Now I watch Cicely slip into the darkness, drawn towards the other enluzantes by the invisible thread of their psychic link.
Naomi looks as worried as I feel. “Will she be alright?”
“The forest is thick,” I tell her, “and there are plenty of places the sun doesn’t penetrate.”
“And she’ll meet up with the other vampires soon,” Luke says, clearly trying to reassure himself. “They’re sworn to protect her. Los números no mienten, si? How do you say? Safety in numbers?"
“Yeah, that’s right. Safety in numbers.” I wish that could reassure me, but it doesn’t. Having so many enluzantes in the forest only ups the chances of them being sniffed out by some Hunter on patrol. I wish I knew how many of the Hunters are werewolves now. How big is their pack? D.J. never gave me numbers and I never made him. I was trying to be kind, to not push him, not make him feel like he was betraying our family. I thought we’d have time to talk about it later. Clearly that was a mistake. Now we’re going into this blind.
But we’re going in anyways.
I turn to Luke. “Okay. Show time.”
Luke nods gravely. “You had better rough me up a bit.”
“What? Why?”
He sighs. “Because we have to pretend you are bringing me in as a prisoner, lobo. Obviously you would not have captured me without a fight.”
“If we were in a fight, I wouldn’t have captured you at all. I would have eaten you. And if I try to rough you up a little for show, I’ll probably lose it and kill you.”
“Oh,” Luke says. “You make a good point.”
“Yeah,” says Naomi. “I think Ander is doing a great job holding it together. Let’s not test it, huh?”
“Fine.” Luke reaches down and scoops up a few handfuls of dirt, rubbing them into his clothes. He rips his shirt and tears the arm of his coat, although I bet it pains him to do it. He spreads his arms to show off his handy work. “Yes?”
“You’d be a lot worse off than that,” I say.
“Pretend I was charming you down,” Naomi says.
“Fine,” I say. “Good enough. Let’s go.”
“Wait,” Luke says. “Aren’t you going to do you?”
“What? To make it look like I fought you?” I pick up a twig from the ground and run it down my cheek. It barely makes a scratch. I grin at him. “I think that oughta do it.”
Luke gives me the eyebrow raise. “Ha ha. Muero de risa. You’re a very funny werewolf.” But I can tell he wants to smile.
“Let’s go get Emmie,” I say.
At the mention of her name, Luke gets serious again. I grab his hands and pin them tightly behind his back. Just the action is enough to make the wolf inside me jerk awake, and I can’t help thinking how much Luke must trust me to let me do this at all. Naomi lays her warm hand on my shoulder, humming softly under her breath and I feel the wolf settle a little, but not completely. I shove Luke forward. “Let’s go.”
I expect him to complain about the rough treatment, but he holds his head high, jaw set. I know it’s just vampire arrogance—this is Luke we’re talking about here—but I can’t help thinking of Michael, the way he held onto his dignity when the Hunters invaded our house, the way he refused to stoop to their level, even though he knew Danny was dead.
But I can’t think like Michael’s kid now. I have to think like a Hunter. We have to make them all believe I’m coming back to their side.
And honestly? Marching Luke towards the house, it’s scary easy to slip back into being the guy I was a few years ago. It’s easy to imagine this is the end of another hunt, easy to picture I’m dragging home a vampire captive to practice on and kill. Through the thinning trees ahead I can see the twisted wrought iron gates with the big black crosses at their center. Above the high stone walls I can see the second storey of the big white house. The enemy fortress.
Home.
I shove Luke a little harder than I need to and he stumbles to his knees.
Naomi tightens her grip on my arm. “Easy,” she whispers.
I give her a reassuring smile as I drag Luke back to his feet. It’s just a show, in case anyone is watching from the guard post by the gate. I can’t see anyone in there, but they know we’re coming because I called them and told them so. I told them I wanted to come back to the Hunters and that I would surrender the vampire prince without any trouble, but only if my mother and D.J. were the ones to meet us. And no one else.
But that doesn’t mean the Hunters will stick to their bargain. They might be watching right now, weapons trained on us. We step out of the trees, onto the wide open path that leads to the front gate, and I brace myself for gunshots. Luke does, too—I can feel the tension in his arms as he clenches his fists. A gunshot couldn’t kill him now, but I certainly could—and I would, too, if a sniper were to take out Naomi and I were suddenly without her calming touch. This could all be over in an instant.
But no gunshot comes. Maybe they believe our act. Maybe they really do want Luke alive for questioning. Maybe they think Naomi’s magic can be used to their ends.
Or maybe my mom told them to hold their fire. The gates swing open automatically as we approach, and I can see my mother standing on the second-floor balcony above the wide, columned porch. She is watching us come with such a complete look of happiness on her face, it nearly floors me. I was ready for gunshots and crossbow bolts, but not for my mother’s smile.
I haven’t seen her in six years, but she hasn’t changed a bit. Her blond hair is smoothed back in a perfect bun, her white dress spotless under her fur-trimmed coat. She covers her mouth with her hand like she might burst into tears and for an instant, I can imagine the rose perfume smell of her hug and I wish I really was coming home, that I could erase the last six years and have the life I would have had if I never left.
But of course that would mean erasing everything I’ve become in those six years. It would mean erasing Michael and Danny, like the Hunters tried to and failed. It would mean erasing Cicely, which I would never do.
As we walk past, I slam Luke hard against the stone pillars flanking the iron gates. Too hard, probably; I see a trickle of dark blood slither down his chin. I can tell he wants to wipe it, but I have both his hands trapped tight behind his back. I shove him ahead of me, into the center of the courtyard, and force him to his knees.
There’s no one here—no one I can see, although I can smell other Hunters, feel eyes on me from the windows. Is it an ambush? Or are they complying with my conditions and keeping their distance? My mother has disappeared from the balcony, but she reappears again at the front door. She must have run down the stairs because her cheeks are flushed. I expect her to hesitate—she knows what I am—but instead she opens her arms.
“Ander! You’re home!”
To hear her say my name—to hear her say home—it’s a fantasy I had a thousand times as a kid, and it’s too much, like biting into something so sweet it hurts. I wince away from my happiness like a night creature shrinking from the light. The too-bright world goes suddenly black and white. Luke cries out as my grip tightens around his wrists—
“Ander.” Naomi’s soft but firm voice brings me back to reality. Her charm magic sweeps through me like a fiery torch, driving the wolf back.
My mother is oblivious. She stands on the porch, looking down at Luke as if he’s a rat the dog dragged home. “And I see you’ve brought us something?”
“I told you I would.”
“That’s the Marianez vampire.” D.J. steps out of the shadows of the doorway and onto the porch beside her. He’s watching me warily. When he sees I’m watching him back, he does a partial shift—just his eyes and his teeth, to avoid tearing his clothes—and then shifts back again in the space of a heartbeat.
So, D.J. must have gotten what he wanted. He must be the alpha of their pack now. I feel a little sick knowing he must have killed someone for the honor. D.J. steals a glance at Naomi to see if she’s impressed, and I feel envy and pity all at once. Hi
s shifting was meant to be a show of strength, but it actually clues me into the Hunters’ weakness. They would never have let Deej become alpha if their pack was strong. He’s big, and he’s his father’s son, so that’s in his favor, but he’s still too young and inexperienced to lead. If they’ve let him claim the alpha place, they must be desperate. The wolves they had must be weak, and any new wolves D.J. has made since he got home won’t be able to turn until the full moon.
For the first time, I feel like we might have a chance.
“I’m surprised you really came.” D.J. is trying to act cool, but I can tell he’s pretty shocked to see us.
“I said I would, didn’t I?”
He hesitates for a moment. “What about Cicely?” I can hear the little kid under the tough guy in his voice. Part of D.J. doesn’t want to know if he killed Cicely. He can’t stop caring completely.
I have to pretend I can. “Dead.” I say. “From your stake to the heart.”
Naomi has to charm me extra as I say it, but I manage.
D.J. nods, his mouth a grim line. “It had to be done. You saw it yourself. She had joined their side.”
Joined them. That’s good news, too. If D.J. had caught on that Cicely was leading the enluzantes, he would know she is the vampire in the prophecy and Luke is nearly worthless. But evidently the chaos on the beach was enough to mask the truth.
“Who is this Cicely?” my mother asks.
“The undead female I told you about. The human from the prophecy.”
My mother purses her lips thoughtfully. “The one who was meant to fall. Well, ultimately, she has.”
I look away. “She chose her kind.”
My mother beams at me. “And you chose yours. Have you come to join D.J.’s pack?”
“That depends,” I say casually. “Who else is in this pack?”
My mother waves her hand vaguely. “Oh, we’ll all get reacquainted soon enough. But for now, I’d like to meet your friend.” Her sharp blue eyes turn to Naomi. “This must be the witch I’ve heard so much about.”
“Naomi Faire, ma’am.” Naomi smiles at her, although I can tell even that takes an effort, with all the energy she’s putting into keeping me sane.
My mother’s smile stays fixed, but there’s suspicion in her eyes. “D.J. tells me your family harbored werewolves and vampires.”
Naomi lowers her eyes demurely. “With all due respect, my family did what your family did: took care of our own once they had contracted lycanthropy.”
That isn’t true, of course. The Faires took in stray werewolves like other people take in cats. And it isn’t true of my family either. My family contracted lycanthropy on purpose to become super-hunters capable of killing immortal vampires.
My mother lets that slide. “And what about taking in vampires? Why did you allow them to stay with you, and why are you here now?”
I hold my breath. Naomi isn’t the type to lie, and I’m not sure what she’ll say.
Naomi gives me a shy smile, her eyes still on the ground. “I took in Luke and Cicely and Five because Ander asked me to, and I’m here now because I couldn’t stand to have him leave without me. Mrs. LaCroix, I love Ander.”
I turn to her, startled. Even Luke, kneeling on the ground in front of me, looks up sharply in surprise.
“It’s true.” Naomi’s gray eyes meet mine. “I knew there was something between us the first day we met, and my feelings have only grown stronger since. Ander is the strongest, kindest man I have ever met. I go where he goes.”
This wasn’t part of our plan and it doesn’t sound like an act. I remember D.J. telling me Naomi had a thing for me. I didn’t believe him then, but now I’ve heard Naomi say it herself. I don’t know what to do.
But I know what D.J. wants to do. Kill me. Insane envy is written all over his face. Naomi has said exactly the wrong thing if we want my brother on our side.
But exactly the right thing to impress my mom. She must see the honesty in Naomi’s eyes, too, because her expression softens. “I felt the same way about Ander’s father, God rest his soul. I was on a wayward path once myself, and changed for the right man.” She gives me a conspiratorial smile. “And how nice to have a witch in the family.”
I try to smile back. I can see the wheels turning behind my mother’s eyes. An animal charming witch could be a great asset to a hunting family, and if my family is out to build the perfect Hunter, adding witch blood to our family line would be a good idea. I watch my mother re-categorize us in her mind as the perfect breeding pair, while my own mind struggles to catch up.
Naomi said she loves me.
I try to catch her eye. She looks away, but I can still see the hot flush on her cheeks. I can feel my own blood pounding in my ears. Luckily Naomi keeps her hand on my arm, her charm spell flowing strong.
Or maybe that’s unlucky, since it’s Naomi’s touch that’s making my temperature rise. I want to move away from her, but I don’t dare. I tighten my grip on Luke’s arm instead. He gives a groan of pain.
My mother looks at Luke like he’s a dead rat. “And what are we to do with this one?”
“Well,” D.J. says, “he’s one of the first to become immortal again.” His tone puts immortal in quotes. We all know even if nothing natural can kill him, a supernatural being like a werewolf could still rip Luke to shreds. “So I say we question him first, see what he knows about the rest of his clan, then we make an example of him. Let the other vampires know what their great leader is really made of.”
My mother nods. She’s studying Luke thoughtfully. “We shouldn’t kill him right away. It would be good to test some things first. See how quickly he heals, how much he can endure, what it actually takes to kill him. There will be more where he came from, and we have to be prepared.”
D.J. gives Luke a wolfish smile. He might have a little bit of compassion left for Cicely, but that clearly doesn’t apply to Luke. “You hear that, vamp? You listening?”
But Luke isn’t listening. He’s distracted by something up on the balcony above us. Cautiously, I follow his gaze.
Emmie is peeking out from between the long red curtains that cover the balcony door. She’s wearing a white nightgown they must have given her here—it’s much too demure to be something Emmie would choose for herself—and she looks surprisingly unhurt.
She’s alive! Relief floods me, but it’s quickly replaced by worry. I’m sure she isn’t supposed to be running around loose. What if we do something to give her away?
What, for that matter, if she says something to give us away? Something that lets them know this is all an act? If she even looks at me the wrong way, they could catch on.
But Emmie is smarter than I give her credit for. She doesn’t look at me the wrong way. In fact, she doesn’t look at me at all. She only looks at Luke, and when their eyes meet, something electric passes between them.
Kneeling on the ground, on enemy soil, with a werewolf on his back, Luke smiles.
“What are you looking at, vamp?”
D.J. spins around. Emmie ducks back behind the curtains, but it may be a second too late. I try to think of something to distract D.J. Anything.
Luke says, “I was looking at your mother.”
Oh, man. Anything but that.
Growing up around vampires, with a former thrall for a mom, you sort of develop a sore spot about vampires looking at your mother.
The second the words are out of Luke’s mouth, D.J. is on him. He transforms so fast his first punch is with a human fist, but his second comes complete with claws.
Naomi pulls me backwards, charming me away from the fight, giving me an excuse to let go of Luke’s hands so he can at least defend himself.
And he’s going to have to. D.J. is really letting him have it, pouring all his anger into every punch. He’s not just furious with Luke, he’s furious with Naomi for saying she loves me, at me for acting like its true. Luke tries to fight him off, but he’s off his game, distracted. He reels to the side, caugh
t completely off guard.
I’m surprised, too—not by the force of my brother’s blows, but by how hard it is to resist helping Luke. There have been plenty of times when I’ve wanted to beat Luke up myself, but this time, I actually feel for the guy, and I can tell empathic Naomi is hurting. She winces with each punch, her nails digging deeper into my arm.
But neither of us can react without giving away the fact that we’re on Luke’s side. So we just stand there and watch him take it, praying that, now that D.J. is alpha, he has the self-control to stop.
Finally, it’s my mother who intervenes. “You said you wanted him alive.” Her voice is matter-of-fact, but it’s enough to make D.J. pull back. He lands a final punch and takes a step back, although he stays in wolf form.
Luke is still standing, but only through force of will. He teeters a little on his feet.
“Russel! Aaron!” my mother calls.
Instantly, two guys my age appear in the doorway to the house. The shorter one is new to me, although I can tell from his build that he must be from a Hunter family. The big, beefy one, however, I know: Russell St. Marcel, a guy I grew up with – and, in all likelihood, the guy who killed Danny.
A low growl escapes me. The last time I saw him, Russ had Michael on his knees in our kitchen. Seeing him again puts me right back in that moment. It doesn’t help that Russ looks exactly the same, from his crew cut right down to his camo pants. In fact, there’s only one real difference: The last time I saw Russ, he was human.
This time, he’s a werewolf. There’s a big black mark on the side of his neck where he was bitten. The mark looks fresh, and Russell’s scent is still laced with human, so I’m guessing D.J. bit him sometime in the day since we saw him. Which means Russ can’t change yet.
But I can. And God do I want to. Naomi’s hand in mine is the only thing keeping me from ripping out Russell’s throat. That and the fact that Michael would never approve of me avenging his death, no matter how much I might want to.
My mother smiles at Naomi and I. “I’m sure you two want to settle in. I’ll show you to your rooms.” She turns to Luke and her look turns cold. “Russell and Aaron, you two show the vamp to his.”
Crossfire (Book Two of the Darkride Chronicles) Page 23