Alexi nodded, not trusting her own voice. She wouldn’t allow herself any tears. Not now. If she started crying about this, there would be no end to it. In this moment, she needed to stay strong.
She glided her hands through Savanna’s impossibly black hair. The darkness of the strands made her own alabaster skin stand out even more. After a time, she felt Savanna’s warm breath against her neck. She was asleep. They couldn’t stay there. The night was still young, but Alexi had no idea how long Savanna would be out. They needed to move. The money they took wouldn’t go far.
A few moments later, she had Savanna on her back. Her friend’s head draped over her shoulder. To the world, it would look like a piggyback ride. Alexi heard the rush of cars on pavement. That meant a freeway, and freeways meant motels.
The late night and the proximity to the freeway meant the surface streets were mostly empty. An occasional bum would look them over and, not seeing anything worth asking for, move on. The only time Alexi worried was when a police patrol car turned onto the street ahead of them. She thought about waving them down, but she couldn’t know exactly who Savanna was on the run from. She didn’t want to sell the girl out. Instead, she stepped into the shadows and waited for the car to pass.
A motel sign flickered unsteadily, flashing from dim to bright at odd intervals. The facade was partly crumbled, and the pool was empty. A happy little sign declared it would be repaired in a few weeks, but the edges of the sign were yellow and faded.
Perfect.
The dim office smelled of cigarettes and cheap booze. A trash bin stood in the corner with crumpled papers and empty takeout containers piled a foot over the rim. After a moment, Alexi’s eyes dilated, and the dark room seemed bright as day. She could see every corner, every detail. Outside, where an abundance of light prevailed, she hadn’t noticed her vision, but now, in the enclosed space, she could see perfectly in the dark.
Alexi lowered Savanna onto a cracked vinyl couch and carefully positioned her so she wouldn’t fall over, then stepped to the counter and hit the greasy-looking bell sitting atop it.
The manager came from the back room. He used a towel to dry his hands then tossed it aside.
“Thirty bucks a night per person, and checkout is at—” His voice faltered midsentence. His eyes wandered up Alexi’s body, making her supremely aware of the thin, torn dress. “Uh—no hookers.”
Rage spiked. “I’m not a hooker,” she spat at the man, slapping her hands down on the counter. Something seemed to surge through the air between them.
Shock passed over the man’s face, followed quickly by abject fear—and the man burst into tears. “I’m so sorry!”
Alexi watched, stunned, as tears rolled down the man’s face. It was as though she had shouted at a child. “I just need a room,” she said, willing him to regain his composure. “One night.”
The man fumbled at the row of keys with shaking hands, gasping with quiet sobs. “Just leave the money on the bed when you go.” He couldn’t look at her.
Alexi dismissed him with a grunt, and the man stumbled over the office chair in his hurry to leave—apologizing under his breath as he went.
What the hell was that all about? The weird just never seemed to stop.
Savanna was still out of it as Alexi carried her to their room. It held a creaky queen-size bed, a dinosaur of a TV, and a shower with no curtain.
“Thank God.” Alexi sighed at the sight of the shower, despite the faint scent of mold that lingered in her nose. Savanna mumbled something as Alexi laid her out on the bed. The blankets felt clean, which was something to be thankful for. With Savanna tucked in, Alexi inspected the shower. Water sputtered out of the nozzle. She turned the knob all the way to hot and let it run for a few minutes.
After shedding her bloody, torn dress, she stepped into the shower and let the intense heat spill down over her head and shoulders. Dirt, blood, and grime swirled down the drain.
For the first time since she had woken up in the morgue, she had time to think. She thought of the men who had tried to kill her—the ones at the club and then the ones that had discovered her hiding place with Savanna that morning. She’d been shot by the last ones, but there wasn’t so much as a scratch or bruise left on her. And what she’d done to Savanna . . . how could she forget that?
The hot water beat down on her, shaking loose all the emotions she had been unable—or unwilling—to feel since she awoke. Huddling under the rusty showerhead of a sleazy motel room, Alexi wrapped her arms around herself and let the tears come.
“Alexi?”
Alexi pressed her hands against the cold tile of the shower and took in a deep breath. “I’ll be out in a second,” she called, trying to keep the tears from her voice. She let the water run for a few mores seconds and then turned it off. The moment the hot water disappeared, a chill crept through the soles of her feet and filled her entire body. Alexi wrapped the thin, scratchy motel towel around herself and peeked into the room.
“Are you okay?” she asked Savanna.
“I’m fine,” Savanna said, sitting up in bed. “It happens when I do that sometimes.”
“What exactly did you do?” Alexi sat on the end of the bed, and the springs squealed.
“It’s hard to explain exactly—but I saw you . . . die.”
“What?”
“You were mugged or something in a parking lot. You were getting into your car, and this man, he—” Savanna stopped suddenly and clapped both hands over her mouth, her eyes suddenly filled with tears.
“Oh, god. That sounds awful. I’m so sorry you had to see that,” Alexi said.
“You didn’t deserve it,” Savanna whispered, pressing the palms of her hands to her eyes. “I could feel your soul and . . . you were a good person. I could feel it. But he just kept hitting you and hitting you—”
“Shh . . .” Alexi moved to sit next to Savanna and put an arm around the smaller woman’s shoulders. “It’s okay. Tell me when you’re ready.”
***
As it turned out, the parking garage where Savanna saw Alexi murdered was only a few miles away. It was connected to the Veterans Affairs Hospital where she must have worked. The poor girl cried as she told Alexi of the brutal death she had experienced at the hands of muggers. Absently, Alexi touched the back of her head. She found no trace of a wound. Not even a scar. Savanna had cried herself to sleep, and Alexi was happy to let her be.
The clock on the wall read 3:00 a.m. when Alexi left the hotel. An hour to get there, maybe half an hour to look around, and an hour to return—she would be well within the safe zone before the sun came up.
The underground garage wasn’t that big, one level underground and one on top. This early in the morning only a single car stood like a lone guardian in the night.
What was she expecting? It wasn’t as if there was a big sign that would proclaim “Alexi Murdered Here.” Savanna was unable to be specific about exactly where Alexi had died, only that it happened at night, and it had been about six months. Alexi wasn’t even sure what she wanted to find. Something, she supposed. Anything of her former life. Savanna had mentioned all the blood. Perhaps she could find that, unlikely as it seemed after so much time had passed.
There were thirty parking spots marked with faded white lines. She picked a corner at random and inspected each one.
Bingo.
A red stain that, to her nose, smelled of old blood covered half the white line in the center of the lot. Was it her blood? She knelt beside it; the scent soaked her nose and permeated her brain. Yes, it was her blood. It smelled right somehow.
The dim overhead lights were more of a hindrance to her than a help. Alexi focused on the ground until her vision sharpened, and the world took on a hyperreal aspect. Tiny smudges of blood led from the spot where she knelt, as though her body had been dragged. The smudges turned to drops, and then they stopped altogether. A vehicle of some kind must have waited here. They loaded her body and drove off.
Not mugg
ers then. But why? Why kill her at all? And why bring her back as a vampire half a year later?
The wind shifted again. Goosebumps rippled up and down her back and shoulders. An unfamiliar smell slipped by her nose for half a second, but it was enough for her body to scream danger. She spun around, but the lot was empty, and nothing moved at the mouth of the garage.
Still, the feeling of being watched refused to leave her. She wasn’t alone.
Alexi turned to run when her eyes caught something dull and metallic on the ground. She scooped it up and wrapped it around her fingers. The pressure in the back of her neck, the subliminal scream of her mind, told her to run. Not one to ignore instincts, she did just that. Her cheap and useless sandals scrambled for purchase. She chucked them as they fell apart. Her bare feet slapped the pavement as she ran. She risked a glance behind her—nothing.
The semi-industrial area next to the veteran’s hospital was full of flat, ugly buildings, large parking lots, and empty rooftops. She vaulted over a hedge and rounded a large factory. A fire escape led to the roof. She leaped the fifteen feet up to the ladder. Her fingers grasped the rusty handles. Once on the roof, she took a moment to look behind her.
She didn’t move or breathe. If something were following her, they wouldn’t—couldn’t—have known she had climbed up to the roof. They would run around the same corner. One minute turned into two, then five. Nothing. Alexi allowed herself to breathe.
Alexi walked down the other side and through the far parking lot in the direction of the hotel. She unwound the necklace in her hand to inspect it. Small metallic beads strung together formed a chain. The only adornments were two oval pieces of aluminum. Raised letters coated with grime and muck covered the surface of one side. Both ovals were the same. She wiped away the mess as best she could with the tattered hem of her dress.
Alexi Creed
US ARMY
SN# 2293-221-1701
A POS
That explained some things. She had been a soldier. Self-defense seemed like second nature to her, although she couldn’t remember learning the skills she used. It didn’t answer why she was killed, but it was something. Something she hadn’t known this morning. Of course, she could fill the whole world with things she didn’t know about herself.
Without pockets to keep them in, Alexi slipped them over her head. The metal didn’t feel cold as it pressed against her skin—at least, no colder than her skin was already. She needed to find her way back to the hotel, and time was running out. Gray streaks of the predawn illuminated the night sky. She looked behind her. She could go back the way she came or try to navigate in her head a new route back. What if they were waiting for her?
From her time on the roof she had a rough idea of the layout of the park. She cut back around the way she had come in a very wide arc to avoid anyone who might be following.
One building looked like another—the only difference were the signs that said what they were—building supplies, door manufacturers, office supplies, and a clothing wholesale outlet. Alexi looked down at her barely there dress. She wasn’t a thief, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
FIVE
Whoever she was, she was cunning and clever. Victor couldn’t find her scent again. The industrial park he lost her in stood cold and lifeless. Minutes passed as he waited and listened for a sign. When nothing presented itself, he turned around.
She certainly wasn’t his prey, and the others would be waiting. She certainly smelled like the little girl they hunted, which was why Victor followed her in the first place. The enchantment Illyana had given them pointed in the other direction, but if the girl had help, it would be prudent to separate her from that help.
Or maybe you just hope that if you take enough risks, someone will kill you.
He returned to the remainder of his pack, who stood right where he had left them.
Demarco growled. They didn’t agree with his splitting off. They didn’t agree with anything Victor did these days.
Well, tough. They would get over it. He may not be their alpha anymore, but he was still bigger, stronger, and faster than them. And if it was the last thing he did, he would find a way to free them.
***
Savanna sat upright. Sunshine streamed through the window. She couldn’t see Alexi. Her heart raced. Oh god, what if she left me? What if the sun got her? What if I’m alone? What if they caught up to her?
A million gruesome deaths flooded her imagination. The first half were Alexi and the second half her own. She’d been stupid to trust a vampire, dream or no dream. Stupid. The few vampires that had come to her for her services always creeped her out. Her heart raced; she couldn’t breathe. A cold sweat covered her skin.
I’ve got to run. Run while it’s still light.
She swung her feet to face the window to stand. Her toes hit something soft on the floor.
“Ow!” Alexi grunted.
“Alexi?” Savanna tried not to squeal, but she couldn’t help herself. All the fear she felt moments before rushed out of her. She leaned over the bed. Her friend lay on the floor, shielded from the sun by the bed, with nothing but a lumpy pillow. Savanna fell off the bed trying to hug her.
“Oh god, I thought you left me!” she said, her voice cracking.
“It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.” Alexi disentangled herself from Savanna and propped herself up on one elbow. “I ran into some trouble, but I found the place you told me about, right where you said it was. I even found this.” Alexi held up what looked like a necklace. Savanna didn’t recognize it at first, and then understanding dawned on her.
“You were in the military?”
“Yeah, that’s the first thing I’ve found out about myself other than my name. I guess it figures since the parking lot belonged to a VA clinic. I still don’t remember anything, though. I hoped that seeing the place it happened would trigger something, but no such luck.”
“I’m sorry—I thought . . .” Savanna sighed. At least her vision had been good for something. Time and time again she tried to help, and all she did was fail. Alexi put an arm around her and smoothed back her hair. Outside, the light began to fade into an orange hue. Sunset.
“Alexi, I haven’t told you everything.”
“Hon, I can’t hear you when you talk into my shoulder.”
Savanna pulled herself away, unable to meet Alexi’s eyes. “I haven’t told you everything,” she whispered.
“It’s all right. When you’re ready, remember?” Alexi squeezed her arm. “Aren’t you going to ask where I got the new threads?”
Alexi was wearing all new clothes, and she looked good. A collared white shirt was tucked neatly into slim, dark jeans that hugged hips Savanna could only wish for. Alexi wore tall brown boots with chunky three-inch heels and a variety of buckles that gave the footwear an edgy vibe. Last was the brown leather jacket that matched Alexi’s boots. A thousand dollars’ worth of clothes, easy.
“How?” Savanna managed to sputter.
“First, try on your stuff. It’s in the bathroom.”
Savanna couldn’t repress a big grin. A half-fuzzy memory of shopping and new clothes formed in her head. How long has it been? She found a pile of clothes folded neatly on the counter. A pair of boots identical to Alexi’s—only in black—lay beside them. She stopped before picking up the clothes. She was a mess. Her legs were filthy, and there was blood on her dress. A flood of self-consciousness rushed in on her.
The last of the light outside faded, and Savanna flicked on the overhead light. “Come tell me what happened while I take a shower,” she said over her shoulder.
It didn’t take long. The shower was hot and soothing and felt great on her back. She was eager to try on her new clothes.
“And yeah, after I felt like I wasn’t being chased anymore, I stumbled into one of those outlet stores,” Alexi concluded. “Apparently, being a vampire makes you an excellent thief.”
Alexi had guessed at Savanna’s size, and
she had done well. Everything fit, from the underwear to the green dress with long sleeves and thumbholes. She loved sleeves with thumbholes.
“You look great,” Alexi said, leaning against the bathroom wall as Savanna admired herself in the mirror. “Now, what was it you wanted to tell me?”
Right. There were things Alexi deserved to know.
She opened her mouth . . . and a mournful howl reverberated through the room.
“Oh, no!” Savanna turned to Alexi with wide eyes. “They found me!”
SIX
Two Years Before
The sun shone through the window into Savanna’s bedroom. Today was the day. Her face lit up even thinking about it. Her sixteenth birthday. She slipped out of her pj’s to change into the outfit she’d laid out the night before. Her long, brown hair nearly touched the floor as she ran a brush through it. At school, all the girls were jealous of her hair. It almost made up for how she wasn’t allowed to date or really to have any friends. Almost. She smiled as she slipped on her clothes. All that was in the past, though. Today is the day.
She floated down the stairs to the kitchen. They lived on the Upper East Side in a brownstone that could only be described as luxurious. She went to a nice school, had good grades, and even her own car. But no freedom. No friends. She wasn’t allowed to spend time with anyone except her family.
“You ready, honey? The last trial is today, and you have to be strong to pass it.” Her mom wore the serious look she reserved for her coven of witches. Despite the pleasant tone, Savanna could hear the undercurrent. You’d better not fail.
“I can do it. I’m ready,” Savanna said, trying to sound confident.
Her mom’s smile seemed somehow severe. “Magic is about—”
“I know. I know. Magic is about sacrifice. You’ve told me a hundred times.”
“Yes. Yours or someone else’s. Some magic requires you to give more than you have or more than another person has.”
With the Dawn (Faith of the Fallen) Page 4