Evaine stared for another minute before realization dawned on her. “This room is mine?”
“Of course, silly.” Cami winked.
They had made her a room of her own. She headed further inside. On the edge of the desk lay a folder called “Emergency Preparedness” by Aron Stocksman. It was an emergency guide to her new body. Evaine had no words; she’d never had a room of her own before except in her crappy little studio. And never one so nice.
“We put the few things you had in the wardrobe but you really will have to order everything else you need,” Abbey said.
The statement made something in Evaine’s mind stir, but she couldn’t figure out what, exactly.
“We’ll let you get used to your new room.” Cami took Abbey’s arm. “I’m across the hall, and of course Luca’s on the side of you, right there. Abbey’s in the upper house, if she isn’t down here. But you can always reach her on the house phone.” Cami pointed to a phone on the corner of the desk.
The two women slipped out of the room leaving Evaine to process. She plopped down heavily on the bed. It was all so normal and nothing like what she had ever had.
There was a small knock on the door. Luca walked in and took a seat next to her. He looked a bit worse for wear.
“You OK?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’m not used to having things I haven’t paid for. It makes me feel indebted.”
“Surely Tristan used to buy you things.”
“I never wanted Tristan for his money.”
“Didn’t he help you pay for school? I thought you two lived together.”
“Certainly not!” She was indignant. “I worked to pay for my schooling, and I would never live with someone before I was married.”
“I just thought…never mind.”
“Well, unlike you, I don’t believe in sex before marriage, so no, we didn’t.” That was a low blow, and she clapped her hands over her mouth as if that would take back what she had said. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean that. It’s just…it was always a very sore subject between Tristan and I. He wanted to, but I just couldn’t. I promised myself that I wouldn’t until I was married. It was difficult for Tristan. We were together for a long time. I told him to find someone else while he was away at school; I’m not naive to the fact that men have needs.” She looked down. Talking about Tristan made her chest ache.
Luca stroked her face with the back of his hand. Slowly he moved closer until he was an inch away. Evaine’s head swam as his soft lips touched her cool skin. Tracing her collarbone with his tongue he worked his way upward toward her mouth. His mouth was on hers, and the passion ignited between them. He intertwined his fingers in her hair. She raised her hands to touch the strong muscles of his chest; she liked the way they felt under her fingertips. Tristan had been strong and fit, but not muscular like Luca. Luca was a rock. He pulled her closer, warming up further. She pulled away.
“I’m sorry. I’m not ready. I want to, but Tristan… I still love him.”
“And you don’t love me.” Luca spoke matter-of-factly, pulling himself away.
“I didn’t say that. I’m not sure if I love you. I’m not sure what I feel. I’m connected to you, I need you, and I want you as I’ve never wanted anyone before. I don’t know if that is love or not. I’ve only ever loved Tristan. He’s the only one I’ve ever even dated. You’re different than him in just about every way. And everything I feel for you is different too. He’s a warm cozy fire that feels comfortable and easy. You’re a blaze that heats me in a moment and if I stay too close too long, I feel as though I’ll combust.”
“Then you do feel the same as I do.” He picked up her hand in his and gave her a fingers a soft kiss. “I love you more than I have ever loved another person. When I’m near you I can’t think straight; I can’t breathe for being near you. Everything inside me screams to be with you. I know that things are a bit much for you right now, so I’ll wait. I’ll wait for as long as you need me to, until you’re ready.” He let go and stood to leave, but she grabbed his hand.
“Don’t go. Just because I’m not sure what I feel doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be with you. Stay for a while.”
Luca sat down as she lay on the bed, scooting over so he could lay next to her. He wrapped his arms around her as she put her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair lightly making her scalp tingle.
“Why did you stop painting?” She traced light patterns on his shirt with her fingers.
“After the rebirth I couldn’t anymore. I’d never believed in my talent. It was Mya who had always believed in me. After she was gone, I just didn’t feel it.”
“So you’ve never picked up a brush again?”
“I’m not the same man I was when I was alive. Soft, weak, naive. I saw the world through different eyes. The things I’ve seen and done since rebirthing… I don’t see the world as a beautiful place anymore.”
She didn’t ask any more questions. They lay there for a long time. She traced patterns on his black tight shirt before finally falling asleep.
* * *
For the first time, Luca really thought about painting again. His mind wandered to the photo of Evaine on Tristan’s Web site, her long wavy raven hair. He would have loved to have painted her like that. It felt so right to be holding her; he wanted to hold her forever. Luca knew that she loved him. She was just scared to admit it. She had run to Tristan, but she’d come back with him. Who could blame her for being scared of loving him? Look what he had become. An undead killing machine. He had cared for so little in the last few years. After Mya he had consumed himself with getting revenge on those who had taken everything from him. Finding and killing the soulless humans who’d caused his pain had been his only thought. But now his hatred was being replaced. By her. Feeling peace for the first time since he had rebirthed, Luca drifted off to sleep.
A tingling spread through his body and sparks danced on his lips. Then it was gone. His eyes flew open, as he sat up to see Cami at the door, talking in a low voice to Evaine. Cami’s eyes traveled past Evaine to the bed. Luca knew that he was in hot water in the house because of what had happened, especially with the women. Cami had sent all kinds of images flying into his mind’s eye when she had found out what he had done. They were not just unkind, they’d been brutal. Cami had showed him a couple of her experiences when she had gone off diet. A threat; showing him what she was capable of. It was an experience he didn’t wish to repeat.
“Nate and Aron need to see you. They think they’ve pinpointed where the next newborns are being held, and they want to get tactical together.”
Luca nodded and Cami left. He didn’t realize the vibes he must have been giving off until Evaine moved to him, pulling him into her arms. The tension in his muscles immediately began to relax.
Chapter Twenty-One
The group sat in the conference room. Nate, Abbey, Aron, Cami, Raze, and Quinten were all there, along with Ronan and lastly and most surprisingly, Karen. Karen filed her nails, and Evaine got the distinct impression that she was trying very hard not to look at her. Though Karen tried to act relaxed, anyone could see that her nails were getting the brunt of her anger.
Victor and Luca walked in. Evaine noticed out of the corner of her eye that as soon as Luca entered Karen sat up, put her file away, and flashed him a great big smile. Luca’s sights were trained on Evaine, and he made straight for where she waited, taking a seat between her and Victor. Under the table Luca squeezed her hand.
Nate gave Luca a hard look and then he began. “We have some newborns that just rebirthed. They haven’t awakened yet and if the process goes the same as it has in the past, we have about five days to find where they are being held and extract them before they fully awaken and are moved. Ronan is currently searching the usual reports for activity in the surrounding states. Hopefully Karen will be able to help with pinpointing them. We’ll send out teams of two to scout the buildings and pinpoint the locations of the ne
wborns.”
Karen beamed as proudly as if she was the best egg layer in the hen house.
“How many are there?” Luca asked.
“Three that I can sense so far.” Karen looked straight at him, as if he had spoken to her.
“We’ll need to start researching extraction ideas as soon as we have the location. I don’t want any problems,” Nate said.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Nate’s gaze travelled from her to Luca and back again. “When Luca and Evaine were in the city they were approached by a few Feeders. They gave the pretense of offering shelter, but then became hostile. It’s my feeling that since they specifically said Damien wanted to talk to Evaine, they want something from her.”
All eyes went to Evaine. She felt awkward and uncomfortable under their gaze. There were murmurs, both shock and anger played on everyone’s faces.
“The only reason I can think that they would want to see her is because of her extra unique ability,” Nate finished.
Evaine could swear she heard Karen mutter, “She’s not all that special.” But no one else seemed to have the heightened hearing that she did at the moment.
“How would they find out about any of that?” Cami’s voice revealed her concern. “We’re the only ones who knew what Evaine can do.”
“Yeah.” Ronan looked even more upset than Evaine felt. “But who would do that and why?”
“That’s exactly what I want to find out.” Luca’s grip tightened on Evaine’s hand.
“I don’t think we should go pointing fingers.” Abbey looked around the table. “We need to take care of the newborn situation first.”
“Until then,” Nate continued, “it might be best if we have Evaine stay here.”
Evaine’s head snapped up.
“Don’t object. Let me handle it.”
She tried not to look at Luca, but she couldn’t help it.
“I couldn’t agree with you more, Nate.” He spoke with sincerity, and she knew in her heart that he meant it.
Despite promising her that she would be involved, Luca wanted her to stay here and be safe more than anything else in the world. For a moment she worried that he wouldn’t keep his promise, but she had to trust him.
“I think that we should have Evaine work with Ronan on security for a while. It’ll get her acquainted with the layout of the house as well as the grounds. That way if we do have need of her defenses here in the future, it’ll be easy for her.”
Ronan perked up. Nate nodded in approval of the plan. Under the table Luca held onto her hand tightly.
There were a few more subjects covered in the meeting, but Evaine was in her own world. She nibbled at her bottom lip. Why would the Feeders want her? They’d never wanted anyone else who had abilities. She knew hers were stronger than others, but of what use could she be to them?
The meeting ended and everyone started to trickle out. Abbey invited Evaine to stay and order some things online. Evaine had never bought clothes over the Internet before. She’d barely been able to afford used clothing as it was. And when she could it was maybe one or two items at a time on sale, so going online was a waste.
Abbey had handed her a credit card and told her to put anything she wanted on it. Evaine didn’t want to—she felt guilty—but one way or another she was going to be helping the house out, so it was kind of like an advance in payment.
For once Evaine decided finally to do what she had always wanted to, but had never let Tristan do for her. She bought what she wanted and not what was necessarily practical. A few shirts, some jeans, a pair of boots, a pair of sneakers, and a pair of black heels. She bought a long coat and a couple of hats. Underwear and bras along with several pairs of pajamas. Lastly, she bought a nice dress. She wasn’t sure why; she just had to have it. When she was finished she’d spent more money on things for herself than she had in the last five years put together. Pleased, she stood and headed to find Ronan. Time to start paying back all the clothes she had just bought.
* * *
Tristan pulled into the parking lot of the small inn. The tension of driving left his body a little bit. It had been a long drive, especially since he wasn’t used to having to drive himself places. But he didn’t want anyone else in on what he was doing. He ran his plan over and over through his head. Logic told him that it wasn’t the world’s best plan, but he had to try.
He rubbed his face, turned off the engine, and stepped out of the car. Gravel crunched beneath his loafers as he made his way to the black door of the bed and breakfast. A bell tinkled above Tristan’s head as he pushed the door inward. Warm air wafted out from the inside, the smell of apple cider permeated the small entryway. The elderly couple that ran the inn chatted at Tristan as he signed their guestbook.
Elsie gave Tristan the keys to a room on the second floor. Tristan smiled. Sam and Elsie made him think of his own grandparents. That’s how he had envisioned he and Evaine would be someday. Old, wrinkly, and happy. That’s why he was doing this. So they could have that future together.
Tristan dropped his rolling case on the soft bed and opened it. Pulling out his clothes, he tucked his shirts into an antique dresser drawer and hung up his pants. He placed his shoes in the closet and took out his laptop. The old, white desk was just the right size for it and his various other items.
His room was in the front of the house. Tristan looked out the window to the gas station across the street. There was still at least an hour or two until sundown. The graveyard shift would probably start around ten; he’d wait till eleven to go over and see Sean. Sean Baker had no idea what was about to happen, and Tristan wanted to keep it that way. He didn’t need the blogger trying to bolt before he was able to talk to him.
He took a seat at the small desk and opened his laptop. He booted it up, checked his Web site, and emptied his ever growing spam box, and then he felt inspiration to work on the marketing campaign that he had been putting off for too long. Somehow, knowing that she was out there, and that he was close to finding her, gave him new life. It was nearly midnight when he set the work aside.
Tristan pulled his jacket up as he crossed the deserted road. The neon green sign cast an eerie glow around him as he walked under it toward the entrance of the gas station. The fumes and trash gave off a prevalent odor. A young dark-haired man, in his early twenties, with a goatee, stood up from his stool behind the counter as Tristan entered. He closed a laptop and nodded at Tristan. Tristan nodded back, went to the rear of the store, and got a bottle of Coke from a cooler. Browsing through the chips he picked up a bag of Doritos and a couple other miscellaneous sundries. Tristan moved from aisle to aisle, making sure that no one else was in the store. When he was sure they were alone he walked to the front to check out. He set his items on the counter.
“You’re Sean, right?” Tristan asked.
The clerk peered at Tristan closely, through coke bottle glasses. “Do I know you?”
“I’m not from around here. You are Sean though, yes?”
Sean stopped ringing up Tristan’s items and glanced around nervously. “What do you want?”
“I don’t want to hurt you or anything, I just want some information.”
“What kind?” His glance darted outside to the pumping area.
“I want to find out where the White People from your blog live.”
Sean’s eyes went wide. “I…I…how should I know? I don’t know that!”
“Go easy.” Tristan smiled. “I just want to find them. Someone very dear to me has gone missing and I think they have her.”
Sean licked his lips nervously. “I don’t know where they live exactly. I’m always on duty here when I see them. But I suspect it’s somewhere over on Whitehall Lane. But if your girl is with them, I would give up. They’re big, heavily armed and aren’t very social.”
“Look, do me a favor, I’m staying at the inn across the street. If they come in, call me. You don’t have to say anything, call, let it ring twice, then hang up. I’ll look out my
window. I can see the station from my room.” Tristan handed Sean a business card.
Sean didn’t appear convinced. Tristan pulled out his wallet. He put five one hundred dollar bills on the counter. “If you call, I’ll give you another five. And if I’m able to find them, I’ll give you another thousand.”
Sean looked at the money and licked his lips. “You won’t say anything about me, right? You won’t tell them about the blog or that I’m watching them or anything? All the money in the world wouldn’t be worth having a pack of angry vamps come after me.”
“Not a word. I promise.”
Sean scooped up the bills and shoved them into his pocket before Tristan could change his mind. “I saw some of them about an hour and a half ago. There were three different SUVs. They filled up and headed south out of town. They usually return right before the end of my shift. I’ll call you if I see them roll in.”
Tristan finished paying for his chips and soda and left the store. His mind buzzed with activity. He couldn’t believe how close he had come in so short a period of time. With the right amount of persistence and connections, you could find anyone.
Tristan awakened to his phone ringing twice. He sat up and rushed to the window in time to see a black SUV with a large tan-skinned man with white hair pumping gas. Grabbing his keys Tristan ran out the door. It wasn’t till he was outside by his car that he realized he had no coat and no shoes on. He started the engine and slowly rolled the car to the edge of the parking lot. The SUV pulled away from the pump and down the road toward town. Tristan waited a pace, turned on his headlights and followed in the same direction.
As they drove Tristan got the feel of the town. There was a diner and a local grocery store. He passed a dollar store and a small strip mall with a few shops. There was a mom-and-pop fast food place on the corner before he turned and headed into a nicer area. Tristan made a mental note of the street name and burger place. The shops were more of the specialty boutique variety on the next street. Tristan slowed as the SUV turned onto a side street. Looking at his GPS he saw that the streets ran parallel. He drove past the SUV and rounded the next corner.
Dead Awakenings Page 17