Karma followed Jackson out of the room and down the hall. When he opened the bathroom door for her, she stopped and turned to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset Dylan, but I thought he needed to know. What I don’t understand is how he didn’t see Harrison for what he is. How he didn’t know Harrison is a vampire.”
“Karma, sometimes we only see what we want to see. Listen, I know you like my brother and I know he’s going to go with you even if you don’t want him to.”
“I kind of figured that. Will you be okay here without him?”
“Oh yeah. I’ll be fine as long as he comes back.”
“I’ll make sure he comes back. I lost my entire family to the vampire who fathered me. I would never wish that hell on anyone.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Jackson said and ran his hand down her hair. “How long ago did it happen?”
“Five weeks,” she told him and shook her head to clear it. “I can’t think about that now though. I need to find Vincent and destroy him. Then I can get on with my life,”
“Are you sure about that? Are you sure you’ll be able to get on with your life?” Jackson asked, concern in his voice.
Karma thought about that for a moment before she answered. “Honestly, I don’t know. Since I came home from my high school graduation party and found my parents and brothers dead, I have been focused on destroying Vincent. I’m keeping my focus on that until I accomplish it, then I will see where life takes me. For now, I’m going to get a shower and then I’m going to set up a training ground, so I can work with Dylan. I have to know he can handle himself, or I will surely get killed because I will be distracted by worry for him.”
“I’ll see you when you get out of the shower and I’ll help you get whatever you need to keep my brother alive.”
****
Twenty minutes later Karma found Dylan, Jackson, and Harrison in the back yard. They were clearing out a section of the yard big enough for Karma to train Dylan. When the three men looked up Karma walked over to them. “Dylan, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure,” he said and motioned for her to follow him. When they stopped at the barn doors, he turned to face her. “Karma, I know you didn’t mean any harm. I’m not mad at you.”
“Thank you, but I still want to apologize. I was thrown off by the presence of a vampire, but I was even more shocked when I realized you didn’t know he was a vampire.”
“I’ve never been around any vampire other than Harrison. I’ve never had a reason to be. I took what was shown to me at face value and never questioned it.”
“I understand,” Karma said and started to walk away.
Dylan reached out and grabbed her arm as she walked past. “Thank you,” he said softly.
“For?”
“Forcing his hand. I needed to know everything he had been keeping from me, but he wasn’t ready to tell me.”
“You’re welcome,” Karma said and walked back to the area they were setting up. It was time to get to work.
Chapter Eleven
For the next three days, Karma and Harrison trained Dylan on how to fight a full-blooded vampire. He was a good fighter and caught on to weapon handling very quickly. There was only one time she doubted he’d be ready in time, but that was on the first day.
They were leaving tomorrow, but tonight they were just hanging out at his house.
“You ready for tomorrow?” Harrison asked as he sat beside her on the sofa.
“Yep. I’m ready to hunt.”
“Karma, may I say something that is possibly out of line?”
“Has that ever stopped you?” Karma asked. Over the past three days she had gotten to know Harrison, and, even though she thought it impossible, she had found a vampire she liked.
“True,” Harrison agreed with a grin. “But this is important. I know Vincent. We met about a hundred years ago in Germany. He’s a ruthless son of a bitch, and when he wants something, he does whatever it takes to get it. You aren’t the first child he’s fathered, but you are the only one he let live. I don’t know why he let you live, but there has got to be a reason he wants you with him. I don’t think you should go after him. I think you should stay here with Dylan and start a new life with him. I’ve seen how the two of you look at each other, and I know why.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Karma denied, internally reprimanding herself for letting her feelings show. Feelings would do nothing but get them killed. “As for Vincent, he once told me I was just like him. Maybe that’s why he let me live. Maybe he thought I’d join him, and he could have a minion to do his bidding.”
“You’re nothing like Vincent. You are not a cold-blooded, ruthless killer. You fight to protect and avenge those you love. That isn’t like him at all. He kills for the pleasure it brings him. You were right about him passing through here. He was here six days ago. He stopped at my house and asked me to join him in creating a vampire army. I told him I would, but that was just to get him moving along. I also told him I needed a week to wrap up things here and then I’d meet up with him. He told me where he was going, and I’m supposed to meet him there in four days. If you’re determined to follow through with this, I will tell you where, but I want you to know he had about fifty vampire with him that day. I’m sure that number will have more than doubled by the time you get to him.”
“So, you’re trying to tell me it’s a suicide mission?” Karma asked and dropped her head in her hands. There was no way she’d let Dylan walk into something like that. “Tell me and I’ll leave tonight. I’ll leave Dylan here where he’ll be safe, where you can keep him safe.”
“You know he’ll follow you. He’s been tuning in to his vampire senses and has gotten very good at using his hearing. He’s keeping alert because he knows you’re going to try to leave him behind, and he cares too much about you to let that happen. Instead of leaving him behind, why don’t you get help? Call your hunter friends in and see if they can help you. Isn’t stopping vampire armies what they’re there for anyway?”
“I’ll call in the morning before we leave. Just promise me something. Promise me that you will keep Jackson safe while we’re gone. It would crush Dylan to lose him and, honestly, I’ve lost three brothers already and I don’t think I could handle losing a fourth.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud thud from outside. They snapped their heads toward the noise and rose, lightning fast, to their feet.
“Vampire,” Karma whispered almost silently as she sniffed the air.
“Eight vampire,” Harrison whispered back. “All new.”
“Jackson,” Karma called out and when he walked into the room, she smiled a little because he would be safe in the house. Hopefully. “Come here a minute.”
When he walked over to where she was standing, she pushed him onto the sofa and sat beside him. She pressed her lips against his ear and spoke silently into it, hoping the eight outside, couldn’t hear her.
“There are eight vampire outside. Harrison and I are going out to see what’s going on, but I need you to stay inside. Do not open the door for any reason. I don’t care what you hear, you stay inside and keep the door and windows closed. They can’t come in unless invited, so you will be fine in here as long as you stay inside. Nod if you understand.” When Jackson nodded Karma sighed on relief. “Good. Now I’m going to go get Dylan and try to get him to stay inside with you, but he’s hard headed and probably won’t. I’ll be back when it’s over. Remember, do not open the doors for any reason.”
Jackson nodded again, and Karma kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
She was gone in an instant and found Dylan as he emerged from the bathroom. She pressed him against the wall and pressed her body against his. When he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, she almost forgot what was going on outside and lost herself in the feel of his body against hers. When he leaned down and breathed in her scent, she brushed her lips across his clean-shaven cheek, a
nd leaned in closer to his ear.
“We have a problem outside. There are at least eight vampire out there and Harrison and I are going to see what’s going on. We would like for you to stay inside and protect Jackson.”
Dylan shifted so he could lean against her ear.
“No way in hell,” he said, and gently nipped her ear.
“Stubborn ass,” she whispered and nipped his ear back. “Just stay safe, please.”
“Always,” he promised as his eyes connected with hers. She could see something in his eyes she hadn’t noticed before, but now was not the time to try to analyze it. “You too.”
“Always,” she repeated his word and pulled away from him as Harrison entered the hall.
He walked over and handed her a piece of paper. On it was the number twelve, and she assumed it meant there were twelve vampire outside now. That was an easy number to deal with. She nodded and showed Dylan the paper before she motioned for them to follow her to the upstairs bedroom where she’d been sleeping.
“I don’t think they can hear us from here but talk softly anyway. This window faces the back of the house, but it’s also blocked by a big oak tree. I think we could climb out it and be down the tree before any of them notice. If they’re all new, they may not be listening for the small sounds of a vampire, only the bigger sounds of a human,” Karma said as she shuffled through her bag. She smiled when she found what she was looking for and motioned for the guys to join her beside the bed. “Here. Please try not to break or lose these. I made them myself and really don’t want to have to make more right now.”
She handed each of them four wooden daggers and strapped three more to her body.
“Nice work. Maple?” Harrison asked as he slid the daggers between his belt and the waist band of his pants.
“Thanks. Yep. Maple is the best,” Karma checked the point on her wooden Sai and then slid them into their place at her sides. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“What the hell are those?” Dylan asked pointing at the Sai on her waist.
“I told you about my martial arts training, remember? Well I took the weapons I trained with and recreated some of the smaller ones in wood. They’re easy to handle and will kill a vampire.”
Harrison looked at her for a second and then threw his head back and laughed. “Karma, you never cease to amaze me. Let’s get this done so you can show me how to craft these daggers before you leave.”
Karma grinned and headed to the window. She gently pulled the curtain open a little and peeked out. She could see two from this vantage point, but there could be more. “Turn off the light, Dylan. They’re less likely to notice us if the light is off. It doesn’t look like they even know we know they’re out there. Which is a good thing.”
Once the light was off Karma opened the curtain and looked out at the back yard. There were four back there, but they were all focused on the back door. Stupid newbies.
She held up four fingers then silently opened the window. She was out the window and in the tree in less than two seconds, and the newbies hadn’t heard a thing. A second later Dylan came out the window and Karma dropped silently to the ground. She had one vampire taken out before Harrison was on the ground with them. The four in the back yard fell silently and effortlessly within thirty seconds of Karma leaving the house.
“You two go that way,” she mouthed silently to Harrison and Dylan. “I’ll meet you at the front door.”
They looked at each other for a second before they nodded. Neither were comfortable leaving Karma alone, but they knew she could handle herself.
Karma headed around the house and took out one of the two on that side, but the other one saw her and charged. She pivoted and ducked just as his fist flung out. He caught her shoulder, but the blow wasn’t hard enough to do any damage. She turned just in time to see him charge again. This time she used his momentum to drive her Sai through his chest. When she heard it snap, she cursed under her breath. She was going to have to make a new one now and that pissed her off. She pulled the silver dagger from her boot and severed his head from his shoulders, wiping the blade clean on his shirt before sliding it back into her boot and heading around front. Dylan and Harrison were both fighting two against one and Karma grinned at the sight before she headed over to help Dylan, Harrison could handle himself.
She whistled softly and one of the newbies Dylan was fighting turned to look at her just as she released a dagger and landed it square in this chest. He stumbled back, and she flashed to him, knocking him to the ground and straddling him. She yanked the dagger from his chest and stabbed him through the heart before he even had time to register what was happening. When she stood up the other three newbies were dead, and Harrison and Dylan were walking toward her.
“What took you so long?” Dylan asked with a hint of laughter in his voice.
“Stupid bastard broke my Sai, so I had to cut his head off,” she answered and pulled her broken Sai from her belt. “I just made this one, too.”
“Aww… poor Karma. Now you’ll just have to make another one,” Dylan teased, causing her to growl at him.
“Watch it, or the next one I make will have your name on it. Now, let’s go in and let Jackson know everything is okay. Then I need a shower before I show you how to make the daggers. I got that asshole’s blood on me.”
After her shower Karma showed Harrison and Dylan how to craft the eight-inch daggers she preferred to use, and together they made a dozen new ones.
“That should last a while,” she said as she wrapped them in cloth and slid them into her bag. “Now I think it’s time we got some sleep. We leave at first light.”
She headed upstairs, but as soon as she reached her door she was grabbed and spun around. Her mouth was covered in a hard kiss and she inhaled deeply. Dylan’s taste and scent filled her. After a moment he pulled away and looked into her eyes. “I want you to know that once this is over, you and I are going to explore whatever this is between us. I have never felt this pull toward anyone, and as much as I’ve tried, I can’t fight it anymore.”
“I feel it too,” Karma whispered and kissed him again. When she broke the kiss, she looked into his eyes. “But now isn’t the time. I promise you, after this is finished, we will explore this and see what happens. For now, let’s concentrate on doing what needs to be done and hope we both make it through.”
“We’ll make it, Karma. I have faith in us,” Dylan said confidently then turned and walked into his bedroom.
Chapter Twelve
“We will be back in a couple weeks,” Dylan told Jackson the next morning as they loaded the saddle bags on the bikes and got ready to leave.
“Don’t worry about me, Bro. Harrison will look after me. We’ll be fine. You just take care of yourself and watch out for Karma. She’s a stubborn bitch and will sacrifice herself for you if it comes down to it.”
“That isn’t going to happen. I can hold my own and will be fine,” Dylan said and glanced behind him to where Karma was pacing in the driveway while talking animatedly to the leader of the hunters she’d trained with. “Plus, we’re going to have back-up.”
Karma ended her call and walked toward them with a smile on her face. “Okay, they are going to meet us there. There are sixty of them coming so we shouldn’t have a problem with about a hundred and fifty vampire. If there’s more, it’ll just be more of a challenge.”
“You’re hoping there’s more, aren’t you?” Harrison asked, tilting his head as if he were trying to figure her out.
“A hundred and fifty averages to just over two each for everyone. So yeah, I’m hoping there’s more because that isn’t even enough to work up a sweat over. Oh, and Jackson? I heard your comment and you’re right, I am a stubborn bitch. I will do anything to keep the people I care about safe. I can’t lose anyone else.”
Jackson pulled her into a tight hug and held her for a moment before he released her and hugged Dylan. “You two take care of each other. None of us need any more loss in our live
s.”
“We’ll be back soon,” Karma told Harrison as she pulled him into a hug. “Take care of Jackson,” she added in a whisper meant only for him.
“I will,” he promised and released her. “You two better get going. Karma, don’t forget what I told you last night.”
“I won’t,” Karma promised as she hopped on her bike. “Ready, Dylan?”
“As I’ll ever be,” Dylan answered as he started his bike. When Karma started down the driveway he followed, and they started their journey together.
****
Two days later they were about three miles from where Harrison was supposed to meet Vincent. They were a day early, but Karma had wanted to scout the area and get some rest before they faced her Father.
“Karma, tell me about these hunters we’re going to be meeting up with in the morning,” Dylan said from his bed in their hotel room.
“Huntresses actually. They’re all females. Nevaeh, their leader, is one badass female. I don’t know too many of them personally, but there are about a hundred of them total. I work directly with Nevaeh, though. The night my family was killed Nevaeh lost two Huntresses she’d sent to watch them. Vincent had shown up at my graduation and I was afraid he’d try something. He had a small army of about thirty newbies and they distracted the two Nevaeh had sent so he could slip into the house. He killed my Dad first. He didn’t even drain his blood, just snapped his neck. I guess my Mother heard him in the house and tried to get to my brothers, but she wasn’t quick enough. He drained her on the stairs. My three little brothers never stood a chance. Colton was twelve, Chandler was ten, and Chase was only eight.”
“Harrison told me Vincent is ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. From what you two have told me, he wants you bad.”
“Vincent seems to think we are alike. That I’m like him. He couldn’t be more wrong. I am nothing like him, and he will learn that soon enough.”
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