The Awakened

by Amanda Carol

  “Morning,” I grumble before taking another swig of my coffee.

  This coffee is okay. The best coffee I’ve ever had was at a place called Emma’s Coffee in Sunny Pines, Wisconsin. I loved it because Emma, the owner, had a chalkboard that customers would write their favorite quotes on. It seemed fitting that the day Declan and I went in for coffee, the quote of the day was, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I asked where the quote came from and Emma said that it was from her. She had been reading this book about a teen girl who overcame something horrific.

  I close my eyes and feel the hot liquid go down my throat. I love coffee. Declan teases me that I have an addiction. I’m okay with that. I mean, there are worse things I could be addicted to.

  “We need to get going soon. We’ve got about an eight-hour drive and I want to try and get there before nightfall,” Declan says before turning to his suitcase to pack.

  “Duly noted,” I huff. “All I need is ten minutes.”

  I get out of bed and stretch my sore muscles. Today’s car ride is going to suck ass.

  After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I glance at myself in the mirror. The bruise that was prominent last night is now a pale yellow with some purple hues to it, a sure sign that it’s already almost healed. That’s a relief. At least I won’t look like I went a few rounds in the boxing ring.

  I sigh and grab my makeup bag, throwing on some cover-up, which always comes in handy. I don’t always wear makeup, but sometimes it’s needed, like now. There are times when Declan needs some too, and of course it’s my duty as a sister to poke fun.

  After coating my face, I apply some mascara and eyeliner. Resolved with the way my face looks, I now need to tackle my hair. My platinum blonde hair falls in waves just below my shoulders. It’s hot and humid and we’re going to be stuck in the car for eight hours, so I decide that just a ponytail will suffice. Another quick once-over, a nod at my reflection, and I’m finished. I put on a pair of jean shorts and a black tank top and pair the outfit with my black Converse. Grabbing the clothes that I’d used as pajamas last night off the bathroom floor, I go back into the room to put my stuff in my suitcase.

  “All set?” Declan asks, getting up from the chair, picking up his bag, and walking out the door.

  “Yep. Did you check us out already?” I ask, following him out and shutting the door behind me.

  “Yeah, I went before I got us coffee. I told them that you were just finishing up.” Declan opens the trunk of our Honda HR-V. He puts his suitcase in first, then reaches for mine, which I hand to him.

  “Thanks,” I mumble, walking around to the passenger seat.

  Declan always drives first. We switch off when I’ve had enough caffeine to participate in society. He shuts the trunk and then gets in the driver’s seat. Before starting the car, he turns to me, concern etched into his features.

  “Aria…” he starts, but pauses as if he can’t think of the right words to say.

  “Declan,” I state flatly as one eyebrow quirks up.

  “Last night was—” he starts to say, but I cut him off.

  “Stupid? Dumb? We had this conversation last night. I should have waited and kept my distance. Followed him home and then came to you. I’ve apologized for it. But what I’m not apologizing for is saving Olivia’s life!” I snap, looking away from him and crossing my arms over my chest.

  “Olivia?” he questions. Now it’s his turn to lift a brow.

  “The girl I saved last night. That was her name,” I whisper, still not looking at him.

  I feel his gaze linger on me for a moment longer, and then he turns his head.

  “Look, I’m not asking you to apologize—”

  I turn my head, cutting him off with a sharp glare.

  “Then what are you asking, Declan?” I challenge.

  “What I am asking you, is to just be smart next time!” Declan all but shouts back at me.

  I just huff in response.

  He takes a deep breath. “Just…please be careful the next time you go running alone, okay?”

  His voice is low. I turn to look at him again and all the anger that I just felt a moment ago is gone in an instant. Dark shadows cross his features and for a moment, he looks older and scared.

  “I will. I promise,” I whisper back, giving him a reassuring smile.

  Truthfully, that’s a promise I intend to keep. It’s just the two of us now. There’s no more family, and we had to leave our friends behind when we fled after our parents’ murder. Declan’s more than just my brother; he’s my best friend. And I’d do anything to keep him safe. To keep us both safe.

  After a few hours of driving, we switch places. Declan is now using his laptop in the passenger seat. Thank God, because if I have to listen to one more rap song, I’m going to rip my ears off. Damn you, broken earbuds!

  “Whatcha looking at?” I ask, trying to make conversation because I’m bored as hell.

  I hate being in the car for long periods of time, so I always try to drive as fast as I can just so we can get to our destination quicker.

  “Just researching more on New Orleans. It’s like the land is sacred or possibly protected somehow,” Declan answers, never looking up from his laptop.

  “You think maybe what’s in mom’s journal actually exists? I mean, we’ve been on the road for three years. You would think we would have run into a witch or something by now. Granted, all we’ve really been hunting is vampires,” I muse.

  “Maybe. I mean, It’s possible. Seeing is believing, though. Mom seemed to think other supernatural beings exist. Vampires are real, so who’s to say that witches and wolf shifters aren’t real too?”

  He’s right, as always. Seeing is believing. I never believed vampires existed until I saw one. But then again, I never paid attention to the news. I was always out with my friends or Declan, without a care in the world.

  My old life seems like a lifetime ago. Over the last year, I’ve lost touch with Abby. She went to a college in Maryland for social work. We trade emails back and forth when we can, but it’s been a while since I’ve heard from her.

  Sometimes I wish that I could tell her that this whole other world exists, but how do you tell your best friend that nightmares are real? That things really do go bump in the night? I need to keep her life full of light and not this darkness. So, I did the best thing that I could think of to protect her from this life. I left.

  After a few minutes, Declan looks at me quizzically, lips tipped up.

  I frown. “What?”

  “What did you do with that vamp’s body last night?” he asks.

  He quirks a brow, and I bite my lip. Typically, we would burn the body, but seeing as I didn’t have any matches on me last night, I ended up tossing his body in the dumpster. Classy, I know, but it gave us enough time to get the hell out of town.

  “Aria.” He narrows his green eyes at me.

  “Well, you see, uh...” I trail off, trying to find the words to tell him.

  I feel his eyes bore into the side of my head and I try to focus on the road ahead of me.

  “Holy shit.” His mouth drops open and he laughs, the deep belly kind of laugh. “You tossed it in a dumpster, didn’t you?”

  He laughs even harder now, and I can’t help but giggle.

  “Don’t worry, I ditched the piece of wood I stabbed him with down a storm drain.” Now I’m full-on laughing right along with him.

  We finally arrive in New Orleans before nightfall. We stop at the nearest diner for dinner and bring it to the motel room we rented for the night. Declan finishes eating before me and goes back out to the car to grab our things. We decide to wait until morning to check out the area. Since vampires can’t walk in the sunlight, I agree that would be our best option. However, it’s not going to stop me from taking a run.

  Declan sets my suitcase on my bed and I rummage through it to find my black leggings and a workout tank. I make sure to pick out a black one this time. We definitely
don’t want another repeat of last night. I head to the bathroom to change, and when I come out, Declan has his running shorts and a tank top on. Hunting vampires does wonders for our bodies. Well, his anyway. I’m in shape because I run, but I don’t have six-pack abs like my brother. I like pizza and tacos too much.

  “You’re not going to go prey on some poor innocent woman tonight?” I ask, walking over to my suitcase to dig out my running shoes.

  Declan laughs. “No, not tonight. I think I want to run with my baby sister.”

  He flashes me his signature grin. It’s also my signature grin, since we’re twins and all.

  “Just because you are exactly one minute older than me, it doesn’t mean I’m your baby sister,” I growl, grabbing a pillow off my bed and chucking it at him.

  Declan tries to duck, but the pillow still smacks him in the face. Score one for Aria! He laughs again and finishes tying up his shoes. Since he’s running with me, I decide to leave my phone and headphones here. I grab my silver dagger and tuck it into my leggings. Declan does the same, except I sewed a hilt into all his gym shorts for him to hide his dagger in.

  “Ready?” I ask.

  “Lead the way, little sister.” He grins at me again.

  I roll my eyes and take off running before Declan has time to shut the door.

  New Orleans is a place I’ve always wanted to visit. I was supposed to come with Abby for the first time that summer, but well, that never happened. However, running in New Orleans in the middle of summer is not something I thought through. It’s hot and humid. I’m drenched in sweat and we haven’t even run two miles yet. The air is thick and I’m having trouble evening out my breathing. Declan must be feeling it too because he’s keeping his pace next to me when he’s usually a step or two ahead of me.

  There are more people out late at night than we were used to, and I notice that we’re trying to run on Bourbon Street. We slow our pace and start walking on the sidewalk. People are drunkenly spilling out from one bar and walking to the next. Neon signs and lights beckon us to come in and try whatever’s on tap. Since neither Declan nor I drink that much anymore, we bypass those. Plus, I realize that I’ve left my wallet and ID at the motel.

  Damn it.

  Jazz musicians litter the street and people are gathering around and stopping to watch. This is one of the things that always fascinated me about this city. I love music, any music really. Classic rock is my all-time favorite genre. But jazz? You feel that shit in your soul.

  New Orleans is the place you visit when you need to get in touch with your soul and live in the moment. I close my eyes and really listen to the brass instruments and I can feel the hum all the way down to my bones. I feel a smile stretch across my face, but when I open my eyes, I suddenly get the familiar sensation that a vampire is nearby. My instinct is telling me that it’s close, but is keeping its distance.

  I look up at Declan and the look on his face tells me that he can feel it too, so we step closer together. He grabs my arm and steers me away from the growing crowd and off the street. In the exact opposite direction of the vampire. I almost tell Declan that, but he has this determined look on his face. Once we reach the sidewalk, he leans down to whisper to me.

  “This place is crowded. We’ll have to come back later,” he hisses into my ear.

  I hate that because it could kill someone in the meantime. I hate not being able to do something about it now. But he’s right and I know it. Even though I told Declan we wouldn’t have a repeat of last night, I don’t think I’d be able to walk away right now if I was alone.

  I’m not sure how far we walk, but I stop feeling the tingle about a half a mile away from wherever we are now. The vampire is nowhere near us anymore, which makes me even more uneasy. We’ll have to come up with a plan to hunt it down.

  I look around and realize that we’re in the French Quarter because I can see Café Du Monde. I’ve read all about this place and I’ve been determined to try beignets. Apparently the ones here are for real, and I’m not going to pass up my opportunity to try some.

  Not giving my brother any warning, I grab his arm and lead him straight to the restaurant. He rolls his eyes, but he knows he’d lose any argument he’d try to start. Declan’s still on high alert, even though I know we’re okay. Still, we sit at one of the outside tables where we can both see the street, just in case.

  Our waiter comes over and takes our order. I’m giddy with excitement, but it’s hard to enjoy it with my brother on edge. I glance over at him and our eyes lock. He still looks worried. He doesn’t have the instinct that I have when it comes to the proximity of vampires. It’s one thing I’m better at than he is. I always know how close one is. I’m better at hunting them than he is.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood.

  Declan gives me a half-smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. He seems to relax a little, but his shoulders are still tense.

  “That was weird, Aria. I’ve never gotten that feeling before. I mean, I have, but this time…” he trails off, sighing and slouching in his seat.

  I’ve never seen him like this before. Not since after…well, you know. I don’t know what to say, so I don’t say anything.

  He has a point. That feeling did seem more intense than normal. We both sit in silence, watching the crowd around us. A drunk couple is making out across the street by the bench. A group of college kids walks past us, talking loudly about some football team.

  Ten minutes later, the waitress returns with our coffees and beignets. I reach over and pick up a beignet and…oh, my God. My taste buds explode. This is better than tacos. And I love tacos. My mouth waters and I let out an embarrassing moan. Declan’s head whips towards me and a huge shit-eating grin plasters across his face.

  “That good, huh?” he asks, amusement lacing his words.

  I nod in agreement. He picks one up and takes a bite, and he too moans in sweet, sugary satisfaction.

  “Oh, my God. These are amazing. We should put an order in to go.”

  All I do is nod in agreement while I pick up another.

  All of a sudden, every hair on the back of my neck starts to rise, and I notice the second Declan feels it too. We both stop eating and stare at each other. It’s that feeling again. We both stand at the same time, startling the people around us. Declan pulls out his wallet and drops a twenty on the table.

  He grabs my hand and we both take off at a jog down the street. We zig and zag around people, needing to be away from them in case a fight breaks out. I spot a cemetery up ahead of us. Declan slows down just enough to glance at me. I nod, knowing exactly what he’s thinking.

  Sneaking in through the rickety gates of St. Louis Cemetery, we slow down to assess our surroundings. Out of habit, we stand closer together and I reach for my dagger. Yep, still there.

  We stay silent. The only thing I can hear is the crowd in the distance and the sound of our breathing. I know without a shadow of a doubt that a vampire is stalking us. We start walking and then Declan turns, signaling me to stay put while he walks up ahead of me. I nod and put my back against one of the crypts. If anything does attack me, it won’t be behind my back.

  Keeping my eye on my brother, I hear a noise to my right just as I sense that the vampire is near me. I turn my head just as a hand comes around the side of the crypt and grabs me. Caught off guard by the movement, I let out a scream. I’m slammed into a crypt on the other side and find myself face-to-face with a vampire. I’m not sure if this is the vamp that’s been following us though. My skills are good, but not that good. He has his hand on my mouth so I can’t scream anymore, and his other arm is trapping me against the wall. He eyes are dark and crazed, and he’s pale and has brown hair. He towers over me and when he glances down, his smile is malicious.

  “Well, aren’t you a pretty one? You’re rather small, but you’ll be a nice appetizer,” he says in a low sing-song voice.

  I try to shake him off and reach for my dagger, but I
can’t move. I try twisting my body and kicking out, but his body is angled to where my attempts to kick him are getting me nowhere. I’m only kicking air.

  “Oh, yes, I’m going to take this nice and slow.” His breathy voice is inches from my ear.

  I flinch back, but my head hits the cement crypt behind me. God, this is bad, very bad. Where is Declan? I struggle a little more and then I notice Declan right behind him, silver dagger in hand. He puts a finger to his lips and tiptoes towards us.

  Vampires aren’t as fast as they are portrayed in movies, but they are faster than your average human. But then again, so are Declan and I. Not only did we get stronger, we also got faster, and at a time like this, I sure as shit am not complaining.

  Once I see Declan, my body easily relaxes, and I use that moment to gather myself. I pick up my right leg, plant my foot on the wall behind me, and push out with all my weight. The vamp is caught off guard by the sudden movement, but only for a fraction of a second. He turns, letting go of me, and I catch myself before I face-plant on the ground.

  I push up off the ground and get to my feet just in time to see the vamp grab Declan’s left arm and turn. I hear a crack and Decan grunts in pain.

  “Declan!” I yell, getting to my feet quicker than I have before.

  I start to charge forward, but I hear a howl in the distance and the vampire’s head snaps up in the direction that it’s coming from. He drops my brother to the ground like a hot potato and takes off running. Okay, that was weird. But I ignore him and run straight for Declan.

  “Oh, my God! Declan, are you okay?” I ask, kneeling beside him and gently examining his arm. “I’m going to kill that son of a bitch!”

  I clench my teeth as I realize that my brother’s arm isn’t broken, but dislocated. I’ll need to pop it back into place before he starts to heal.