4-Ever Hunted: Vampires Rule

by Blake, Kasi

  She enunciated every word.

  “Listen to the sound of my voice. Your eyelids are growing heavy, and it’s spreading out to your entire facial area.”

  He concentrated on relaxing his face. Soon, other parts of his body followed as she took him on a journey from his head to his feet. A soft cloud enveloped him. He floated along with her as his guide. Pictures of his father passed through his mind... and he zeroed in on an important moment from his past.

  ♫

  A pack of werewolves in human form pounded on the motel room door while others tried to break the boarded up window. Ian Carver and his son fed their guns as many bullets as they would take. The ten-year-old boy bit his lower lip as he performed the task. He fought to control his trembling hands. They’d been in tough situations before, but never like this.

  Trapped, they only had two choices: start shooting or die.

  They’d probably end up doing both.

  The door shook as a huge weight struck from the other side.

  “Dad!” Trick yelled, startled.

  Ian, a gun in each hand, shouted, “Get behind me! That door won’t hold much longer.”

  Trick did as he was told, but he stood a little to the left so he could see past his father. He kept his eyes glued to the door. As long as it held together they were okay.

  A horrible sound hit Trick’s eardrums. The wood cracked and splintered a bit more with each aggressive attack. Soon it would give way, and the werewolves would be on them. They’d be ripped apart in a matter of seconds.

  “I’m sorry, son. I think this is it for us.”

  Trick stared at his father’s back, terrified. Had he heard wrong, or was his father giving up? The man was bigger-than-life, and Trick idolized him. No matter what the situation, he always felt safe when his father was nearby... until now.

  His father added, “If there was another exit...”

  Trick’s gaze fell on a strange design carved into the dresser’s bottom drawer. His eyes narrowed. That hadn’t been there earlier. He remembered the symbol from a dream, along with the feeling of being chased. That same terror gripped his heart now in a painful grasp.

  “There is!” He ran to the dresser, dropped to his knees, and pulled the drawer out. Over his shoulder, he said, “Come on!”

  At the back of the empty slot was total darkness, but somehow he knew it meant escape. He reached in with both arms and pushed against the floor with his feet. His dad probably thought he’d lost his mind. Hopefully, Ian would trail after him once he saw his feet disappear into the bottom of the dresser.

  Trick kept moving. Doing his impression of soldiers in one of those commercials where they shimmy beneath crossed barbed wires in the mud. He made it through the hole in the back.

  And that’s when it got really strange.

  Instead of being on the other side of the wall in the room next door, the hole opened into what looked like an elevator shaft, minus the cables. For a moment, Trick feared he would have to take a leap of faith. Then he spotted a ladder. It was attached to the metal side beneath where he was hanging over the edge. He grabbed onto it and swung his legs around. Almost falling, he gripped the top rung tighter. The cold metal was slippery. He prayed he could hang on long enough to climb to the bottom.

  A large hand landed on top of his, and his father stared down at him with an intense heat that threatened to melt Trick’s face off.

  “Did you do this?” Ian asked.

  “Hurry! Let’s get out of here.”

  After they climbed down the ladder, there was a short white door that reminded Trick of Alice in Wonderland. Without waiting for his father, he opened it and stepped through into bright sunlight. His father joined him on the bustling sidewalk a moment later, and the door disappeared behind them. A few people glared at them for getting in the way, but no one seemed to be troubled by their sudden appearance.

  It didn’t take long for Ian to realize they were in New York City. Somehow they’d traveled from a small town in Kentucky to the Big Apple using a magical pathway that no longer existed. A grim twist to his mouth and furrowed eyebrows over piercing eyes made Ian look sterner than usual. He grabbed Trick and dragged him away from the pedestrians.

  “How did you do that?” Ian demanded.

  “I don’t know.”

  Why was his father mad when he’d just saved their lives?

  “Have you done it before?”

  Trick shook his head.

  In a louder voice Ian asked, “Have you done it before?”

  “Just in my dreams. When I’m being chased in my sleep, I see a weird symbol on something, and I know I can get away.”

  Ian turned away from his son. He stalked up and down the sidewalk several times. People avoided him as if he had a gun in his hand. He didn’t seem to notice, was probably used to it. Civilians gave him a wide berth, at least those with common sense and a deep-seeded need for survival.

  “Did I do something wrong?” Trick asked in a shaky voice.

  The question softened Ian’s expression, and the old, familiar warmth that Trick was used to filled the man’s eyes. He rubbed his son’s back. “No. You did good. I’m proud of... your nose.”

  Trick blinked. “Huh?”

  That was an odd thing to say.

  Then Trick realized his nose was bleeding.

  “I’m going to start counting backward now.” Baxter’s voice intruded on his past, and he realized he was watching a memory. She continued. “With each number your mind will drift closer to the surface until you are fully awake. You will be refreshed and feel like you’ve had a nice nap. Ten. Start climbing to the surface. Nine. Let go of your past regrets. Eight. You will remember everything you learned.”

  ♫

  Baxter reached the number one, and his eyes blinked open to find her staring at him as if waiting for something important to happen. How much did she know? Had he talked in his hypnosis-induced state? He couldn’t remember.

  “It worked.”

  “Don’t sound so surprised,” she said in a slightly mocking tone. “I do know what I’m doing over here.”

  “I remember why my father left.”

  Baxter leaned forward in her seat. “Care to share?”

  He hesitated.

  She shrugged her bony shoulders. “Did you find your answers?”

  “Maybe. I’m not sure. Can we try again?”

  “Next appointment.”

  Eager to learn more, he asked, “Why can’t we do it now?”

  “It’s not wise to press the mind that hard. Besides, I have another appointment. You aren’t my only patient. Can you show yourself out?”

  And just like that, he was dismissed. She went to her file cabinet and put the thick folder with his name into the top drawer. Her fingers flipped through the others, searching for her next patient.

  He walked out the door... and almost crashed into Dani.

  “Sorry,” they both said.

  Laughter followed, only it wasn’t a genuine sound, more like the awkward giggle of two pre-teens pushed into playing Spin the Bottle.

  “Has my stepmother been helpful?”

  He hated to admit it, but... “Yeah.”

  “Good. Want a drink?” She pointed at the opening that led to the kitchen. “I think we have some sweet tea.”

  He nodded.

  She led the way, and he followed, hands in pockets.

  While she was getting glasses from an overhead cabinet, she asked, “How did your date go?”

  “Huh?”

  Distracted by her blouse and how it rode up to expose bare skin when she lifted her arms, he had to replay the question in his mind. Date? Had he missed something? He couldn’t remember his last official date.

  She reminded him with an odd look. “I dropped you off in a sleazy part of town. Ring a bell? I was relieved to see you made it home.”

  “Oh yeah.” He shrugged and leaned back against the counter. “It was okay.”

  “Are you going to s
ee her again?”

  “I hope not.” When he saw the look of relief on Dani’s face, he added, “But I might.”

  Dani poured his tea from a glass pitcher that had lemon slices swimming on top. “Is she crazy like Scarlet?”

  “No one is like Scarlet.”

  “Guess that’s true.”

  She handed him a tall glass with ice, tea, and a lemon wedge.

  He took a sip before asking, “How are you doing? I mean, since Bandit died.”

  Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she said, “I am so embarrassed... the way I acted. That wasn’t me.”

  “You’re allowed to be off once in a while.” He placed a hand on top of hers where it waited on the counter’s edge. Their eyes met. She snatched her hand back, and he shrugged. “I enjoyed the kiss and wouldn’t mind doing it again.”

  She bit her lower lip, barely holding back a smile. “Goodbye, Trick.”

  He returned her smile, thanked her for the tea, and went out the back door. Before he could close it all the way, he heard her stepmother in the kitchen.

  “Kiss? You kissed Trick Donovan?”

  Baxter must have been listening at the doorway. Poor Dani. He didn’t envy her, having to report to Baxter.

  Dani asked, “Haven’t you taught me to go after what I want and not let anything get in my way?”

  “Please tell me you aren’t interested in that boy. He’s a mess, and because he’s a patient I can’t explain his problems in detail. Trust me. He’s the last person you want to get involved with.”

  “I’m almost eighteen, Claudia, and I don’t need your approval.”

  “Your birthday is months away, and as long as you are under my roof—”

  Dani stormed out while her stepmother was in mid-sentence, and she slammed into Trick. His hands automatically grabbed her upper arms to keep her from falling. For the second time that day, they locked gazes. Deep and penetrating, they stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like forever, but was probably closer to a minute.

  Her cheeks flamed red.

  His view lowered to her mouth.

  She recovered first and turned to stalk off in the other direction.

  Trick acted on instinct.

  She was in his arms, finally, and he had no intention of letting her go.

  He yanked her back, and his mouth claimed hers like in the end of an old classic movie. Cue the sappy music and roll credits. The logical side of his brain warned him to stop. Getting romantically involved with Dani Foster was a bad idea.

  But the feel of her soft lips convinced him the opposite was true.

  Her hands slid up his arms, gripping him tight.

  Instead of pushing him away, she pulled him closer, and the kiss intensified.

  Baxter yelled from inside the house. “Danielle! I need you to run to the store for me.”

  Dani shoved Trick backward as if his lips had scalded her. Fingers on her mouth, she stared at him in silent accusation. Before he could smooth things over, she spun around and darted inside.

  Trick wanted to kick himself for making a move on her. The smart thing would be to leave the girl alone. But if he couldn’t, if he was set on having her, he needed to at least let Dani come to the realization that she wanted him. He might have ruined everything by pushing her too far too fast. If she never wanted to speak to him again, it was his own fault.

  chapter eleven

  Should I Stay or Should I Go

  He spent most of Saturday morning stretched across the bed, throwing a ball at the ceiling. Playing catch by himself had become one of his favorite solitary hobbies. It worked especially well when he wanted to think, and he had a lot to think about today.

  Putting aside yesterday’s kiss with Dani, he concentrated on his missing father. He’d been working so long towards a single goal—finding Ian Carver—that he hadn’t bothered to ask himself what he would even say if he found him. Since the day he’d seen his father’s signature on the adoption papers, he’d hated Ian Carver with a bitterness that refused to be quenched. He often fantasized about running into the man after he made a name for himself in monster hunting.

  In his daydreams, he blinked for a second as if he didn’t recognize Ian. “Do I know you?” Then a light would dawn in his eyes, and he would snap his fingers to show he’d made the connection. “Oh yeah, you used to be my father.”

  Although he’d never admit it to another living soul, sometimes his heart ached for what he couldn’t have: a real family. Sean and Laura had done their best to build a relationship with him. In his head he knew they loved him, but his heart refused to believe. They tried to treat him the same as Matt, keeping things equal and fair as if he was their biological son, but he held them at arm’s length both physically and emotionally. It wasn’t their fault his father had abandoned him. Still, the resentment continued to grow in his heart.

  He threw the ball straight up.

  Matt entered without knocking.

  Distracted by the intrusion, Trick forgot to catch the ball. It struck his arm, bounced at an angle, and rolled across the room. From his vantage point it looked like it had gone under the dresser.

  Matt asked, “Why didn’t you come down for breakfast? Are you sick?”

  “Nope.”

  “Want to talk?”

  “Definitely not.”

  He had tried confiding in Matt about his missing father before, but the subject tended to upset Matt more than it did Trick. After a while Trick stopped talking to his brother about it. Didn’t matter. If he needed to vent, he could always do it in therapy.

  As if reading his mind, Matt asked, “Did you remember anything during hypnosis?”

  Instead of answering, Trick jumped off the bed and went downstairs to the kitchen. Matt called after him, but he ignored the sound of his name. Maybe Matt would take the hint and leave him alone. Papers scattered across the kitchen table caught his eye. That was new. Usually Matt was a total neat freak.

  Curious, he took a closer look.

  Applications for college covered the table’s surface, and they were filled out.

  Trick’s heart sank. He’d been sure his brother had given up on college. After graduation, Matt had decided to get a full-time job instead of continuing his education. He’d promised their parents he was just taking a year or two off to go over his options, check out various colleges in person, and figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

  But hadn’t Matt said those things to humor his parents?

  Trick fought the childish urge to rip up the applications. The last thing he wanted was to give away his emotional state and show Matt how upset he’d be if he left town. Trick heard footsteps behind him. Too late. He’d been caught staring at the papers.

  “You’ll be legal soon,” Matt said in his own defense. “And you keep telling me you’re going to hit the road the second your birthday party is over. No reason for me to put off school any longer.”

  Trick’s jaw tightened. “I never told you to stick around cause of me.”

  “I know.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter, Matthew.”

  “I know.”

  Trick went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of orange soda. After popping the top, he drank half the contents, a stall tactic. At least Matt stopped talking and Trick could think for a minute. How could he share his feelings without sounding like a girl? How was he supposed to admit that he didn’t know what he’d do without Matt bossing him around?

  It would be easier to spill his guts if he knew how Matt felt about leaving him behind, how he really felt. Would Matt miss him?

  Trick remembered what had happened when he touched Dani at school, how he’d seen life through her eyes. He’d been inside her thoughts. Was that one of his freaky powers? If he touched Matt on purpose, would it happen again?

  Before he had the chance to think of all the ways it could go wrong, Trick set down the soda and crossed the room. He put his hand on Matt’s shoulder
. For a second, nothing happened.

  Matt stared at him, expecting him to say something.

  Then... with a rush of sound and the sting of electricity shooting from his fingers to his toes, he made the transition.

  In a snap, he was looking at life through his brother’s eyes.

  ♫

  Pen in hand, Matt hesitated in signing the last college application. His fingers pressed against the writing instrument until it became painful. All he had to do was write his stupid name one more time. He’d already filled out the standard information, compiled a moving essay about life in a blended family, and addressed the envelopes. After his signature was on the appropriate line, he would put them in the mail. Maybe he should have applied online, but he wanted to draw out the process. He needed time to explain the situation to Trick before he received his first acceptance letter.

  And that was his biggest problem.

  How could he convince Trick that leaving for college wasn’t the same as abandoning him?

  He started to collect the applications to put them away before Trick saw them, but his cell rang. His father was on the other end. He had to take it. Smiling, he answered the call.

  They quickly went through the expected greetings.

  Questions followed: How are you and Mom?

  How is your brother?

  Did you finish your business?

  Have you both been behaving?

  Matt admitted, “You caught me filling out those college apps.”

  Sean Donovan chuckled. “Happy to hear I didn’t catch you doing something untoward. I’m also relieved you’re finally taking your education seriously. Your mother and I were starting to worry you were planning a career in retail.”

  “I told you why I was putting it off.”

  “Yes, yes, you did, but it’s been almost two years since you graduated. You can’t put your life on hold forever. Patrick needs to learn how to cope without you, and he needs to realize that you can pursue an education without giving up your relationship with him.”

  Matt got up and wandered around the house while talking to his father. He listed all the reasons why he was worried about Trick. There were about a million of them.