He returned within seconds. Matt clung to his arm like a koala bear. “What the hell?” Matt’s eyes bulged. “Did we just go through the wall?”
“What do you think?” Kai shook Matt off his arm.
“I think, but that’s impossible—” Matt stopped speaking halfway through his thought. “I take that back. Nothing’s impossible anymore.”
“Wow, Janie, you got yourself a dim bulb. I guess it’s true what they say about jocks,” Kai quipped.
“I don’t like you.” Matt forced his shoulders back and stepped up to Kai.
Kai didn’t back down. “That makes two of us.”
“Kai—cut it out.” Janie wedged herself between them and threw her hands out, pressing against both of their chests. “Matt—what are you doing here? I told you I had it covered. You’re supposed to be at home.”
“I was worried about you.” His eyes were warm and sincere.
“You—” Kai laughed. “You were worried about her. You aren’t the brightest. She’s a Seeker. She can take care of herself. She doesn’t need you.” He stepped away from them. “You shouldn’t even be here. There is nothing you can do. You’re weak.”
“Why, because she has you?” Matt took hold of Janie’s hand and twisted her into his side.
Awkward. Janie removed her hand from his. “Seriously, do we have to do this—now? Antony could already be here for all we know.” She directed Kai. “Get ready to fight.” Kai nodded. She turned to face Matt. “Go home.”
“But—”
“I’ll call you later.”
“It’s too late. He stays.” Kai extended his scythe.
“Why—” Janie readied herself in a fighting stance. Then, she felt them through her Seeker sense. “They’re here.”
Antony rounded the corner with a crew of Daychildren following behind. There were at least ten or twelve of them, many Janie recognized. Others were obviously newbies. The newbies were eager to begin the fight. Drool dripped from their fangs and their black eyes flickered uncontrollably from Janie, to Kai, to Matt and back again. The only impulse they knew was to kill violently, and eat.
“What can I do?” Matt said.
“Stand behind us and shut up,” Kai said.
Janie looked deep into Matt’s hazel eyes, willing him to follow her directions for once. “Go through the locker room and exit at the field. There is a group of five vampires under the bleachers. Find them and tell them Antony’s here. Direct them this way. Make sure you tell them you’re with us.”
“I’d do anything for you.” Matt kissed her cheek and disappeared through the locker room door.
Kai rolled his eyes. “You do realize you’ve just sent your Imprint to confront the head vampire.” A hint of satisfied humor rang through his tone.
“He’ll be fine. Jerome wants Antony, not Matt.” She punched Kai’s arm. “And stop calling him that.”
He winked at her. “You ready?”
“Yup.” She removed her dagger from her boot. As Antony approached she gripped the hilt tighter, preparing to retrieve the other from her waist at any moment.
Antony let out an annoyed laugh. “I can’t say I’m surprised to see you two. You’ve been a thorn in my side lately.” He stared at Janie. “Seeker, you’ve got balls, coming up in my house like that. Tanya wasn’t your concern. You’ve pushed me too far.” He stopped walking and held up his hand. His followers stopped behind him. Janie recognized the girl with spiky hair at his side. Antony addressed the group, his eyes still planted on Janie. “She’s mine.” He smirked. “Your death won’t be pretty. I’m going to cut out your organs and have them for dinner.”
Janie stepped out from behind Kai. “I’m looking forward to seeing you try.”
“Touch her and I’ll make you beg me to send you to hell.” Kai made a circular motion with his blade.
“I knew it.” Antony fell into a belly laugh. “Wow—I never thought I’d see this day. No wonder Tavares tried to kill you. You’re a pathetic excuse for a Daychild. The first to be created and the first to fall in love with a human. . .and the Seeker at that.” He spat on the floor. “You’re a disgrace to your kind.”
“I think you’re jealous. My girl is right next to me. Yours was sent to hell and you weren’t strong enough to stop it. You’re an inferior leader. You’ve proven that time and time again. Tavares doesn’t care about you. It’s all about his cause.” Kai cracked his knuckles. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Caleb, Michaela, Sera, Jorge. . .get to the field. Start the process,” Antony said.
“I’ve got this—go,” Kai said to Janie. She hesitated, but did as he instructed.
Janie flung the locker room door open. The smell of sweat and testosterone smacked her in the face. She covered her nose and proceeded forward. If she could handle the rotten smell of Daychildren, she could certainly handle a football team—maybe, BO was a uniquely nasty smell. Clothes were strewn everywhere, lying over long wooden benches that lined the wall-length rows of metal lockers. Extra helmets and shoulder pads cluttered the lockers. She stumbled over a jock strap. This sucks.
“Janie?” Scott said as she passed the urinals. That was embarrassing.
She ignored him and kept her focus on getting to the field. Daychildren were faster than she was. She exited the locker room and sprinted to the track that looped the field. She called Abram on the way. He answered on the first ring. “They’re going to the field.” She spotted the girl with spiky hair, who Antony referred to as Michaela, at the far end of the track and hung up.
Janie didn’t see the others. She slid the dagger back into her boot, not wanting to attract any more attention than she already had. The football players were too wrapped up in practice to notice her, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She circled the track, keeping her eyes peeled for the other three.
She thought of Kai. He was up against at least ten. She knew Kai could fight, but she hoped Matt had been successful in finding Jerome. Kai could use the vampire gang’s help. She scanned the underside of the bleachers and didn’t see Jerome. That was a good sign.
As Janie reached the end of the bleachers, something slid across the track behind her. Blindsided by a punch to her jaw, Janie kicked out in the direction of the punch and made contact with one of them—another girl, Sera. She grabbed Janie’s leg and dragged her under the bleachers, where the other two guys waited.
Janie twisted her leg, freeing herself from Sera’s hold and jumped to a fighting stance with her dagger in hand. The one Antony referred to as Jorge lunged at Janie. She ducked and caught him in the stomach with her fist. He stumbled back, but came at her again. She whirled into a round house kick. Her foot landed on the side of his face. He fell into the last one—Caleb.
The impact didn’t faze Caleb. He steadied himself, protecting the two bottles in his grip. She assumed one bottle held the vampire venom, and the other held the lost souls. If she could destroy both bottles, Antony wouldn’t be able to carry out his plan.
Something hard and flat struck Janie in the back of the head. The object sent her flying forward. She landed on her hands and knees. The loose asphalt dug into her palms. She closed her hands into fists, and her fingers stuck to the thick red liquid. Her knuckles bled from clutching her blade. Pain raked through her head. She tried to touch the wound, but one of them shoved her to the ground with his foot.
“Finish her. She’s down. What are you waiting for?” Sera said. She moved closer to Janie, displaying a large two by four.
“We can’t. You heard Antony. He wants her for himself,” Jorge said.
While they argued, Janie tightened the wet grip she had on her dagger. She took Sera’s legs out from under her with a sweeping kick to her ankles. Sera landed on the concrete next to her. Janie flipped onto her feet and plunged the dagger into Sera’s skull.
Horrified and visibly pissed about Sera’s death, Jorge came at Janie with his arms extended. Crap, that must have been his girlfriend. He barreled forward
, straight for Janie’s throat. She quickly stepped to the side. Jorge’s forehead smacked the descending bleacher. He bounced back, unfazed. Janie launched her dagger through the air. It struck Jorge between the eyes. Perfect, right through the skull.
Caleb set the bottles down and came at her from behind. He wrapped his arm around her neck and squeezed. “Don’t try anything, Seeker, or I’ll snap your pencil neck.”
“I’m not going to let you get away with this.” Janie wiggled around, but she couldn’t free herself from his hold. His decaying stench burned her nose and his smell fried her lungs. She tried not to breathe in too deeply.
“What can I do?” Matt appeared under the bleachers holding something long and skinny in his hands.
CHAPTER 19
Kai had already taken out three of Antony’s men, with about seven or so to go. He paused to take a breath and assess his injuries. He glanced down at his chest, where his tee had been sliced down the front. His once worn-in jeans were now full of fraying holes. Dried green blood coated his left leg.
He touched a gash just above his forehead. It had already started to heal. A petite girl sprung at him and sliced a silver dagger across his bicep. He cursed and assessed the depth of the incision—only a flesh wound.
The girl’s eyes widened. “Red, why is your blood red? You’re one of us.”
Kai grunted. “Hardly.”
“Wait!” Antony said. The older Daychild stood at attention. The newbies fought to gain their composure. One twitched against the wall. The task of going in for the kill and stopping mid-fight tortured the new ones. Kai took the opportunity to behead the petite girl with his scythe.
“So, it’s true.” Antony glared at Kai. “Tavares was right. You aren’t one of us any more. Your blood runs red like a filthy human, or vampire.”
“Filthy—look who’s talking.” Kai pulled a rag from his back pocket and wiped the blood from his scythe. Antony stiffened. “What’s wrong, big dude? You jealous? Tavares didn’t make you. You’ll never be stronger than me. I was his favorite,” Kai said.
“Maybe then, but now you’re just a disappointment. A child who grew up to be a source of regret.”
Kai laughed. “But you, you’re pure evil. You’ll follow him because that’s all you know. You’re his pawn. Do you really think you can earn his respect? He doesn’t know how to do anything but hate.”
Antony focused on the crisscross scar over Kai’s heart, exposed from where his shirt had been ripped. “A human heart.” He let out a humored puff of air. “How sweet!” His voice switched back to anger. “You’re weak, part human. Is there even any demon left in you?”
Kai released his fangs.
“Oooh—” Antony shook. “So you’re still part vamp. Big deal. They’ve also proven to be inferior.”
“What’d you say?” Jerome stepped out of the locker room, displaying a hard look of rage. His chains dangled around his neck. He strutted down the hallway toward Antony.
At first Antony didn’t appear surprised to see Jerome. “I should’ve known you’d join the Seeker. You get even more pathetic every day, or should I say—night.” Antony glanced past Jerome, at the four vampires following behind him. “H—How are you here? It’s daytime. You should be a pile of ashes.”
“There are perks to knowing the Seeker.” Jerome smiled, exposing his gold-plated fangs. “Killing you will be the biggest perk. But I’m enjoying the sun.”
“You aren’t going to make it out of here alive.” Antony raised his chin. “We’ve got plans and they don’t include you.”
“Whatever. Let’s kick this off.” Jerome fronted Antony.
Antony ran his hand through his wiry hair and raised his hand, stopping the vamp’s advancement. “Hold up, Jerome.” He smirked, suggesting superiority. “What does it mean when the king of vamps creates a new kind? Could it be that he’s not happy with his own kind?”
“He’s a turncoat,” Jerome spat.
Antony shook his head. “It means he’s ashamed of vampires. Your kind is useless. You’ve adapted to human standards, no longer living like vamps should.”
“And how exactly is that?” Jerome appeared bored.
The vein in Antony’s forehead protruded, his eyes black and cold. Hatred seeped from his pours. “Humans are food, that’s it. Drain them of their blood and leave their corpses to rot.”
“And where is the vamp you call king? Where’s Tavares—huh?” Jerome said. “He was dethroned, in case you didn’t hear. He isn’t the vampire king anymore. If he’s your king, where is he now?” He put his hands out and looked around as if Tavares would suddenly appear.
“He doesn’t deal with matters like you. He sends in the big dogs.”
Jerome laughed. “Big dogs—like you? Are we done yet? I’ve got a score to settle. You’re just wastin’ my time.” The vampires dispersed.
“Oh, we’re done. Let’s go, vamp.” Antony made a “come on” motion with his fingers and signaled for his crew to resume fighting.
“Remember—Antony’s mine!” Jerome said.
The vampires and Daychildren collided. Fangs tore into flesh. Green and red blood sprayed everywhere. Antony gave orders to a set of twins. They were young and fit, maybe teenagers. Both had black hair neatly slicked back into a ponytail. They soon slipped out the way they’d come.
Jerome flew over the massacre and landed on Antony, throwing him into the wall. Drywall and splintered wood crashed down around them, clouding Kai’s view of the feuding gang leaders. Kai took the opportunity to slip in between the crowd. He passed Tanya, draining the blood of a Daychild. His body hit the floor and she shoved her blade into his skull. Kai shot her a congratulatory smirk.
Kai strode down the hallway with caution, tracking the twins’ stench. They were ahead of him, but not by much. As he advanced, the smell became stronger. Kai found himself thinking about Janie. He wondered if she had been able to stop the mass Turning. Hordes of wild newbies wearing football uniforms hadn’t swarmed the school, so the Turn hadn’t occurred yet.
Kai exited through a double metal door. He stepped down on to a path that led to the track and field. The sound of a nearby scuffle fractured his focus. Kai peered around the side of the building. The twins had someone pinned to the ground. Janie. He sprinted forward and grabbed one by his shirt, flinging him backward. The other twin moved out of Kai’s reach before he could do the same with him.
Abram’s cold blue eyes stared at Kai in disbelief. Anger still resonated within them, but a different type of anger lingered.
Both brothers ran off. They didn’t care about Kai or Abram. Abram had been nothing more than a roadblock. They had a job to do.
“Why did you do it?” Abram refused Kai’s hand and pushed himself upright.
“Do what? They were about to kill you.” He extended his hand again. Abram ignored Kai’s gesture and rose to his feet.
Abram brushed the dirt from his pants. “It would make your life easier. You could be with Janie without fearing your death at my hands.”
“I don’t fear you.” Kai wiped the blood from the cut along his arm with his T-shirt. He stared at the ground for a moment. He hadn’t done anything for Abram. Everything had been for Janie. He lifted his eyes to meet Abram’s. “I made the decision to leave because at the time I thought it was best for Janie.”
“And now?”
Kai didn’t know the answer Abram wanted. He didn’t care. “I haven’t decided.”
“You really do love her.” Abram shook his head. “How—it goes against everything we’ve learned. You aren’t supposed to be capable of loving a human.”
“There was a time Janie felt the same,” Kai said. “She’d learned the same lessons you learned. The same lessons you taught her. Janie and I weren’t always as close as we are now. The first time we met, she wanted to kill me.”
A satisfied smile crossed Abram’s face. “That’s my girl. How did you convince her otherwise?”
“It took awhile to gai
n her trust. She finally realized I wanted to help her. That I had no interest in killing her.”
“And you fell in love with her,” Abram said. It didn’t seem to be an accusation. Something else lay under his tone—an understanding.
“Only by accident. It wasn’t my intention. We’re so different. She’s innocent and I’m, well,” his mouth twitched, “not.”
Abram let down his guard, surprising Kai. “Isn’t that always how it happens? We never fall in love with the right person. They’re either too different or already hold a place in someone else’s heart.” Abram sighed. “You don’t even know how you feel until it’s too late to do anything about it.”
There was a longing in Abram’s words, a painful dip in his usually hard brow. Kai had the feeling Abram was referring to someone other than Janie.
Abram cleared his throat, pushing back any pain that had slipped out. “Anyway, I just want you to know that everything I’ve said or done has been for Janie. She’s like a daughter to me. I love her and her mo—” His words broke. He stared at the ground for a moment. “I love Janie very much. I don’t want to see her hurt in any way.”
“I feel the same.” Kai extended his hand.
Abram hesitated and shook Kai’s hand. He looked Kai directly in the eyes, as a father would regard his daughter’s boyfriend. “You’ve proven to be different. Treat her well.”
“I’d lay down my life for her.” Kai almost laughed at the sound of himself speaking those words. Not long ago, self-survival ruled his actions. He’d hunted Daychildren as a penance for his crimes, but to care more about someone other than himself was non-existent.
“I know you would.” Abram patted Kai on the back. It had a double meaning—acceptance and warning. “I will be watching you. . .whatever you decide to do, stay or go.”
Kai nodded. He understood. A moment of loyalty couldn’t cancel out over a decade of hatred. He’d be patient with Abram. “Let’s go find Janie and stop the Turn.” Kai stopped and turned back to Abram. “Where’s Isabelle?”
Dark Seeker Page 19