by C.M. Owens
And stumbled on uneven ground.
Cody's arm lock barely loosened, yet it was enough that the vampire broke free and bent forward, gasping for air. "Shit! Get him, Benj."
"Shut up, you fool."
The young pudgy vampire coughed a couple of times before turning back to face Cody. "He's just a fucking kid. We can take him."
"Like you just did?"
Cody came to a graceful landing, one foot on either side of Tessa. "This isn't a game. You attacked this girl."
"Huh. This is my house, and you are trespassing." The older vampire grinned maliciously. "Go ahead and try to explain that one."
Cody tucked back one wing and knelt slowly, one eye on the men. He checked Tessa's pulse. "I won't have to. Did you really think no one saw you snatch the humans?"
Relief poured through him at Tessa’s strong, steady pulse. Though she was a genetic anomaly, nobody wanted to test the theory that she'd live forever. Who could say for sure? What if they were wrong?
He also didn't want these assholes to know who she was. She'd be worth a lot in ransom. Then again, they wouldn't live to enjoy it. There were problems between Tessa and her dad, but no one doubted that he adored her. Old vampires like him also didn't take lightly to young upstarts like these two assholes.
Cody's eyes narrowed. He wasn't exactly sure who or what these guys were, but he had his suspicions. They were ignorant in ways that didn't make sense, like not knowing about flying vampires.
From the kidnapping of humans – a crime considered by some as abuse against animals – to attacking one of the elder's daughters. Yeah, that meant a jump right to a death sentence. She'd been hurt once tonight already. He cast a worried glance down at her crumpled form. Was that wound bleeding faster?
"So what are we going to do about this situation? There are two of us and only one of you. We can take you out. You can't kill both of us." The older vampire grinned at Cody, his yellowed teeth evidence of a long unhealthy life.
"You're not going to walk away from this unharmed. You crossed the line when you attacked her."
"Why? What's she to you? Just another dumb human." The two men looked at each other and grinned before turning back to face him. "You're into humans." They chortled aloud. "Christ, why don't you just do your dog or something else that's much less trouble?"
Icy rage filled his veins. They were going to die. That's all there was to it. That they could look at Tessa and see just an animal was beyond acceptable. It also gave him a small insight into what Tessa went through on a regular basis. Did she have to deal with this kind of talk from her own people? Is that why she'd turned her back on them?
Female vampires weren't known for being homebody 'Martha Stewart' types. They were cold, bitchy toward their own sex, and could strip a male bare with their cutting words – if one crossed them.
Tessa's mother fell into a category all on her own, having borne three children. Most vampires had none – or if they had any, they stopped at one. That added to the conjecture about Tessa. He'd heard others speak about her as if she was retarded. Not like them. Tessa was better than they were any day. She cared. About her friends, her family, even the human race. She hated the mess the world was in, and she never backed down from a fight.
He straightened his shoulders and slowly fanned out his wings. He was from a damn long-lived line of vampires and he could take these assholes. It would take a lot to kill him.
The two men eyed him warily. They backed up at the new look in his eyes. "Now look here. We can't just let you disappear. Who knows what kind of trouble you're likely to pull down on us." They shook their heads. "It ain't happening."
Cody extended his wings, letting his fangs slide down fully. Their eyes widened. Theymightbe vampires. He couldn't be sure. They definitely weren't like him. His lineage went back to the beginning, to one of the ancient ones, the oldest and strongest of the vampire clans. He had inherited skills – some the others could only dream of. That he was young, undeveloped, and untested wasn't an issue. They would pay for what they'd done this night. For what they intended to do…
"Shit. I didn't sign up for this." The chubbier of the two backed up and looked at his partner, who was still trying to hold his ground. Then he glanced behind him at the vehicle beside him. "I ain't going to get into a fight I can't win." He bolted for the driver's door of the black SUV.
"Coward," Cody growled. He never took his eyes off the remaining asshole.
"Whatever. Keep your pet then. But watch your back. You've walked into something bigger than you can imagine. These vampires aren't going to let you get away with interfering in our business. This isn't the end of it." Calmly, he turned and walked over to the other vehicle where he climbed into the driver's side.
Cody waited a few minutes until the two vehicles drove down the driveway, then he knelt at Tessa's side. He had to get her out of here before anyone else arrived.
"Tessa? Come on, wake up." He studied the gray cast to her skin and frowned. Vampires had pure white skin. Tessa's changed daily from pinkish to peach to soft white. He kinda liked that about her. Not this color though. "Please. I really don't want to have to explain this to your dad. He's going to kill me for not protecting you. Tessa, please. Wake up."
Tessa moaned softly. Her head rolled as if she were trying to control an unwieldy ball from the inside.
"Cody," she whispered.
Relief poured through him. 'Thank God. Hang on, kiddo. I'm taking you home."
"Home?"
"Home," he whispered against her hair as he slid his arms underneath her slight frame, scooping her up into his arms. "Hang tight. We'll be there in a couple of minutes."
"Hurts," she moaned.
Shit. He probably shouldn't have moved her. What choice did he have though? He couldn't exactly leave her alone and injured. His instincts screamed to get her the hell away.
He carried her out into the night.
"Cody?"
"Yes, I'm here."
"Thank you."
The moonlight half slipped out from behind the clouds to shine down on her ashen face. She looked more vampire now than she ever had. "You're very welcome." He smiled. Then he bent and dropped a kiss on her lips.
He felt her surprise. He'd surprised himself. A kiss on her cheek, her temple, even her hair – all that would be normal and quite acceptable coming from her brother's best friend. A soft loving kiss on those plump lips – not quite the same.
And if he couldn't explain it to himself, he certainly wouldn't be able to explain it to her father or her brother. He snuck a glance at her out of the corner of his eye. Concerned relief coursed through him when he realized she'd fallen unconscious again.
With any luck, she wouldn't remember the kiss anyway.
***
Tessa opened her eyes briefly. And she shut them again as wind rushed past her cheeks. Lying warm with a steady beat under her ear, she realized she was being carried. She frowned. Comfort and safety enveloped her.
The one who held her did so carefully, almost lovingly. Peeking beneath her lashes, she studied the all black clothing in front of her face. Great. All vampires wore black. She cast her mind back, trying to remember what could have brought her to this point. Her head throbbed on the left side. Was she hurt? That couldn't be good. If her injury didn't do it, her mother would kill her…then it all came rushing back to her.Jared.She struggled upright, only to have bands of steel tighten around her.
"Don't move. It's hard enough to carry you while I'm flying, but landing with you struggling…not good."
Cody.Her eyes widened. He was the one holding her so carefully? Like a delicate package that could break with the slightest mishandling.No, not possible.She couldn't help tucking this memory away for closer examination later.
Cody had always been the too-familiar extra brother and the not-quite-familiar-enough dashing ancient, the most respected lines of vampires. An allure of mystery surrounded his entire family. Even though their fathers were b
est friends, Tessa had always felt slightly awed around Goran, Cody's father. There was an older son too, only he was almost a century older.
Tessa had met him only once and he seemed as unapproachable as his father. Cody, on the other hand, had always treated her like an annoying younger sister, even going so far as calling her various nicknames, like Tizzy, on occasion.
Now Cody flew like an archangel, strong and sure, confident in his abilities. She relaxed into his arms and enjoyed the novelty of being carried through the night.
"What happened?" she murmured softly. She didn't know if he could hear her with the wind whistling around them. The wind's chill cut through her clothing and attacked her skin. A shiver slid down her spine. A mallet beat on the inside of her skull, increasing its tempo every time she moved. She dared not make a sudden move and send them both crashing to the ground.
"We were attacked back at the house. You were hit on the side of the head – again."
"Don't remember."
She felt his concerned gaze on her.Interesting.Then again, her family was liable to roast him alive when they found out what they'd been doing. She dimly remembered the earlier part of the evening, but the head smacking part didn't ring any bells. Maybe that was just as well. She shivered again, loving the male warmth that wrapped around her as he snuggled her closer in his arms.
"We're almost there. Hang on."
She couldn't actually hang onto anything. Her arms were caught up against her chest and she was tucked up against Cody's heart. All kinds of weird feelings churned around in her stomach, making her wonder if she was going to be sick. She'd never felt this type of connection and warmth before.
Cody had always been there – in the background. Part of the family, but not family. She'd never considered him as anything other than David's irritating best friend. Now all kinds of feelings were washing through her, and heat was just one of them. Was this, as she suspected, all due to her head injury?
Cody descended so quickly, the wind rushed past her face, lifting and tossing her long hair. The moon shone behind him, raising his features in relief. How had she never noticed the clean, chiseled lines of his jaw and high cheekbones? Or the way the breeze picked up those jet-black curls to play in the wind? Good thing her hands were tucked out of the way, or they'd be reaching up to see if those strands were as silky as they looked. Waves of warm delight washed over her, making her tingle. She frowned with confusion.
What was going on here? She'd never considered Cody in this light. She'd been too busy drooling over Jared.
The landing, despite all his efforts at gentleness, jarred her.
"Ohh." She moaned in pain as her head bounced against his shoulder.
"Sorry." He straightened and stared down at her, worry etched into his features. "I tried to be careful."
"It's okay." It wasn't really, because now the hammer inside her head had been replaced by a sledgehammer. As she gasped for breath, she tried to hold back the tears. "It's not your fault."
"I don't think anyone else is going to believe that," he muttered.
She almost didn't catch his tone. And couldn't come up with one good reason why people wouldn't believe him. Cody was one of the good guys. Everyone knew that.
"Oh my God."
Tessa stirred at the voice. "Where are we?"
Cody never broke stride as he walked down the pathway. If anything, his back stiffened as he entered the house to the concerned cries of everyone present.
"We're home."
"Oh no." She so wasn't ready for this. She hid her face against his chest.
He cuddled her closer. "Sorry. Your mom needs to see to that injury. This is the second one tonight. Any more of this and it could be the end of you."
"I'm tougher than I look," she muttered so only he could hear. She refused to open her eyes and face the glaring accusations she knew would surround her.
"What the hell happened?" Her father's roar filled the room, followed by startled silence. "Is that Tessa? Now what did she do to her hair?"
Tessa moaned as her dad's voice turned the sledgehammer in her head into a jackhammer.
"She's been hurt – again. It's her head. She's in a lot of pain. Can I lay her down somewhere?" Cody stood in the middle of the living room, turning around, looking for a place to put her down.
Tessa's mother rushed over to them. Tessa tried to open her eyes but couldn't stand the light from the kitchen. "Light hurts," she mumbled.
"Let's take her to her room." Her mother led the way and Cody followed, still carrying Tessa. In his arms, she didn't feel like she was large or awkward or any of the other million mixed-up feelings she usually had to deal with.
Now there were new ones.
"Here. I'll pull back her covers." Blankets rustled, then Tessa felt the coolness of cotton sheets against her back as the beautiful warmth of Cody's body disappeared. She protested.
"Shhh. You'll be fine now. Let your mother take care of you."
Cold on both sides, Tessa curled into a ball while her mother pulled the blankets over her.
"Cody?"
"I'm here." He reached over to take her hand gently in his.
"Thanks," she whispered as she let the darkness take her away.
***
"Go. I'll look after her. You need to explain what happened to Serus. I don't know what's going on, but this has to stop. She's not like us."
Cody looked over at Tessa's mom in surprise. "Rhia, I think she's more like us than you realize."
Rhia stopped stroking a white streak of Tessa's hair to glance up at him. She looked surprised. "What do you mean?"
"I spent more time alone with her tonight than I think I ever have, and I know she surprised me. Maybe I've been as guilty as everyone else of assuming her genetics made herlessof a vampire." He shook his head. "I have to tell you, I think it's made her a better one." With that cryptic comment, he cast one final look at Tessa and walked out to face the gathering of angry vampires below.
There was only one way to handle this and that was to tell the truth. Tessa wouldn't appreciate it. It could mean she might never be allowed free on her own again, at least for a good long time. That didn't change the fact that something ugly brewed in the vampire world, and everyone needed to know what was going on. Cody, for one, wanted the others to help him find out what that was. The best he could do would be to minimize Tessa's involvement.
Or better yet, accent the strengths she'd showed tonight. Foolish and impulsive actions, maybe…except her heart had been in the right place.
Then again, as he thought about it, he didn't need to embellish anything. Tessa had done just fine tonight – all on her own.
CHAPTER SIX
Tessa woke to a darkened room. She surged upright, wincing at the pounding in her head as memories of last night crowded into her awareness. Her panicked glance showed the same curtains on the window of her childhood room and the cozy blanket David had bought for her birthday last year. Home. Sighing, she relaxed into the pillows.
Not wanting to face the day and not yet truly rested, she pulled the blanket up to her neck and tried to snuggle deeper.
Loud noises from below disturbed her peace. She didn't know what they were arguing about, but it had gone beyond normal family fighting. That's probably what had awakened her. She lifted her hand to her head and gently explored her skull, wincing as her fingers caught on the dried blood matting her hair. A shower would be wonderful. Just the thought of exerting that much effort made the rest of her body scream in protest. The events of last night had sapped her energy.
Images and feelings mixed with odd impressions and partial memories, leaving her unsure of what had actually happened. And then there was Cody. Even as she thought his name, a gentle sense of connection swept through her. She sighed. She needed to get a grip before Cody got wind of that. He'd just laugh at her.
Speaking of Cody. Was that his voice?Shit.She glanced at the clock and groaned. She'd hardly slept. Less than an hour ha
d gone by since her return. As her father's blustery voice whipped through the house, Tessa cringed. Cody had saved her. She'd been the one who hadn't wanted to go back and get help. Please don’t let him get ripped by her father.
Cody had been the hero. She'd been the idiot.
They could blame her if they wanted. They would anyway, to a certain extent. But they shouldn't be treating Cody badly. Knowing she'd never rest if she didn't do her part to right the injustice, she slowly sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
The room spun around for a few seconds, then calmed down. Using her night table for support, she stood up and carefully made her way to the doorway. She didn't want to face her father's wrath. In truth, no vampire in the world would. But she couldn't let Cody take the blame for her actions.
Good intentions were fine, in theory. Navigating the stairs to make good on them was a different matter.
She misjudged the distance to the last stair and accidentally stomped down hard. She gasped as spikes drove into her temple. Biting her bottom lip, she forged ahead into the living room. The room swelled with vampires.
Great, there'd be an audience to hear her admit her stupidity. Bitterness washed over her in waves. Surely, for once in her life, some things could be private? Not this, apparently. Then again, of all her actions, this one would have the most widespread repercussions.
"I don't want to hear it," her father snapped at someone, his barely leashed temper adding a cutting edge to his voice.
Tessa couldn't suppress the moan that slipped out. His voice… Could he please remove the spike now deeply embedded in her brain by his raised voice? She massaged her temple and fell back against the doorway.
"Tessa?"
The room erupted into chaos.
Her mother rushed to her side. Cody beat her to it.
"Why the hell aren't you sleeping?" he snapped.
"Uh, gee, maybe because of all the yelling going on," she snapped back. She didn't argue as he slipped a hand under her elbow and led her to the closest chair. Sinking into it, she closed her eyes briefly. And opened them to see her mother glaring at her father.