by Blake, Kasi
♫
Face pale against the stark white hospital pillow, Scarlet appeared smaller than she usually did. Fragile was the word that came to mind. She looked like a child in need of rescue. There was a wide bandage on her forehead pushing into her hairline and a purple bruise on her cheek. Her lips were dry, cracked, and there was a spot of blood in one corner.
He hesitated in the doorway, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Thanks to Cowboy, he had information not generally shared with anyone other than family. Cowboy had a friend working in the hospital. According to her, Scarlet had a serious head injury. All they could do was wait for her to open her eyes... if she ever did.
Regret and guilt dragged him down. While listening to the woman list Scarlet’s injuries, it had occurred to him that he was a bad friend, a really bad friend. Scarlet had been kind when she’d called him a narcissist. Too wrapped up in his own pain and family drama to see beyond his nose, he hadn’t realized she was dealing with her own issues.
When he asked the nurse about her parents, he was told her father hadn’t answered their numerous calls. He worked nights and had probably turned the phone off so he could sleep. Her mother was in rehab.
Over the years he and Scarlet had spent time together at school and at his home, never hers. She hadn’t wanted him at her house and always made excuses for why he couldn’t visit her there. It was in a rough part of town. He imagined she was embarrassed about being poor. Ridiculous. He should have told her about his own childhood. He should have admitted to living in his dad’s car and in crappy motel rooms. That might have made her feel better, but he hadn’t thought of it until now.
He knew her childhood had been rough, but he’d had no idea it was mom-in-rehab bad.
Like him, Scarlet was allergic to sharing her feelings. She kept stuff to herself. He totally understood, but that didn’t mean he was guiltless. A good friend would have pressed her to open up about her problems. A good friend would have cared enough to get involved in her life.
The fact was, Scarlet was a much better friend to him than he was to her.
Maybe if he touched her arm, he could see what had happened to her today. The least he could do was get revenge if it was the Shadow Faerie that had hurt her.
He went to her bedside and stood there, hovering while thinking about their years together. He wondered about her mom. What was she in rehab for, and how was Scarlet dealing with that loss?
He placed a hand on her arm above the red leather band, careful not to touch the IV tube or the bandage holding it in place.
A shock of electricity traveled through his system, and he journeyed into her mind, deep into a memory.
♫
Scarlet punched the pillow behind her head and wiggled, trying to get comfortable on the lumpy couch. The drip, drip, drip of the faucet seemed louder tonight. At this rate she’d never get to sleep, and she had a test in English tomorrow. Hopefully, Trick would want to hunt after school. She was itching to kill something.
At least her parents had stopped fighting for the night. Living in a tiny one-bedroom apartment meant she had a front row seat every time they went at it, and nothing was off limits. They screamed about money, her mother’s gambling problem, her dad’s low paying job, and her mom’s drinking. They fought about everything except for the main reason they’d lost their nice house, their original jobs, and their respect for each other.
Danny’s death.
Her thoughts returned to Trick. What if he had gone hunting without her tonight? Maybe she should call him. His parents weren’t back from Europe yet, so it wouldn’t matter if the boys were asleep. One of them would answer the phone.
She pictured yesterday’s hunt with her eyes closed and smiled. Trick had been awesome, taking out three vampires at the rave. His moves were so fluid, so graceful and strong that she could watch him for hours. If monster-hunting was an Olympic event, he would get the gold.
On the way home from Vegas they had played Truth or Dare.
Her smile died abruptly as she remembered his answer to her final question: Who is the prettiest girl in school?
Of course he wasn’t going to say her. She’d known that. It was silly to get upset over hearing him talk about Dani Foster as if she was a fairy tale princess. What did she care? Trick was just a friend, her best friend. But if that was true, why had Dani’s name thrust a dagger through her heart? Why did she still have a bitter taste in her mouth?
She punched her pillow again and tried to focus on something other than Trick.
Since she couldn’t sleep, she should study for the stupid test.
One thought led to another until her mind returned to Trick. Because of him she had forty-seven dollars in her pocket. She could afford to eat lunch tomorrow, and he’d been sweet enough not to ask why she needed the money. She pictured him crossing the tightrope with ease. They would have made more money if it hadn’t been for Dani Foster. Why did Trick turn into a complete klutz whenever that girl got near him? Was it some stupid boy thing that kept the blood from flowing to his brain when he saw her pretty face?
Damn! Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him?
Even if he was drop-dead gorgeous with those deep blue eyes and that dimpled smile, she was not interested in him. He would make a horrible boyfriend. He was a total narcissist. But sometimes when the dark bangs he swept to the side fell into his eyes, her fingers itched to reach for him. She’d brush his hair back with her hand. Then he would smile at her. Maybe he would lean forward and...
She bolted upright, and a horrible revelation knocked at the back door to her brain.
She was in love with Trick Donovan.
Scarlet covered her face with the pillow and screamed.
Although it was muffled, her father heard. Another drawback of having a one-bedroom apartment where they were packed in like sardines. Her dad hadn’t gone to work because her mother was drinking again even though she was on medication and had been warned by doctors not to mix the two.
Her father raced into the living room, fully dressed. “What was that? Are you okay?”
“Sorry,” she said, flushed. “Saw a spider.”
“Spider?” Her father’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. “You screamed because of a spider?”
“It was a big spider, Dad.”
He glanced around. “Where is it? I’ll kill it for you.”
“Already done. Sorry. Did I wake you?”
Her father shook his head. He moved her legs off the end cushion and sat down. “I’m used to staying up even when I have a night off. You know that. I’m glad you aren’t sleeping either, cause I have to talk to you.”
She sat up, gathering the blanket to her. This was it. He hadn’t forgotten her birthday. She didn’t know why she’d doubted him. In the years since her brother’s death her father always remembered. They didn’t celebrate, of course. No one felt like a party or cake so close to the day Danny died, but her father always did something special.
He took a deep breath while staring at his empty hands. “I’m taking your mother back to the hospital tonight. She needs help, and I can’t seem to do anything right where she’s concerned. I need to take her now. Will you be okay here alone?”
Scarlet forced a smile as tears pricked the backs of her eyes. “Always am.”
“That’s my girl.” He leaned over to kiss her on the forehead. “I am so glad I don’t have to worry about you. Get some sleep. Don’t want you to be too tired for school.”
She flopped back down on the couch and waited for the yelling to begin. Her mother wouldn’t go quietly. This would be her fourth time in rehab. She always returned after several weeks with smiles and promises, and she would be okay for a few months. Then they would smell alcohol on her breath or see signs that she was gambling. It was always the same. She was fine until the anniversary of Danny’s accident approached. It was like waiting for an ax to fall on their heads. You knew it was coming, but you didn’t know exactly when. Once, her mother had m
ade it all the way to two weeks before the day. She would quit whatever job she had—or get fired for not showing up—and she would stay in bed all day. Sometimes she sat in front of her bedroom window for hours just staring into the abyss of her inner turmoil.
Part of Scarlet hated her mother for not remembering her birthday and for acting like life was over when she still had a daughter to raise.
Part of her hated her brother for dying ten days before her birthday. Thanks to his carelessness she hadn’t had a party, a cake, or any other significant symbol of growing a year older since she’d turned ten.
Hating them made her hate herself. It wasn’t Danny’s fault he’d died. It wasn’t her mother’s fault she couldn’t deal, and it wasn’t her father’s fault that he had to work a crappy night job to pay the bills. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Just life. Sometimes tragedy struck, and there wasn’t anything you could do.
With tears in her eyes she listened to her mother shouting at her father. Her mom refused to go and threatened to call the police on him. His calm, soothing voice followed. Then her mother started shrieking louder, calling him a litany of curse words.
Scarlet considered grabbing the phone to call Trick. If she told him what was happening, he would take her hunting. He would get her out of there. She knew he would. If she told him it was her birthday, he would celebrate with her. He would help her get her mind off her problems.
She reached for her cell; her hand stopped halfway there.
She couldn’t drag him into the mess that was her life. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel sorry for her.
♫
A mental explosion blasted Trick backward. The second his hand left Scarlet’s arm, he returned to his own mind. Gasping for breath, he dropped into the chair near the wall. So many things from the memory shocked him; he didn’t know which to deal with first. He returned his trembling hands to his pockets.
Scarlet had had a brother. Why hadn’t she told him about Danny? More evidence that he was a bad friend piled on top of the growing heap. For a few minutes her pain had been his pain, and he had no idea how she was able to live with it. The girl had an extraordinary amount of strength. She had to be strong to survive a mother who had been in and out of rehab for years. He had known she’d had a bad childhood, had known they’d lost everything at one point, but he had assumed it was due to her father being bad with money. He’d known about her mother’s gambling problem, but hadn’t known about the drinking or her brother’s death.
Poor Scarlet. Her life was a bigger mess than his.
He tried to avoid the subject of her growing feelings for him. That was too much to deal with at a time like this. Instead, he focused on how similar they were when it came to not sharing their feelings. Someday they would have to talk... maybe.
Since he didn’t get what he was after the first time, he crossed back to the bed and touched her again.
With a painful zap he was in her mind, another memory.
♫
Scarlet worried when Trick didn’t show for school. Had the vampire girl been lying to her? What if the Shadow Faerie had seriously hurt him? She tried calling his house, but no one answered. During her lunch hour, she reached Matt on his cell phone. He told her Trick had passed out after a short battle with the Shadow Faerie. They were waiting for him to regain consciousness.
What was wrong with him taking a chance like that?
Matt had pieced it together and told her Trick wanted the faerie to take his power. The fact he hadn’t shared his true intentions with her made her want to strangle him.
She went to the parking lot after her phone call. Matt had given her the vampire’s address. Her fingers shook as she plucked the car keys from her purse. Students were allowed to eat lunch off campus, so she wouldn’t get in trouble for leaving. She needed to see Trick with her own eyes. Only then would she be able to relax, after she saw he was okay.
Halfway to her car, she spotted Dani. A group of girls had stopped the cheerleading-ballerina. They were all laughing and talking, oblivious to Trick’s near-death experience.
As soon as Dani walked away from the girls, Scarlet charged in her direction.
“Stop playing mind games with my friend!” she yelled.
Dani blinked and tucked strands of dark hair behind one ear. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about, ballerina. You’re all sugar and light when he’s around, acting like you care. Then when he makes a move, you shoot him down.”
Dani scoffed. “That is not what happened.”
“Really? What’s your version?”
“It’s really none of your business, but I’ll tell you so that maybe you’ll shut up and go away. I like Trick. He’s a good guy, but I can’t deal with all this monster garbage. I have a ten-year plan that doesn’t include hunters or vampires or whatever else you’re both into. Just leave me alone.”
“I’ll leave you alone when you stop dragging my best friend’s heart through the mud.”
Dani started for her car again, but she had to pass Scarlet to get to it.
Scarlet shoved her.
“Hey!” Dani shouted. “Back off, Xena Warrior Princess!”
“Stay away from Trick. I am warning you.”
Dani gaped at her. “Wait a second. Oh my... you’re in love with him.”
The color drained from Scarlet’s face. “Don’t be stupid.”
“You want him, and you’re afraid of the competition.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. If I wanted him, he wouldn’t look twice at you.”
Dani shifted from one foot to the other. “Does Trick know you love him?”
“Stop saying that! Maybe you should—Look out!”
Scarlet saw the Shadow Faerie flying at them before anyone else noticed the odd creature in the dark robes. She pushed Dani out of the way. At the same time, she reached for the stake hidden in her purse. A stick couldn’t kill the thing, but it might slow it down long enough for them to get away.
“Run!” she yelled to Dani as she charged the thing.
The Shadow Faerie flicked a hand at her, and she flew in the opposite direction.
She tried to cover her face with her arms, tried to tuck and roll to keep injuries at a minimum.
Her head slammed into the side of a car.
She was out cold before her body landed on the tarmac.
♫
Trick slipped out of her mind and back to the present without a jarring jolt this time. He stared down at Scarlet, blown away by what he’d seen through her eyes. The Shadow Faerie had taken Dani hostage. He knew it like he knew his own name. The faerie hadn’t been there for Scarlet. It had kidnapped Dani to use her against him. He didn’t have a choice anymore. He had to fight the thing, had to kill it, or Dani would die.
He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Scarlet’s warm forehead. “I’ll be back, and I expect you to be awake. Do you hear me?”
He hurried to the hallway and was relieved to see Cowboy hadn’t moved.
“Well?” the vampire asked. “Where to now?”
That was a good question. If he went home to plan his next move, Sean or Laura might overhear. Or Matt might insist they tell their parents the truth. He wasn’t ready for that conversation.
If they went to the school, the werewolf would demand to be involved, and Trick didn’t trust him.
“I need somewhere private,” Trick said. “The stupid Shadow Faerie took Dani, and I have to figure out how to kill it. Now. I need to go in with a plan this time.”
“You can learn to suck energy.” Cowboy shrugged. “I saw Jackpot do it, and we know it works on faeries. They can do it if they have enough power, and you have faerie blood in your veins, so...”
“How long will it take for me to learn?”
Cowboy’s lips twisted. “Longer than you’re willing to wait.”
Trick buried his face in his hands with a tired sigh. “Maybe I should just accept my grandfat
her’s power and try to finish the thing before the power kills me.”
Cowboy raised his eyebrows. “That is not winner talk I hear.”
Trick laughed without humor. “Jersey Clifford wants to turn me into a werewolf, says it will solve all my problems.”
Cowboy gaped at him. “That is sick. You do not want to be a dog. Trust me. You’d have to deal with fleas, impulsive rage, and an animal shelter might lock you up.”
They talked through his options, the good and the bad. Only one seemed viable. Unfortunately, it was the most dangerous.
Trick placed a hand on Cowboy’s arm without thinking about how much he despised monsters. Somewhere along the line—he didn’t know when—Cowboy had become a real person to him. As insane as it sounded, maybe even a friend.
“Can I count on you?” Trick asked. “For my plan to work, I need you and Summer to distract that thing while I get Dani to safety.”
A slow grin stretched Cowboy’s mouth. “I would love to take part in killing a Shadow Faerie.”
Cowboy teleported him to the mansion to talk to Summer. They needed her on board for the plan to work. There were so many ways it could go wrong. He didn’t want to do anything stupid, but he had to save Dani’s life. She was in trouble because of him.
If he had to die to save her, he was willing.
chapter twenty-six
Born to be Wild
The day after Dani’s abduction, Trick and the vampires teleported to the warehouse where he’d first met the Shadow Faerie. Jersey’s latest email gave them the warehouse as the faerie’s current location. Of course, it was possible the werewolf was setting them up, and the Shadow Faerie knew they were coming.
Tired. No. He was exhausted after an endless night of worrying, his thoughts bouncing from Dani to Scarlet and back again. His vivid imagination tortured him with what might be happening to Dani. If she died, he’d never forgive himself. This wasn’t even her fight. The Shadow Faerie shouldn’t have dragged her into the whole mess; it was going to pay for that bad decision. Trick was determined more than ever to destroy the thing.