, leaving him both vampire and human. Albania had taken pity on a dying Daychild. She’d seen something special within him, brought back his humanity and taught him to live among human society again. Janie wondered how tortured he must be, living with the guilt of being a monster for so many years. The human scars were proof of the suffering he’d endured. No matter how many Daychildren he killed, nothing would fill the void created after years of living with the knowledge of the people he had murdered.
Janie wondered if Kai ever wished Albania would have left him to suffer and die. She shuddered at the thought. She’d lived without him for so long. Now that he was in her life, she didn’t want to lose him. But she had to keep her feelings under control. Friends, we are just friends.
She turned off the warm water and wrapped her towel around her. What have I done? Maybe Kai was right. But there was no other way. I had to make a deal with Jerome.
She dried her hair with her towel, shaking her head in disbelief. I’ve made a deal with the head vampire. Something I would have never considered before. It was strictly forbidden within the Seeker Code of Conduct. Abram would be so disappointed in her, and the Chapter, they would remove her Seeker status immediately. The thought of living a normal human life was tempting, but she knew her job wasn’t finished.
She raked her brush through her hair, combing through the knots that had formed during a hard night’s sleep. What other choice do I have? I need Jerome’s help. She let out a frustrated breath.
And Kai. She’d refused his help. It annoyed her. Sometimes he treated her like a helpless girl. She’d survived without him for seven years. What made him think she needed him in order to do her job now? Emotions—they were getting too close, one reason she resisted getting close to people. She needed to distance herself from her feelings for Kai. They were interfering with her ability to do her job.
Janie slid a black lightweight sweater over her head and jumped into a pair of jeans. She hurried over to her dresser to apply her makeup. She set her mascara down and stared at herself in the mirror. “It’s time,” she breathed.
Isabelle read a book in the armchair with her legs propped up on the ottoman. Reading whisked her away to a world other than the one Isabelle knew existed. She sipped her tea, glancing up as Janie entered the room.
“Good afternoon. You decided to wake up today,” Isabelle said.
“I was up late.” Janie headed for the kitchen without looking at her mom. She wanted to avoid any of her mother’s questioning. “I’m going to grab a bowl of cereal before Matt gets here.”
“Matt?” Isabelle’s reading glasses slid down her nose. She peered at Janie over the lenses.
“He called me last night. He has something to tell me in person.” Janie rolled her eyes. “I’m nervous. What if he professes his ‘fake’ love?”
“You don’t know that—and the love isn’t fake.” Isabelle seemed to take the remark personally. Her tone calmed. “Everything will be okay. There is no sense in getting yourself all upset over something you can’t control.”
Janie walked over to the coffee table to retrieve a magazine. “Your reaction isn’t normal. You should be flipping out. This is awful.”
“If it turns out you’ve Imprinted him, then we’ll ‘flip out,’ but until then there’s nothing to worry about.” She pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose and continued to read.
Janie disappeared into the kitchen. Her stomach swirled with fluttering butterflies. Set to face a gang of Daychildren that evening, all she could think about was how she’d most likely Imprinted Matt. The tabloid magazine didn’t distract her like she had hoped. She chuckled a few times, eyeing a few outfits Luke would undoubtedly wear. No other guy at school would dare step through the doors of Loch Raven High sporting any of these pieces. Luke always said he was the only guy in school who had any sense of fashion and the balls to pull it off.
The doorbell rang. Janie set her cereal bowl in the sink and glanced up at the wall clock—exactly noon. Well, he’s punctual.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her magazine and headed into the living room to answer the door. Isabelle stood in the doorway, holding the door open.
“Hi Matt, I’m Mrs. Grey. It’s nice to meet you,” she said in an overexcited motherly tone.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Grey. Is Janie here?”
“Yes.” Isabelle gestured for Matt to come in. “Why don’t you two hang out in the living room. I’ll go out on the porch and read. I made some cookies, if you’re interested.” Janie rolled her eyes. She hoped Matt didn’t get the impression they were made especially for him.
“Hi Janie,” Matt said, stepping into the house. His moss-green sweater enhanced the green in his hazel eyes. She smiled. He always had that varsity jacket on.
Janie gave him a quick wave and slid her hands into her pockets. She looked past Matt. “Thanks, Mom.” Isabelle winked and slipped out the door.
“Should we sit?” Janie said, wanting to avoid the awkward standing and staring scenario. “What did you need to talk to me about?”
“After you.” He extended
his arm for her to pass.
“You look good.” She gave him the once-over. “You’d never know you were attacked—twice.” Janie sat on the far end of the couch.
Matt bypassed the first cushion and chose the one next to her.
“Don’t remind me.” He focused on her mouth. “Your lip.” He reached out, not quite close enough to touch her, but close enough to make her arch her back. “It looks painful.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s healing.” Instinctively, she touched the cut with her first two fingers. The salt from her skin stung the incision. She cringed.
Matt twirled his class ring around his finger. “I—I was wondering if you wanted to go to Homecoming with me.”
Janie gasped. “What?”
“Do you want to go to Homecoming, with me?” He blushed. She felt bad about her outward display of shock, but his question came out of left field. Prepared for pretty much anything, even him saying he loved her, she coughed, trying to compose herself. Homecoming, seriously?
Janie ran her fingers through her hair. It was still damp underneath. She fumbled over how to answer. “I don’t think you really mean that. Trust me. If I hadn’t saved your life the other night, you wouldn’t be asking me. You’d be asking Molly.”
“The other night and Molly have nothing to do with me asking you.” He moved closer to her, causing Janie to tense up even more. The arm of the sofa dug deeper into her back.
“You don’t know what you’re saying. I’ve Imprinted you. You like me because I saved your life.” Matt stared at her with a look of incomprehension. “Matt, it can happen when someone like me saves a person’s life. That person can feel drawn to the other, feeling as if they like them, when really they have just been Imprinted. What you are feeling is not real. It’s an illusion.”
“Why do you keep saying that?” He reached for the hand she rested on the cushion. She pulled back.
“Because it’s true.” She could tell by his unfazed expression that he didn’t believe her.
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