by Blake, Kasi
If his father was dead, he wanted to know how he’d died.
If he was alive, Trick wanted to confront him.
Trick jumped to his feet. “I want to see my father, and I want to see him now!”
Once again everything around him disappeared only to be replaced by a new location. Cowboy and the living room vanished. Trick went from inside to outside in a blink, and the jolting trip knocked him to his knees. His hands dug into soft dirt and grass.
Watery at first, his vision slowly cleared.
He was in a cemetery.
♫
Pain slowly subsided, and Trick realized he wasn’t going to die. On hands and knees, he waited for the tremors to stop. Every time he used power, intentionally or not, the symptoms grew worse. Somehow he had to keep from doing it again. He needed to gain access to more faerie metal. That seemed to work well. At least it would keep him from dying while he tried to find a permanent solution to his problem.
He dug his fingers into the soft soil, and it filled the space beneath his short nails. The coolness of it somehow helped with the nausea. He gulped in air. After a few minutes, he started feeling better. But why had he teleported to a cemetery? That was the question weighing on his mind.
He lifted his gaze to stare at the tombstone directly in front of his face. The name carved in granite made his heart beat faster. Ian Carver. The date of his father’s birth and death were written below. Nothing else. There wasn’t a short note to define the man’s life. No Beloved Father or Loving Son to tell the world he would be missed. Whoever had purchased the grave marker hadn’t bothered to add anything other than the obligatory name and date.
They should have at least mentioned he had been a great hunter.
Fresh flowers rested on the grave near his headstone, faded yellow daisies. At least someone besides him cared the man was dead.
Cowboy popped up on the other side of the grave. “Guess you found your father. Told you I was telling the truth.”
Trick glared at the vampire. “Bug off.”
“Hey, I’m trying to help you here.”
“Walk away while you still can.”
Trick searched the ground for his stake. He must have dropped it when he crash landed, but he didn’t see it. Maybe he could improvise and grab a broken branch. There were a few trees nearby. If the vampire didn’t leave him alone, he would find a way to dust him. An act of pure violence would satisfy his soul, make him feel better about losing his father.
“I’m not in the mood to talk,” Trick said. “Leave me alone.”
“Man, you are stubborn.” The vampire shook his head in disgust. “What do I have to do to prove I am not the enemy?”
Because it was easier not to think about his father, he mulled over the vampire’s words. Not the enemy? Oh sure. Maybe he should invite all the local bloodsuckers to his home for dinner tonight.
Sitting on his father’s grave with dirt packed beneath his fingernails, Trick had never felt more alone. According to the date, his father hadn’t died immediately after leaving him. He could have returned, kept his promise, but he’d chosen to stay away. The same old questions and doubts returned. Had his father abandoned him?
“I want to know what happened to him,” Trick said.
“Let me show you my world. Agree to come with me, do what I want, and I will take you to someone who can tell you about Ian, someone he was close to at the end.”
Trick squinted. He stared at the vampire and wondered how far he could trust him. If he gave into Cowboy’s demands, would he regret it?
Cowboy rocked back on his heels and added, “I offer you a trade. Information for a few hours of your precious time. Come with me.”
“Where?”
“Nebraska.” Cowboy raised an eyebrow. “Do we have a deal?”
With a reluctant nod Trick said, “Yeah.”
Cowboy grabbed his arm just above the elbow, pulled him to his feet, and they disappeared together.
♫
His surroundings changed, flipping from the cemetery to a country farmhouse.
Trick glanced down and found his shoes encased in mud. To the left, acres of overgrown grass seemed to melt into the horizon. To the right, a dense wooded area blocked any nearby roads or houses from view. Trick heard cars in the distance, so they weren’t totally removed from civilization. That was good to know.
“Where are we?” he asked.
Cowboy gestured to the house. “This is the home of Andrew and Vanessa Reign. Silver’s parents.”
“Who is Silver?”
“Your brother’s wife.” Cowboy grimaced. “Think of her as Yoko, cause she broke up the band. The second my buddy met her he was lost to us. I hope you don’t get all stupid over a pretty face like he did.”
Trick stood in silence, refusing to rise to the bait. He was not going to discuss his social life with this clown. No way was he mentioning Dani. As far as the vampire was concerned, he didn’t care about anyone. His father had taught him many important things. At the top of the list: don’t allow the enemy a glimpse of weakness.
Unfortunately to his father, love was a weakness.
“Go knock on the door,” Cowboy said. “They’ll tell you about Ian. I’ll be back for you in an hour. Be ready to go.”
With that Cowboy disappeared as if he’d been a figment of Trick’s imagination.
Eager to get information, Trick went to the front door. How could anyone live out here? He’d only been there five minutes, and he was already bored out of his mind. If these people didn’t have answers, he would find someone that did.
Before he reached the door it swung open wide, and a middle-aged woman with a welcoming smile stared back at him.
“Oh my,” she said. “You look so much like...”
He cleared his throat. “I’m Tri... Patrick. I think you knew my father.”
“You look so much like Jack that for a moment I thought you were him coming up my drive. I was afraid something had happened to my daughter.” Her smile faltered. “You’re Ian Carver’s son, aren’t you? I had no idea he had a third son.”
That didn’t surprise Trick. “Can you tell me about him, about my father?”
“Come inside.” She took a step back. “I just made some tea. My husband is at work right now, so we can talk privately.”
She led him to the kitchen, motioned for him to sit, and took a seat across from him. After he declined the offer of tea, milk, cookies, and about a dozen other things, he told her the story of how his father had abandoned him to strangers. He left out the part where he could make a door appear, and he didn’t bother to mention the gypsy or the enchanted necklace.
Vanessa gave him her full attention. There was something comforting in the woman’s gaze, something maternal. Her eyes held a great deal of warmth. In a way she reminded him of Laura. He often wondered what his real mother had been like. His memories of her were shallow, just quick snapshots that ended as soon as they began.
He finished his story with how he was about to turn eighteen and was curious to know more about his real father.
She nodded. “You must be full of questions. Ask away. I promise to answer as honestly as I can.”
“How did you know my father?”
For some reason, the question seemed to knock her off balance. He’d thought he was starting with an easy one, but she didn’t appear to agree.
“I... my husband was... missing. Ian was there for me.” She shrugged. “We developed feelings for each other during a difficult time in both our lives.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell me about you. Here I was thinking we had shared everything. No secrets.”
A faraway look in her eyes gave him a glimpse of her feelings for Ian Carver, and it shocked him. He had thought his father was a monk. Now he knew there had been a woman in his life. She’d obviously loved Ian.
She swiped at her damp eyes. “Sorry. Go ahead. What other questions do you have?”
“Were you there
when my father died?”
“Yes.”
The one word sent a shiver of hope up his spine. Leaning forward in his chair, he reached across the table. “This is going to sound strange, but can I touch you?”
She placed her hands in her lap. “Excuse me?”
What was wrong with him? You didn’t enter a stranger’s house and ask to touch them. She probably thought he was some sort of pervert.
He rushed to explain. “I can see a person’s memories when I touch them. Specific ones if I concentrate hard enough.”
A soft smile stretched her dry lips and eased the wrinkles around her eyes. “Like Jack. He can do it. In fact, that was one of your father’s abilities as well.”
Stunned, he said, “I didn’t know. Wow. I don’t remember him touching me and staring off into space. Wonder if he ever did it around me.”
Vanessa sipped her tea. She held the cup between both hands as if trying to warm them even though it was hot and humid outside. “I don’t think he used the power often. Ian worked hard to separate himself from his father, the Dark Wizard, and he refused to develop the powers he’d been born with.”
“Do you know how I can get rid of mine?” Feeling hopeful, he sat up straight. “Or can you at least tell me how to keep from using them on accident?”
Pity entered the woman’s eyes. “Sorry, no.”
“Can I touch your hand?” he asked again. “I want to see how my father died.”
Vanessa sat in silence as she considered the request. He didn’t know what there was to think about. It was a simple matter. He couldn’t think of a single reason for her to say no.
She shook her head. “That was one of the worst days of my life. Your father was killed right in front of me. You don’t need to see that, and I don’t want to remember it. It’s something you can’t forget, can’t erase. If you see his death, the horrible sight will haunt you forever.”
Frustration added an edge to his voice.
“Can you tell me why he dumped me on strangers? I know he never mentioned me to you by name, but he must have said something that didn’t make sense at the time, something that could have been about me.”
“Sorry.” She took a deep breath and forced a smile. “I can tell you one thing for sure. Ian regretted leaving Jack and Billy. He tried hard to develop a relationship with them even though he thought it was too late. Maybe some of the desperation I saw in his eyes was because of you.”
His heart flipped over. Was it true? Had his father regretted leaving him?
“If he had lived, do you think he would have returned for me?”
“Without a doubt.” Her smile turned genuine, and the skin near her eyes crinkled. “I know he would have.”
“Can you tell me about my brothers?”
She grabbed a spoon and stirred her tea even though the sugar had long ago dissolved. “Billy lived with us after his parents died. They were killed by a werewolf. We were close with him for a while. I didn’t actually meet Jack until he returned ten years after we thought he’d died. He came back as a vampire, believe it or not.”
Trick held his breath and hung on her every word. The dizzying realization Cowboy had been telling the truth rocked his senses. One of his brothers had been a bloodsucker.
She continued. “I gave Jack a hard time from the second we met. I didn’t want him near my daughter. He was a vampire, and I was raised to kill them. The only good vampire is a dead vampire, right?”
Trick nodded emphatically.
She added, “But even with fangs, Jack had a sweet and sensitive soul. It took me a while to see it, a while to realize he loved Silver so much that he was willing to die for her.”
Bile rose in Trick’s throat at the thought of being related to a vampire. If he’d been around, he would have staked him. He would have done the right thing. It still shocked him that his father hadn’t. After years of pounding the facts into Trick’s head—all vampires must die—how could his father let Jack live?
“Doesn’t make sense,” Trick said.
“What doesn’t?”
“Don’t people become monsters when they turn into vampires? I always saw it as a demon taking over their body or their humanity dying, leaving a cold shell behind that just wanted to kill.”
Vanessa gave him a knowing look. “I used to think that way too. You should meet Jack, talk to him about his life as a vampire. I can call him if you want. I’m sure he’ll be eager to meet you.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the thing about vampires not all being monsters. My father told me to kill them, not make friends with them. He hated them so much. I just can’t deal with the thought of him working with them. How could he live in the same house with a vampire?”
Vanessa paled. “The vampire was his son.”
“The man I knew wouldn’t have cared.”
“If it makes you feel better, he tried to kill Jack at least once.”
That did make him feel better.
“One more question.” Trick drew invisible circles on the table with his index finger. “What do you know about a vampire named Cowboy?”
“He was Jack’s best friend at one point. They traveled the world together, but Jack didn’t seem to fully trust him. Why?”
“Just curious.” Trick shrugged. “What about Summer? Do you know anything about her?”
Vanessa gasped. “You know them, don’t you? Want my advice? Stay as far away from those two as you possibly can. They may have helped us in a pinch, but they are not good people.”
He swallowed and nodded. “You’ve given me a lot to think about. Thank you.”
He stood, and Vanessa followed him to the door.
She jotted her number down for him. “If you think of more questions, give me a call.”
He gave her his number in exchange. “Call me if you think of anything else I need to know. Oh, and please don’t mention me to Jack. Not yet. I do want to meet him, sure, and Billy too, but not right now. Okay?”
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Let me know when you’re ready.”
Trick walked down the driveway to the place where Cowboy had left him. His shoe imprints were still in the mud, undisturbed. He turned in a slow circle. He would definitely lose his mind if he had to live in a place like this.
When Cowboy popped up beside him, Trick said, “I’m ready to go home.”
“Home?” Cowboy chuckled. “No. It’s time for me to show you how to live.”
♫
They went rock climbing.
They rode a zip-line in a South American jungle.
They went river rafting.
If Trick was honest, he’d have to admit it was the best weekend of his life.
Riding borrowed motorcycles around twisty mountain roads ended their adventurous weekend on an awesome note. He watched the sun disappear with a sinking feeling. Trick hated it that he’d loved every second of their trip. Hanging with a vampire turned out to be incredibly cool; although, Trick knew he’d kill the creature without regret if the opportunity presented itself.
Vanessa Reign’s insistence that Jack hadn’t lost his humanity when he’d gained fangs boiled down to nothing more than opinion. Vampires were monsters. They could be charming, but they were always dangerous. Jack might have been the exception to the rule. That didn’t mean anything.
The last stop on their trip was a rowdy bar on a lonely stretch of Texas highway.
“This is where I met Summer,” Cowboy said as they stood outside the rundown building. “Some guys dragged me out here to the parking lot to rough me up. She saved my life.”
“Wrong. She killed you.”
“She gave me an immortal life, a great life. Don’t knock it till you try it.”
Trick watched patrons enter and exit the busy bar. Looked like a rough crowd. He didn’t understand why the vampire had dragged him to the remote spot. “Why are we here?”
Cowboy shrugged. “I was miserable when Summer found me, so I em
braced immortality like an old friend. Maybe that’s why I’m in my element now. Summer was turned against her will after her father sold her to a vampire, but she seems happy now. Jackpot was almost dead when we turned him, but he never grasped the reality of our ways. He just wasn’t made for this kind of existence. You’re different. I can see it in your eyes. You will make an exceptional vampire.”
Feeling insulted, Trick’s stomach muscles clenched. “We’re done. This trip is over. Now. I’m going home with or without you.”
“What’s the rush?”
“Nothing you say will convince me to become a monster. Won’t happen. So you ought to just shut your mouth.”
Cowboy’s eyes narrowed. “What if it’s the only way to save your life?”
“Then I’ll die.”
As he said the words he realized he meant them. If his powers killed him, at least he would die human. No way was he giving that up. Death was preferable to becoming a monster.
Before they had a chance to work out whether Trick would be going home alone or getting a ride with Cowboy, they drew the interest of passing vampires.
The vampires slowed; then stopped. One by one they turned, their eyes alight with pleasure at having caught the scent of what they considered easy prey. They began to circle Trick as they sniffed the air.
Funny how they looked like normal college students enjoying an evening with friends. Three guys and a girl, nothing interesting about them except one had greasy hair while the other boys sported short cuts. The girl resembled the greasy-haired boy. Maybe she was his sister. At least her hair was freshly washed and styled.
If Trick wasn’t a hunter, he wouldn’t have glanced twice at them. Experience had taught him how to tell the difference between vampires and humans. There was something predatory in their gazes. Pale skin and outdated clothes were another clear giveaway, not to mention their flaring nostrils.
“Stupid, mortal,” the dark-haired one said. “Why would you risk coming to a well-known vampire hangout? Do you have a death wish? Are you here on a dare?”