by Sophie Stern
It was cold enough that I didn’t really have to worry about sweating. Besides, I had antiperspirant slathered all over my body, just in case.
Suddenly, I wondered if that was why Raven didn’t want to hang out. Was she scared I was going to push her away because she was different? Or was she worried that I was going to be too delicious? Maybe Raven wanted to eat me up alive.
She had kissed me, after all.
I tried not to read too much into that kiss. It had been sexy, sure, but there hadn’t been love there. Raven wasn’t leaving because she was secretly in love with me and didn’t want to turn me. There was something else she was hiding, and I planned to find out what.
I hurried through the darkness until I emerged on the other side of the little park. Here, things looked more suburban. I felt sick as I realized I was close to the place the vampire had hurt me years ago. I wanted to find him and stake him, but more than that, I wanted to find his master.
The Vampire of Garnetia was feared by everyone. He was the single biggest reason the cops didn’t just burn the Grove to the ground. Aside from the fact that vampires would never go quietly into the night, the Vampire of Garnetia had cash. He had lots of it, too. Besides, nobody knew where he lived or what he looked like.
If someone managed to get the bastard’s picture, he’d been done for. As it was, he was quiet and careful, and he lived his life in the shadows, so nobody really even had a waking chance to find him.
Was that where Raven was going?
Did she know him?
The thought hit me suddenly, and I walked a little faster. I kept my eyes open. It was dark out, but the moon was bright, and it was clear enough to see the rows of old houses that were practically falling apart. This part of town was where the fresher, younger vampires lived. They were wild and were always destroying things. The older vampires congregated in other parts of the Grove. There were lots of big mansions against one side of the miniature city.
Was that where the vampire I was hunting for lived?
As I walked, I kept my head down. I saw a few other vampires, but none of them were paying me any notice. They were all just hanging out. Ever since my friends and I had raided the Grove all of those years ago, humans had stayed far away. It was common knowledge that we’d lost our fight, and nobody felt like messing with territory we didn’t belong in.
Suddenly, I saw a familiar figure up ahead, and I knew that I’d finally gotten lucky. Raven was scurrying down the road like a beautiful cockroach, and I tried to keep up with her without letting her know I was following her.
Apparently, being a vampire enhanced your senses. That was what everyone said. For a brief second, I wondered if that had happened to my friend. Was she able to hear better? Smell better?
Maybe having enhanced senses would make you feel better in bed, too.
I walked swiftly but kept my head down as much as possible. Soon the houses with the broken front porches and overgrown yards faded into the distance and were replaced with taller buildings: apartments. There were apartments on either side, and soon those were replaced with townhomes.
“Where the fuck is she going?” I whispered out loud to myself. I knew that I shouldn’t have spoken because she stopped suddenly and looked around, as though she knew I was there.
Fuck.
I stepped into the shadows of one of the townhomes. It had a little awning and a tiny front porch, and from my position, I was cloaked in darkness. At least, I highly suspected that I was. I peered out from my position a few minutes later, and Raven was gone. That was good and bad, and I kept walking, trying to find her.
I’d never been this deep into the Grove before, I realized. In the past, I’d lurked around the outer edges. Probably, that was to protect myself. If I could stay close to the outside of the vampire’s area, then I could easily get into the world of humans without any problems. If I wandered too deeply, and I got lost or hurt, I’d be done.
Nobody was going to come rescue someone who’d gotten stuck in the Grove.
Nobody.
I kept walking, looking around. The moon was almost completely blocked by clouds now and seeing was a lot harder. Suddenly, I wondered if I’d made the right choice after all. Maybe going into the Grove unprepared, without any proper weapons, had been a mistake.
When I felt someone’s hand clamp over my mouth, I realized that yes, it had been a horrible mistake.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
It was Raven.
I wasn’t sure whether to cry or laugh when she spun me around to face her.
“It’s you,” I said.
“Shut the fuck up,” she hissed. “You cannot be here, Kimberly. What are you doing here?”
Her eyes searched mine, and I noticed, for the first time, something I’d never seen in her eyes before. Fear. Raven was scared, but I didn’t know why. What the hell did she have to be scared of? She was a vampire, after all. She was big and strong and...
There were other vampires, I suddenly realized. There were other vampires who were bigger and stronger, and one of them was the one who turned her.
“I needed to see you,” I whispered. I didn’t finish my sentence. Saying, “I needed to see you to work on our relationship” sounded really clingy and needy and not something one best friend would say to another.
“I saw you like an hour ago,” she said.
That’s how long I’d been walking, I realized. We’d walked for an hour, and we still hadn’t arrived at wherever it was that Raven was going. We were really deep in the Grove, and I wondered, suddenly, if I was going to be able to find my way back.
Surely, I’d be able to find my way back.
“I just wanted to talk more,” I said.
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t believe you followed me,” Raven said. She was starting to sound frantic, and she looked around. “Kim, you have to go. You have to leave this place and never come back. I meant it.”
“What is it that you’re scared of? I can help you, Kim. Just tell me, and I promise I can help you.”
“You can’t help me,” she whispered sadly. “Not this time, little bird.”
“Please,” I said. “Please tell me how to save you.”
“I can’t be saved, Kim, and you know what?” Tears were running down her face now, and my heart felt like it was being slowly crushed into bits. “I don’t really want to be saved. I like being a vampire,” she said. “I always thought it was one of those things people only said in movies. You know, about vampires being strong? It’s true, though. Everything about it is true. It’s wonderful,” she said. “I can hear everything. I can smell everything. I can even hear your damn heart beating, Kimberly. How fucked up is that?”
My mouth was dry, all of a sudden. It was dry, and I was scared. What was she saying? It kind of sounded like Raven was saying she wanted to hunt me. Either that, or she was trying to convince me to find myself a sire. Neither of those were things I was interested in. I didn’t want to be a vampire. I wanted to slay the vampires. I especially wanted to slay the lord of the vampires: the one who had slaughtered all of my friends.
“I thought maybe you were going to the Vampire of Garnetia,” I whispered.
“You have to give up on the idea of killing him,” she said. “Please. For your own good, Kim. You have to go.”
She jerked her head back, nodding toward the road where we’d both walked.
“Go while you still can, and never look back, Kim. Never look back.”
Something in Raven’s voice had changed, and when I looked at her, I realized that she was giving me a chance. She wanted me to be free. She wanted me to go and live my life and find happiness. Maybe she was right and seeking revenge wasn’t what I was cut out for.
“Yeah,” I finally whispered, nodding curtly. “I’ll go.”
“Good,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “Fast. Don’t let anyone see you.”
I reached for her and hugged h
er, and then I turned around to leave and walked right into a huge wall of...lace and ribbons.
A woman.
There was a woman there, and she was looking right at Raven.
“Well,” the woman said. “What do we have here?”
“It’s not what you think,” Raven said. “I don’t know who she is. She’s lost.”
I was experienced enough to know when someone was trying to save my ass, and I closed my mouth immediately. I wasn’t going to protest or argue with Raven. This wasn’t the moment to feign irritation that she wasn’t being “loyal.” Raven was as loyal as they came. If she was saying she didn’t know me, then it was for a damn good reason. I stayed silent.
“No?” The woman raised an eyebrow as she looked at me. She was taller than I was, and leaner. She wore clothing that looked like it was from the days of yore. She had a Victorian-style dress with a high neckline, lots and lots of lace, and actual, literal bustles. I’d never seen anything like it before. I would venture a guess that if she were to lift the hem of her dress, I would be able to see petticoats under there.
Not that I wanted to look.
“No,” Raven agreed. “Besides, she was just going.”
I nodded when the woman looked at me.
“I apologize for interrupting your evening,” I said to both of the women, and I started to walk away. The woman’s hand landed on my shoulder before I’d even taken two steps, and her fingernails dug into my skin. It didn’t matter that I had a hoodie on. I could feel every single nail, and I stopped in my tracks.
“Raven understands that I’m not a fan of lying,” the woman said. “So why don’t you both try again? As of right now, Raven’s punishment will be mild. I can only assume she’s trying to save you from her own fate. Should either of you lie again, however, I can guarantee that neither your, nor Raven’s punishments will be quite so simple.”
I swallowed hard. My throat felt raw, like someone had shoved daggers down it. Every memory I’d ever shared with Raven seemed to go barreling through my head, and I couldn’t think straight.
Me and Raven fighting side-by-side.
Me and Raven celebrating over a good fight.
Me and Raven collecting our earnings together.
Me and Raven drinking together.
Me and Raven entwined in bed.
I couldn’t let her down. Raven would never be honest. She wouldn’t back down. She wanted to save me from whatever this woman was going to do to me, but I wouldn’t let Raven face the punishment alone. She was a good person. She was the best person. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her.
“I followed Raven,” I whispered. “I thought she would lead me to someone I’ve been searching for.”
The woman stared at me, and then looked over at Raven, who nodded slightly.
“How very interesting,” the woman said. “And who is it that you’re looking for?”
“The Vampire of Garnetia,” I said. “I have a bone to pick with the asshole.” I lifted my chin, sticking it out in a show of defiance. I hoped that I looked braver than I felt. What I felt was silly. I was going for fierce.
The woman before me tilted her head slightly, and I got the feeling that she was surprised by what I said. If Raven was shocked that I blurted out everything, she was clever enough not to show it. She didn’t tense or jolt or act uncomfortable with what I’d shared.
“Is that so?” She said.
“That’s so.”
“And why are you looking for him?”
“That’s between me and him,” I said.
“Oh, darling,” the woman said. “I’m afraid you don’t know who I am.”
I was silent, waiting. She’d tell me soon enough. The woman stared, looking at me, and suddenly, I felt...naked. Despite the fact that I was wearing both a dress and my hoodie, I suddenly felt like I was standing in front of this lady completely nude. How the hell did she make me feel that way? It was chaotic and horrible, and I didn’t like that at all.
“Who are you?” I finally whispered.
Ignoring my question, she turned to Raven and shook her head.
“He’s not going to believe this,” the woman said.
Raven was silent.
“All right, girls. Come on,” the woman turned and started walking. She gestured for us to follow, and somehow, I knew I didn’t have a choice. Raven reached for my hand and squeezed, and she held it as we walked down the road and toward a particularly large house I’d never seen before. Somehow, I had a feeling that when we walked into that house, everything was going to change.
Forever.
4.
Liam
I WAS STANDING AT THE window when they approached the mansion. Helena stopped outside of the mansion and looked up. She stared directly at me, and then she jerked her head toward the two women behind her. It was Raven and...
It couldn’t be.
I stilled, but quickly moved closer to the window. It was her. It was Kimberly. She was here.
Why the fuck was she here?
Helena stared for a long minute before walking into the first floor of the mansion, and I actually scurried out of my office and down the hall. I made my way to the banister at the top of the double staircase that led down to the open entryway. Helena was standing there with Raven, whose head was down, and Kimberly, whose eyes had never looked wider.
“What is this place?” She whispered. Her words were loud, though, and they seemed to ring loudly throughout the mansion.
“It’s your new home, of course,” Helena said simply. She gestured to me, then, and Kimberly looked up. She seemed to notice me for the first time. First, there was a look of confusion on her face. Then, recognition.
“He works for the Vampire of Garnetia,” she said to Raven in a hushed voice.
“Wrong,” I said, making my way down the staircase.
“I remember you,” she said. Her face hardened with anger. Yes, I was certain she was angry. She was probably very angry. From her perspective, I was the person who had slaughtered her friends and ruined her vampire hunting fun. From my perspective, I’d put a stop to a group of murderers who were hunting my kind for fun. I didn’t believe for a moment that Kimberly was involved with her friends’ illegal activities. That was the only reason she was still alive.
“I’m honored,” I said.
“You pinned me down,” she accused. “You put your boot on me. That hurt.”
“I’m glad you remember,” she said.
“Is that true?” Raven asked. “He pinned you?”
“He pinned me,” Kimberly said. She stared at me, curious. “But then he let me get away.”
So she’d known.
All of this time, I wondered whether she had thought she’d managed that escape all on her own or not.
“I did,” I agreed.
“Why?” She asked.
She didn’t seem afraid of me now, nor did she seem aggressive. She was slightly docile, which was, on its own, a bit unnerving. This wasn’t the type of woman who did docile.
“Why do you think I work for the Vampire of Garnetia?”
“You’re answered my question with a question,” she pointed out. “That’s childish.”
“And you’re blatantly refusing to answer mine,” I countered. “That’s also childish.”
“You’re both being childish,” Helena pointed out. “Look, I’m going to put a stop to this little dance,” she said. “I’ve hand-delivered you the human you wanted. You can thank me later. Don’t wait long to turn her. The others will notice, and regardless of how much they all love and adore you, they’re going to get hungry. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me not to take a taste on my way over here?”
Both Raven and Kimberly looked up at Helena with wide eyes. Yes, Raven might be a vampire, but she was still fresh and young and naive. She didn’t yet understand the hunger that came with time. She also didn’t understand just how much self-control most vampires had.
“Also,�
�� Helena continued, not finished with her exposition. “You’re wrong, Kimberly. Liam isn’t employed by the vampire you’re hunting for. He is the vampire you’re hunting for. I’m going to save you a little more time, too. He’s the one who ordered the hit on your friends. Your roommates, were they? I’ll let Liam be the one to tell you why he did it. I’ve talked enough.”
Helena started walking up the stairs, moving past me silently. Halfway up the staircase, she stopped and turned around to catch Raven’s eye. Raven was still standing perfectly still.
“You,” she said. “Come.”
Raven turned to her friend and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
“I’ll see you soon,” she said to Kimberly.
“What happened to never again?” Kimberly asked quietly.
“That was before,” Raven said. “You’re here now. You’re going to be one of us. No matter what happens next, Kimberly, please remember to stay strong.”
“I’m waiting,” Helena said. Her voice was a bit more crisp. It was a little more harsh and determined. Raven noticed immediately and started moving. This time, she didn’t stop to look at her friend. Instead, she ran up beside Helena, slipped her hand into the vampire mistress’, and kept moving.
We watched silently as they made their way to the top of the staircase and then disappeared down the hallway. I sighed. Helena had given Kimberly plenty of information, but she really had left the most important information to me.
Now I was going to have to figure out how to deal with the fact that not only did I have a human I had to turn, but I had a human I firmly believed was my fated mate. She was my destiny. I had to convince her of that, though.
“Kimberly,” I said, and I turned back toward her. No sooner had I done so than I felt her foot connect with the side of my jaw.
“That’s for my friends, mother fucker,” she shouted.
A roundhouse kick.
I should have been prepared.
She was flexible, I’d give her that, and she was braver than she should have been. Before I’d even registered what had happened, she was running back down the hallway and out the front door.