3 Hit the Road Jack

by Christin Lovell

  “Good,” he grunted, pushing open the double doors. I stepped in behind him and abruptly stopped in awe of the sight before me.

  Chapter 9

  The room was large; carpeted in the highest grade cream color. A large oval table took up the center of the space. The room was highlighted by a magnificent silver and crystal chandelier. It was unique with translucent green and blue crystal droplets. The real show stopper was the back wall which was curved glass revealing the ocean and its inhabitants beyond it. I was amazed because somehow they had built the place below the city and it ran into the ocean far enough to remain hidden and undiscovered by the residents here.

  When I finally brought my eyes back down, I saw a table full of vampeens all situated in their black leather chairs staring at me. “Uh, hi,” I waved awkwardly. I felt myself flush slightly. I couldn’t believe I didn’t notice them at first. What a way to make a great first impression; by ignoring their presence.

  Auggy pulled out the chair at the head of the table facing the window and indicated for me to sit. I sat, trying to avoid direct eye contact with anyone.

  “Relax. Everything will be ok babe.” I smiled knowing it was Kellan talking to me. He gave me the confidence I needed.

  I lifted my head and looked at each person around the table. They were of varying races, yet their age was the same in physical beauty. To know their true age, I had to search their eyes, watch their mannerisms, and possibly the funniest and strangest, look at their choice of pen. They all sat with paper of some sort in front of them, but some had quill pens, others the ballpoints of today. Several were using what appeared to be a tool or an instrument carved of stone and dipped in ink, but most used a dip pen; and one stood out having a basket of berries and a mortar and pestle. I toyed with the idea of asking everyone about their choice of utensil, but opted to remain quiet.

  “Well, aren’t you going to ask?” One man broke out near the opposite side of the table. His fiery red hair stood out against his pale skin; his light blue eyes danced with amusement and mischief. Given his lilted accent, I knew he had to be Irish.

  “I was trying to be polite,” I smiled.

  “Told you she’d be nervous laddies,” he grinned. “Now pay me me owings.” Several grunts and groans later, the man had a large pile of money sitting in front of him.

  “I suppose we ought to introduce ourselves to the girl,” a woman stated. She was one of four out of twenty-one; certainly a minority. Her blonde hair and blue eyes could put her in many places, but her accent hinting towards British said either the United Kingdom or South Africa. “To answer your curiosity, I am from Johannesburg, South Africa, and no, I cannot read your thoughts. I specialize in the ancient art of emphatic readings.” I had never heard of it, but regardless understood she was picking up on my emotional roller coaster. She nodded once in confirmation. I tried not to worry, holding back the shiver creeping up my spine. Another woman directly across from her was intensely focused on me and seemed to be reading me in some manner as well.

  “Be careful with these women.”

  Auggy cut in and took over. “Let’s get to it and stop wasting time. You know me. Sterling, you’re next. Introduce yourself,” he ordered, pointing to the general who’d walked with us. They went around the table introducing themselves one by one with their names, birth place and true age. The youngest was thirty-seven; the oldest six-hundred eighty-two.

  Abruptly the doors swung open and a male walked in, a swag in his step and careless grin plastered on his flawless face. His hair was a disheveled mess of dark brown with hints of auburn. While everyone else was in business attired, he donned dark blue jeans, black Converse shoes, and a red polo shirt that showcased the slight swell of muscles beneath with the collar popped up. Perhaps the cockiest part of his outfit was the aviator glasses still in place blocking his eyes.

  I swallowed the emotions welling inside. There was something about this vamp; I felt it. He walked straight up to me and grabbed my left hand. Goose bumps broke out over my entire body; my heart pounded in my chest. He stopped mid-lift at the sight of my ring. I could only imagine how Kellan was reacting to this. The vamp barely shrugged, the only indication that he wasn’t deterred, and proceeded to kiss the back of my hand. I felt his eyes piercing me through the glasses.

  “’Ello love.” His smile was breathtaking. I even caught the hitch in my breath. I immediately blushed. No one had affected me like this since Kellan; not even Kai. I swallowed hard, saved from having to speak when Auggy cut in.

  “You’re late… Again!” Auggy barked.

  “Why rush when you ‘ave forever mate?” His gaze burned me. At his wink, a small, shy smile, partly of embarrassment, crept from my lips. His in return quickly turned devilish.

  “Move your hand now!” I immediately yanked my hand away as if I’d been electrocuted. He didn’t falter though. I already knew I was in trouble. Deep trouble.

  “Sit your ass down John and stop flirting with the guest. And in case you are truly blind, she’s taken!” Auggy yelled, exasperation in his tone. I turned my head to study the military vamp who headed the vamp army. By the fire in his eyes, I could tell John annoyed him for sure, but also, for the first time, I realized that Auggy really did like Kellan; particularly the idea of me and Kellan together. I smiled inwardly at the discovery.

  John forced Chen, the female vamp from Taiwan, over so he could squeeze his chair in beside me. I scooted my chair away, wanting distance, needing the breathing room to avoid starting a fire.

  Throughout the grill session, I avoided answering as many questions as possible. There was no shortage of revisions in an attempt to uncover information. As much as I was trying to break away from John, he came to my defense and blocked the pry of Bogdan, a five-hundred year old Russian, who gave me bad vibes; so I was grateful for him in that sense.

  Two and a half hours later, Auggy rescued me from the interrogation.

  “Alright, clearly Lexi has rehearsed her lines and isn’t going to budge. Let’s break.”

  Relief washed over me, though it was quickly replaced with uncertainty. Despite our interaction, I didn’t make a single impression on anyone. No one warmed up to me, aside from John, throughout the meeting. It’s not that I was cocky, but I wasn’t used to that.

  “You did good,” John stated.

  I narrowed my eyes. “What happened to your Australian accent?”

  He smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” This time he sounded exactly like Matteo.

  Auggy came up behind me. “This crazy is the only vamp with multiple personalities.”

  “Not really, but I’ve gotta keep you on your toes old man,” John countered. At least he sounded American this time.

  “Where are you from?”

  He leaned in close, my body all too aware of his position at my pulse point. I felt his breath skimming over my skin; his heart beating steadily over my breast. “Wouldn’t you like to know,” he whispered, soft and sultry. My heart barely beating as it was stopped.

  I hadn’t realized I’d stopped breathing too until Imara, the woman who sat across from the empathy queen, cautioned me to breathe. Oh God. I’m in big trouble. Huge trouble. God why do you continue to tempt me?

  “Go,” Imara ordered. At once John left.

  “Do not allow your body to confuse your heart,” she stated, her Indian accent seemed to emphasize the meaning more. Her gold sari appeared to play off a bright aura I couldn’t quite see, but felt. I could trust her. Somehow I knew she was trust-worthy. “You are confused. Why?” she asked, leading me away from the groups conversing around us.

  “I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” Auggy said, heading towards Ibrahem, the oldest vamp in the room.

  “I can-“

  “Stop.” She put a hand up; my eyes were drawn to the intricate ink cascading across her palm. She closed her eyes for a minute. I nearly screamed when she opened them, covering my mouth to contain it. Her pupils were dilated and her irises were
lost in a field of white.

  “You have lost much, but will lose much more if you continue down this reckless path. You are impulsive like a vampire, yet led by your emotions like a human. Very little balance exists in you, unless he is around. You need him; more than you acknowledge. And when he is gone, you will know the truth of my words.”

  “Define gone.”

  “You cannot keep what you shun.”

  “Do I?”

  “You claim love, but your eyes wonder.”

  I swallowed the lump of guilt. She was right. I folded my arms around myself, wishing I could hide in a box. I was ashamed, especially after the way I reacted to John. Kellan didn’t deserve this. I looked down at my ring, the brilliant green making me think of his emerald eyes, clear and beautiful, staring into me, beyond my surface and into my soul. It wasn’t fair for him to be tied to me when my eyes betrayed him. I knew I had some serious thinking to do.

  “You love him, but your immaturity distracts you.” She closed her eyes again. Cocking her head to the side, she frowned. I began to fidget anxiously. I was in some way, waiting for the destruction of my future to be revealed. “Be still, girl.” She held out a hand, remaining focused on her powers. “You are complex, more than your surface.” She paused again, her brows furrowed, as if she was trying to solve a complicated equation beyond her mental capacity.

  Suddenly, her features untwisted and understanding calmed her. “It is fear that burdens you. Your eye wanders for someone else, not to love now, but to love later, after he is gone. You fear being alone.” She opened her eyes. “You have much to learn and far more to see, yet are blind to what is in front of your already. You analyze, yet you see nothing under the microscope.”

  “You’re not talking about my eyes are you?”

  “I am speaking of your eyes, but include your spiritual eyes. Your gift holds more power than you accept. Don’t fight the blessings of the gods; they can easily withdraw their gift, your gift.” I nodded once, unsure of how to respond. “We shall meet again Lexi. Until then,” she bowed her head slightly before leaving me stunned and confused with a world of pressure on my shoulders. It was my nature to analyze every word she’d spoken, yet for some reason I didn’t. I allowed them to sink in; allowed her voice to surround me knowing that I would uncover their truth later.

  “Mi amore,” John swept in, taking my hand again. Traitor that my body was, it tingled under his touch. He lifted my palm towards his lips.

  “Stop right there,” I cut in, proud of the strength behind my voice. He froze, his eyes looking down at me through his shades, waiting for some sign of approval to continue. Cocky vamp that he was, he was convinced I would cave. I sighed, and he dove right in, capturing my palm to his lips in several spots. When his tongue swept out over the veins at my wrist, heat pooled, but reality smacked me in the face at the same time. I withdrew my hand from his grip.

  “Oh, you hurt my soul,” his French accent poured out, as he dramatically placed his hands over his heart.

  “You’re trouble.”

  “But you like trouble Lexi. You chase trouble,” he smiled deviously, knowingly. I swallowed the serum that rose in my throat at the reminder of my mission.

  Chapter 10

  “I… I think I should go, John,” I stuttered, knowing I needed to get away from him.

  “Don’t call me John. I hate being called John. Call me Johnny. When people say Johnny, they think of Depp, and when you compare our looks, well,” he snickered, completely full of himself, “Clearly I come out on top.”

  “Ok, Johnny. I need to go. It was nice meeting you.” I turned and walked away, forcing myself not to look back.

  “You can’t run from me forever Lexi. I know you feel it.”

  I froze in place. He felt it too. I took a deep, shaky breath forcing my brain to thoughts of Kellan. I couldn’t do this. First Kai, now John. Why couldn’t I stay focused on Kellan? I knew I loved him. I knew I was going to marry him.

  “You are misinterpreting it,” Imara said as she passed by me. My face flew in her direction. She nodded her head once, confirming that she was speaking to me. God I hoped she was right.

  I made a beeline for Auggy, ready to get out of here. Forget the tour, I just wanted to get back to Kellan as soon as possible. I needed the comfort and reassurance that his arms brought me.

  "Ready for that tour?" Auggy asked.

  "Actually, I'd rather skip it, and get back to Kellan." I didn't mention the others though he could easily discover them if he checked the hotel's log book. We were smart and all checked in under one fake name Kalel set up, but there were ways to find out those things.

  He studied me for a bit before nodding his head in agreement. I was trying not to think about, or worse, get upset about, the fact that Auggy surrendered me and my top secret mission to a group of vampeens who could easily be rats. Look at how many traitors and underground deals existed in the vamp army, let alone in the political headquarters for an entire race.

  Much like the army quarters, we exited a different way than entered. It consisted of a walk-through metal detector, though I didn't take anything off before walking through to the metal push door.

  "I won't ask what's wrong, but don't fuck up this mission because of personal drama," Auggy stated, right as my hands hit the release bar for the door. I didn't reply, only nodded my head. I could feel his eyes scorching my back; I could hear the wheels turning in his head.

  I pushed through the door and took a deep, relaxing breath.

  Matteo was already outside waiting when I stepped out. I'd completely forgotten that I'd have to deal with him again. With a sigh, I followed him through a few backstreets to the car. He wasn't exactly going slow, not bothering to hide his supernatural abilities. I knew he wasn't my biggest fan and was probably attempting to lose me, but, alas, he didn't.

  The second we got to the car I had to leap in as he was already taking off. It had been a long couple days and Matteo was only making things worse. I was on the verge of tears or a temper-tantrum, or perhaps I'd lose my temper and shed tears. I was frustrated.

  I slammed the door with a huff and turned to face the coward. He was avoiding eye contact, studying the road as if something would pop out of the sewers and attack. I now understood what the others had picked up on earlier. There was definitely something I didn't like about this vampeen.

  "Listen Matteo, I know you don't like me, and quite frankly, I'm not big on you right now either; but let's just chalk up our differences and at least be civil." He mumbled under his breath in Euskara, knowing I wouldn't understand. Arms folded defensively across my chest, I stared out the window. I further tensed when I realized we were going away from town. "Where are you taking me?" He finally looked over at me, a wicked grin on his face and gleam in his brown eyes. "Stop the car right now!"

  "As the American's say, fuck you," Matteo snickered.

  I knew it was bad when the doors locked of their own accord. Serum filled my mouth making it nearly impossible to breathe; my body recognized danger.

  "Either stop this car or I'm going to kill you," I ordered, surprised by the strength in my voice. I leaned away from him against the door. It wasn't until then that I realized the guys had been silent for a while, and I could really use them right now, even if only in support.

  "You are nothing without the others. You are the beauty but they are the brains. I have no worry, but you do," he stated, not deterred in the slightest by my threat.

  Oh God. I didn't like the vamp, but I hated killing. I knew it would be self-defense since he was kidnapping me, but I still felt sick to my stomach. It could be avoided.

  "I'm giving you one more chance Matteo," I said, grabbing my necklace. I swallowed a mouthful of serum, anticipating his response, praying he surrendered his pride under the circumstances.

  "You are the boss of no one, and you are not the boss of me." He rammed his foot into the gas pedal.

  I took a steadying breath and pressed the horizo
ntal sides of my necklace. With one swift move I decapitated Matteo, but would never forget the last second gasp he exerted, the one that was cut short by my actions. Blood sprayed me and the car, making the surfaces slippery. I yanked up on the emergency break stationed beside the gear shift in the center console. The breaks squealed as the vehicle swerved and finally derailed landing in a divvy.

  With the car still, Matteo's head lying between his feet, the seat scorched where my laser landed beyond his neck, and the entire space closing in under the cover of blood, I broke down. Tears flooded my eyes, chasing each other down my cheeks, streaking Matteo's blood on my skin. Time passed, but I paid it no mind.

  When I finally pulled myself from my wallowing, it was completely dark, not that it was early afternoon when we left. I looked around; somewhat frightened as I saw we were already a mile or so outside town. Ahead of me lied a few cobblestone houses, their chimneys pumping smoke into the cool night air. I couldn’t approach them though. I was covered in blood and would probably set them off. I pulled out my cell phone, praying I could catch a signal, but of course I had a large 'X' where the signal bars should display and a large triangle to the left saying I was roaming.

  I tried to push open the door, but only managed to dent the metal. I stared forward, dread washing through me, at the windshield highlighting the fact that the hood of the car was in the ditch. With an exaggerated sigh, I unbuckled myself and wrapped my arms around the back of the seat behind me. I lifted my lower body, scrunching myself horizontally. With a swift outward kick, I broke the windshield and slid through the escape hatch I'd created. Glass shards slashed at my clothes leaving me slightly vulnerable to the elements. Wrapping my arms around myself, I glanced towards the city and started the trek.

  It was quiet out here, the sounds of city life too far off in the distance. It forced me to think, to evaluate myself and the situation I'd gotten myself into. I knew I was weak when I broke down like that after the kill. How was I going to face Jack who was a million times worse than Matteo? I needed to stop being so emotional; I needed to embrace my vamp side, especially if I wanted to survive in the vamp world. It's not that I was going to let go of my humanity, but I needed to let go of my weakness. I had to face the fact that my human life was behind me.