“I will always remember everything you have taught me, and I will check in occasionally to let you know how it’s going. I’ll ride back to the warehouse with you and gather my stuff, but there is one thing I need.”
“Anything. All you have to do is ask.”
“I want one of the motorcycles. I’ll need transportation and a motorcycle will be more useful than my car.”
“You got it. I’ll get you the keys to the Suzuki when we get back and I’ll have the saddle bags filled with anything you may need. Good luck, Karma.”
Karma just smiled, and loaded into the van. It was time to hunt.
Chapter Eight
Karma pulled the bike into the parking lot of a small diner just over the Oregon state line. She had been on the road for nearly sixteen hours and needed to find a cheap hotel so she could get some sleep, but first she needed something to eat and this seemed like the perfect place to get it.
When she walked through the door, the smell of grilled meat hit her, and her mouth watered. She wanted a burger, rare, and a chocolate milk shake. She sat at the counter, looked at the menu that was on the place mat in front of her and smiled. Perfect, they had exactly what she wanted.
“What can I getcha?” A waitress wearing a blue dress and white apron asked.
“Bacon cheeseburger, rare, with lettuce, tomato, and mayo, and a chocolate shake.”
“I’ll get your order in. Want that shake now or with your burger?”
“Now please,” Karma answered and then looked around the small diner. She’d headed North because that’s what her gut told her to do, and she’d learned to follow her gut, but she knew Vincent wasn’t in this town.
She looked up when the bell over the door rang and watched two men walk in. The first one was like every other person she’d ever come across in her life, normal, ordinary, but the second one caught her attention.
He had dark, mahogany colored hair and charcoal eyes, but it wasn’t his physical appearance that called to her. It was the fact that he wasn’t human. Not one hundred percent human anyway.
They sat at the counter beside her and the blond, the uninteresting one, turned to her and grinned.
“Is that your bike out there?” Karma nodded, and his grin widened. “It’s a sweet ride.”
“Thanks. It gets me where I’m going.”
“You’re new around here. I never forget a pretty face, and I know I’ve never seen yours.”
“Just passing through,” Karma answered as the waitress sat her shake in front of her. “Thank you,” she smiled at the waitress and focused her attention on the frozen chocolate in front of her.
“Jackson, leave that girl alone and let her enjoy her milk shake,” the waitress scolded the blond and he turned his focus on her. “What’ll it be boys?”
“Mary, beautiful as always,” the one she’d called Jackson said as he grabbed her hand and kissed it. She swatted at him with her other hand and he grinned.
“Jackson, you’re nothing but a charmer. Now what’ll it be?”
“I’ll have a burger, well done, fully loaded, fries and a strawberry shake,” Jackson ordered, then turned to look at the man beside him. “Dylan? You gonna order or stare at her all day?”
Dylan. His name was Dylan, and he was as intrigued with her as she was with him.
“Umm…yeah. I’ll have a burger, rare, with lettuce, tomato and mayo, a side of beans, and a chocolate shake,” he ordered and glanced back at Karma.
She was focused on her shake, but she could feel his eyes on her. When Mary sat her burger in front of her, she picked it up and moved to one of the empty tables in the back. She wanted to watch the two men, Dylan especially, but she didn’t want them watching her. After his order she was sure he was a Halfling like her, and that terrified her.
****
What was she? That’s the question Dylan kept asking over and over in his head. She wasn’t human, that much he knew, but what was she? He kept an eye on her as she sat in the back booth and ate her burger. She didn’t look like she was going to try anything, but he couldn’t be sure, and he would protect his brother at all costs. Jackson was the only family he had left.
“Dylan, bro, what has you so deep in thought?”
“That girl back there. There’s something about her. Something I can’t quite figure out.”
“You mean Miss Tall, Dark and Sexy? I can tell you what it is. She’s freaking hot. Did you see how long her legs are? Could you imagine them wrapped around you, or draped over your shoulders?”
“Jackson, you watch too much TV. You need to get out more and spend time with real people. Yes, she’s ‘freaking hot’, but that isn’t it. There’s something, I don’t know, off about her,” he leaned in closer to his brother and whispered. “I think she’s like me.”
Jackson’s head snapped up at Dylan’s words, and he looked over to where the mystery girl sat. She was silently eating her burger, but her focus was on them. Her amber eyes locked on Dylan. “Dyl, we’ve never met anyone like you before. What are we going to do?”
“Jacks, she’s young still. She hasn’t reached maturity yet. I don’t think she’ll be a problem, especially if she’s just passing through like she says.”
Jackson and Dylan were so focused on their conversation they didn’t hear Karma approach. “If you two are finished talking about me, I think we need to talk.”
Dylan looked up at her and her eyes flashed with a knowledge well beyond her years. “I think you’re right.”
“Want to join me in the back? Less chance of being overheard that way,” Karma pointed to the booth she’d been sitting at, and the men nodded.
She turned, walked back to the booth, slid in, and waited for them to join her. They sat at the counter until Mary delivered their food, then they picked up their plates and joined her at the booth.
“Who are you and why are you here?” Dylan asked as soon as he sat down.
“My name is Karma and, like I told you earlier, I was just passing through.”
“Was?” Dylan asked with a tilt of his head.
“Yes, was. Now I think I may stay a few days. I think we both have a lot we can learn from each other.”
“I doubt there’s anything you can teach me.” Dylan told her, and she cocked her head to the side.
“Is that so? Well, I guess we will see then because I’m not leaving just yet, and you can’t make me go.”
“You haven’t reached maturity yet and I have. Do you want to test that theory?”
“Are you willing to bet your life on it?” Karma asked then shifted her attention to Jackson. “Or maybe I should ask if you’re willing to bet his life on it.”
“Are you threatening my brother?” Dylan growled.
“No. I would never harm a human, but I know vampire who would, and I know they passed through here a few days ago.”
“How do you know?” Jackson asked curiously.
“I know because one of them is the vampire who murdered my entire family. I know because I am hunting him. I know because he is my Father.”
Dylan looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “You’re hunting a full blood? You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“I know what I’m doing.” Karma told him, and he shook his head.
“There is no way you’re going to be able to kill a full blood. You’re not even a mature Halfling yet.”
“I’ve killed seven full bloods already, so don’t tell me what I’m capable of.”
Dylan looked at her, astonishment at what she just told him shining in his charcoal eyes. “Maybe there is something you can teach me,” he said quietly.
“Is there somewhere we can go where we definitely won’t be overheard?” Karma asked and looked pointedly at the door where a group of men were about to enter the diner.
Dylan looked behind him and waved at the group as they walked through the door. They waved back, and Dylan turned back to Karma. “Yeah. I got my truck outside and you can follow us to ou
r house on your bike.”
“Sounds good to me. Lead the way,” Karma said as she tossed enough money on the table to cover her meal and tip, and followed them outside.
Chapter Nine
When the truck turned down a long, dirt drive Karma started to rethink her decision to follow them here. They could be leading her right into a trap. If that was the case, she’d be dead. She touched the Sai under her jacket and smiled. She may die, but she’d take a few of them with her if she did.
When Dylan stopped his truck in front of a sturdy looking farm house Karma pulled up beside him and hopped off the bike. She pulled her helmet off and let her straight, almost black hair flow freely down her back.
“Why don’t we sit out here and talk?” She suggested when she saw the wicker patio set.
“Okay,” Dylan said and took a seat in one of the chairs. Karma took the chair across from him and Jackson sprawled out on the love seat between them.
“What do you know about full bloods?” Karma asked.
“Only what I’ve been able to find out on the Internet. It’s very difficult to separate fact from fiction though.”
“I can give you some facts about them. Fact, they can walk in the sunlight. Newbies can’t, but not because they’ll burn, it just blisters their skin. Fact, they cannot come into a home without being invited. Fact, they must drink blood to survive, but they can eat human food too and it not hurt them. Fact, they are not affected by garlic and holy water will burn them, but unless they ingest it, it will not kill them. Crosses don’t bother them either. If you want to kill a vampire there are only two things they cannot recover from, a piece of wood to the heart and a severed head.”
“How did you learn so much about vampire?” Jackson asked. He had leaned closer to Karma and was listening intently to what she had to say.
“For the past two years I have trained with professional vampire hunters. They have taught me more than I could have ever learned on my own,” she answered without giving any real information.
“So, you’re a Halfling, but you’ve been training with hunters? Why didn’t they kill you?” Dylan asked curiously.
“Because I’ve never hurt a human. I’ve never even been tempted to hurt a human. I was raised by a human man who wasn’t my Father, but he accepted me and loved me despite my differences.”
“We were raised by our Mom. My Dad took off when he found out what Dylan was, but Mom was there no matter what. She died five years ago. I was fourteen and Dylan had just turned eighteen.”
“So, you’re nineteen now?” Karma asked, and Jackson nodded. “And you’re twenty-three.”
“Yes, but what do our ages matter?” Dylan asked.
“They don’t. I was just curious. How did your Mom die?”
“She was in a car wreck. She hit a tree and her car exploded, but I never bought into that.” Dylan answered.
“Don’t blame you. My entire family was killed by my vampire Father. He wanted me to join him in the vampire world and I refused so he took away everyone I loved.”
“You’ve met your vampire Father?” Dylan asked in shock.
“Yes. I met him when I was fifteen. He showed up at our house and wanted me to come with him. I refused because I was happy. Two days after that I started training with the hunters.”
“You knew he was going to cause trouble, didn’t you?” Dylan asked.
“Yes. He made a comment about how someday I would stop aging and when that happened, I would have to leave them anyway, so I may as well join him. I told him to go to Hell.”
“You’re a feisty one,” Dylan said with a grin. “Want to tell us why you think he passed through here recently?”
“A gut feeling. I don’t know why, but I can kind of sense him and that’s how I’m hunting him. When I catch up with him, I’m going to drive a stake through his heart.”
“Then what?” Dylan asked curiously. “What will you do once you’ve finished hunting him?”
“Haven’t thought about that yet. Maybe become a martial arts instructor or join the hunter group I trained with. I don’t know, but I can’t think about the future, especially since I’ll probably die during my fight with him.”
“Karma, how old are you?” Jackson asked.
“Seventeen, I’ll be eighteen in three weeks.”
“I would have guessed you closer to twenty.” Dylan said and looked at the porch. When he looked up again Karma could see the concern in his eyes. “Why don’t you stay here for a couple of days? You can train me how to fight, and I can get my bike running. I want to join you on your hunt.”
“You can’t, Dylan. I can’t teach you enough to ensure you would survive,” Karma said quickly. She did not want Dylan in danger. She didn’t know what this pull to him she was feeling was, but she couldn’t put him in danger.
“Karma, I have some fighting skills. When I found out I was a Halfling I started working with a personal trainer and have been kick boxing for 10 years. I have also been working with my hands my entire life and I’d be good to have around if that bike of yours breaks down.”
“Fine. I’ll stay here for a couple of days, but I can’t promise you will get to come with me. That will depend on how quickly you learn.”
“Deal,” Dylan said, but knew even if she said he couldn’t come with her, he would follow her. It was time he try to find his vampire Father, too. “I do have one question.”
“What’s that?” Karma asked.
“If I come, I want to try to track down my vampire Father. I know his name, but that’s all I have. Do you think it’s possible?”
“Dylan, anything is possible,” Karma said with a small smile. “Now, can you tell me how to get to the nearest motel? I have been awake for about thirty-six hours now and I could really use some sleep.”
“When we suggested you stay here, we meant here, in the house, with us.” Jackson said with a shy smile.
“Jackson, can I ask you a question?” Karma asked and when he nodded, she continued. “How can you make comments like you did in the diner and never think twice because you think the only one who heard you was Dylan, but when you just said that you got red as a lobster after it’s cooked?”
“You heard me say that?” Jackson asked, and his blush deepened.
“Yes, and I think you’re freaking hot too.” Karma winked at him and his jaw dropped. “Now, can one of you please tell me where I can sleep?”
Dylan grinned at the exchange between Karma and Jackson. “Yeah, get your stuff and I’ll show you where you can sleep.”
Five minutes later Karma was sitting on the edge of a queen-sized bed.
“Thank you, Dylan,” she said when he sat her small bag on the floor by the door.
“You’re welcome. Get some rest and we will talk in the morning. Goodnight, Karma.”
“Goodnight, Dylan.”
Chapter Ten
Karma woke with a start. She looked around the room she was in, and tried to remember where she was. When her head cleared, she remembered meeting Dylan and Jackson, and she let out a sigh of relief. She was in their house. It was just a dream. She was safe.
“Damn it, Karma, get it together,” she scolded herself as she climbed out of bed and reached for her bag. She needed a shower, and clean clothes. When she opened the door, she heard sounds of laughter from the kitchen. She recognized Jackson’s and Dylan’s right away, but there was a third person in the kitchen, so she decided to go check it out. She crept to the kitchen door, her hand on the wooden dagger in the waist band of her jeans, and peeked into the room. Her jaw dropped when she saw the person they were talking to, wasn’t a person at all, he was a vampire. She shook off the ominous feeling that filled her stomach and walked into the room.
“Dylan, can you show me where the bathroom is?” She asked and then halted. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had company. I’ll just go look for it myself.”
She turned to walk out of the room, but Dylan stopped her. “Karma, this is Harris
on. He’s my kick boxing trainer.”
“Nice to meet you, Harrison,” Karma locked eyes with Harrison and was taken aback when she saw charcoal colored eyes that matched Dylan’s perfectly.
“Karma, what an interesting name,” Harrison said as he looked at her intently. “Where are you from, Karma?”
“California,” she answered honestly. She knew he knew she was a Halfling, but she wondered if he knew she knew he was a vampire.
“Interesting. What brings you to Oregon?”
“I’m looking for my Father,” going for honesty again.
“What makes you think he’s here?”
Karma was tired of this cat and mouse game.
“Instinct,” she answered, and he looked at her curiously. “I know what you are.”
Harrison looked at her and just shook his head. “You have great instincts, young one.”
“What does she mean by that, Harrison?” Dylan asked as he looked between them.
“You want to tell him, or should I?” Karma asked Harrison.
He looked at her for a second before he turned to face Dylan and Jackson. “I wasn’t going to tell you this yet, but now I’m left with no choice. Dylan, I am a vampire.”
Dylan sank into the chair he’d been standing beside and just stared at Harrison. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“I’m afraid not. My full name is Harrison Fredrick Radcliff and I was born in 1846 in New York.”
“Wait, did you say Fredrick?” Dylan asked, and Harrison cringed.
“I did. Dylan, I am your Father. I met your Mother and we fell in love. When she found out she was pregnant with you we decided it would be best if we went our separate ways because she knew what I was. I was never far from you though. When you started showing signs of being a vampire I stepped back into your life and have been there for you in the only way I could be.”
Dylan sat there in shock as Jackson walked over to Karma. “Let’s give them a few minutes alone. I’ll show you where the bathroom is.”
Karma's Vengeance (Vampire Huntress Saga Book 1) Page 4