Hunting Season (Aurora Sky (24 page)

“If you say so,” I said, eyes trained forward.

Jared nudged me with his elbow. “Smile, Raven. You get to sit this one out. Giselle's all mine.”

He pulled on the rope with renewed vigor, increasing our speed the closer we got to the other side. I unlatched the cage of the door as we pulled up to the platform and quickly stepped out, Jared right behind me.

We walked across the platform, taking the steps down to the forest floor. I did a quick scan of the forest, but didn't see anyone. Did she mean for us to hike in further?

Jared stopped not far from the platform and looked around.

I lifted the gun, not sure where to aim it.

“Oh, Giselle,” he called. “Where's my warm welcome? Why don't you give daddy a kiss?”

I searched the trees for movement.

Giselle stepped out from behind a tree about twenty feet away. She wore a thin navy jacket over plaid pants and held a fencing sword in each hand. Her long wavy blonde hair tumbled loose over her shoulders.

“Hello, Xavier,” she said calmly, eyes locked on Jared's.

Jared looked her up and down and grinned. “My dear, you haven't aged one bit. Still skin and bone, I see, but other than that, nature has been kind to you.”

“And too kind to you,” she said.

Jared's grin widened. He lifted his chin. “Alive and well as you can see. Escaped the hang man's noose.”

“What a pity,” Giselle said.

The grin shriveled from Jared's face.

“I brought you Jared. Where's Dante?” I demanded.

Giselle glanced at me briefly before returning a steady gaze on Jared.

“Well?” I said.

“I'm right here.”

Dante! It was Dante's voice. My heart surged with relief. He stepped forward to the right of Giselle. His face was cleanly shaven, and he wore a clean pair of jeans and a hoodie. As far as I could tell, Dante was unharmed. I couldn't make out any restraints. Not only that, but he held a rifle against his side.

Relief was as fleeting as a butterfly flitting and floating away into the moss covered forest. Had Jared been right about Giselle recruiting Dante to her side? No way. Not possible.

“Dante?” I said slowly. “What are you doing?”

Jared chuckled. “You see, Raven? Can't trust anyone. Your partner has switched sides.”

Dante lifted the rifle. He didn't aim it at anyone, but he had it ready. The question was, for what?

“I don't work for her,” Dante said, nodding sideways at Giselle. “I'm returning home with Aurora.”

My heart flipped. I lowered my arm and the gun to my side. The relief I felt was almost overwhelming. Dante was alive, unharmed, and on my side. Always on my side. I couldn't ask for a greater friend in all the world.

“I'm here for you,” I said.

Dante's expression softened when our eyes met.

“Well, isn't this one big happy reunion?” Jared said sarcastically. He took a step forward, eyes on Giselle. “Unfortunately for you, those two work for me.”

“I don't work for you,” Dante said. “I know all about you. I know you ran Aurora's car off the road. I know you tried to kill her and Valerie in Sitka. I know the whole thing was a ruse to pin the murder of Agent Crist on Andre Morrel and his family when it was you who killed Crist. You murdered a member of our team then you killed off your old family to try and cover it up—everyone but her.” Dante inclined his head in Giselle's direction without taking his eyes off Jared.

Jared ground his teeth together. “Quite the rumor that's going around about me and 'ol Crist.” His eyes slid over Dante. He smirked and walked toward him. “Ease up, soldier boy. I didn't kill Agent Crist. Now hand over the rifle.”

In a flash, Dante lifted the rifle against his shoulder and aimed at Jared's chest. “Stop right there.”

Jared stopped. He ground his teeth together as he emitted a nasty snarl. “So you are on her side?”

Dante watched Jared over the barrel of the rifle.

“I'm on one side and one side only—humanity's.”

Jared's jaw relaxed. He let out a bark of laughter. Dante kept his stance, rifle trained on Jared who continued to laugh.

“What's so funny?” Dante demanded.

Jared stopped laughing. He looked Dante up and down and made a sound of disgust in the back of his throat. “You're a vampire, fool.” Jared looked at me. “Tell him, Raven. Tell your partner what he is.”

Dante glanced sideways at me, keeping the rifle pointed at Jared.

“Quit stalling, Xavier,” Giselle said. “This is between me and you. I even brought you a sword.” She tossed one of the swords at Jared. It landed at his feet. “I don't do things the coward's way—the way you killed Etienne, Andre, and Henriette.”

Wrinkles formed around Jared's cheeks when he glared. “I am no coward,” Jared said. “You were the cowards leaving me behind to die after the police locked me away.”

Giselle's lips stretched into a smile. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looked almost sweet. She circled slowly around Jared, mirth in the gaze she leveled at him.

“Give me more credit than that, Xavier. Who do you think reported you to the authorities in the first place?”

My breath hitched.

She didn't?

Giselle's smile widened.

She so did! I stared at her, stunned. Then slowly, heart hammering, I looked at Jared.

His eyes bulged. His face turned red. His lips curled back so far I noticed his back molars had been filed to points. I'd never do that to my teeth. Gross. I didn't care if I was a vampire.

Jared snatched the sword from the ground. “You're dead, bitch.”

“You and I both know I never lose a sword fight,” Giselle replied.

How could she act so calm? She might have been a calculating she-vamp, but she was a thin wisp of a thing, further dwarfed by Jared's rage.

He lunged. Giselle met him halfway, their blades clashing, steel grinding against steel as the edges slid apart.

Giselle's eyes seemed to light up at the sound.

I moved back as Jared and Giselle circled each other. Dante lowered the rifle as he joined my side. I wanted to throw my arms around him, but it didn't seem like the right time.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Fine,” he said, watching the sword fight as closely as I. “You?”

“I'm okay. I'm so happy to see you. I can't believe she didn't tie you up.”

Dante grimaced. “Yeah, well, after she told me what you said about Jared killing Agent Crist as an excuse to murder her family, I got pretty worked up. I already wanted him dead after he came at you twice. When I heard he'd killed Agent Crist, I said she needed to release me so I could go after him myself.” Dante snorted. “I guess she found my anger convincing. She wouldn't let me go, but she said I could have a gun at the meet if I promised not to screw anything up.”

My jaw dropped. “She trusted you?”

“Trust me?” Dante shook his head. “She doesn't trust anyone. Besides, I told her I'd let her have her chance at Jared. If she doesn't take him out, I will. If she manages to kill him, she has to deal with me next.”

“And me,” I said, lifting the pistol in my hand. “It doesn't matter who wins. They're both dangerous.”

“I'm not leaving until I see Jared die,” Dante said.

I knew how he felt. The trouble was that if Giselle killed him, she'd probably kill us next. I had a hard time believing she'd give Dante a loaded gun knowing he meant to go after her once she beat Jared. There had to be a firearm stuffed somewhere on her. I'd seen what she was capable of. She did not hesitate. Not for a second. Even now she went at Jared with her sword as though she'd trained for this moment her entire life.

Jared grunted, lunged, and slashed at Giselle. She jumped back, avoiding the tip of his blade. Whereas Jared looked diabolical in his rage, Giselle showed little emotion—only cool disdain.

Dante watched their actions closely. Even as he spoke to me, his eyes never left the duel. “For her sake, I hope she gets a chance to avenge her family before I put a bullet in her. It doesn't matter who wins this round, but at least she's not deceitful like Jared—still denying his part in Crist's death and calling us vampires. That's rich.”

Right. About that. It wasn't the ideal place to have the “Dante, you're a vampire” talk, but now that he mentioned it, I felt obligated to comment. First things first.

“Jared didn't kill Crist.”

Dante turned his head to me, eyes still on Jared and Giselle. “But you said—”

“I was wrong. I accused him to his face. He said Melcher killed her.”

Dante snorted. “When hell freezes over.”

“It has,” I said somberly. “He's telling the truth.”

Dante dropped his chin. “How do you know?”

I turned away from the fight. “Melcher's a vampire and so are we. We're all vampires. They turned us, Dante. They turned us the moment they brought us in for transfusions.”

Dante shook his head. “But the antidote—”

“It's no antidote. It's the poison that makes vamps writhe when they bite us,” I said. “It was all a lie. We're undead. Vampires. Recruited and turned to fight Melcher's war.”

Jared screamed. I turned quickly and saw him clutch his shoulder. Giselle backed away and stopped, poised with her sword at her side, eyes shining and below them, a little smile on her lips. She was the first to draw blood.

Jared said something in French before charging forward. Giselle took two steps toward him. Their blades collided and broke apart. The pair circled each other around the forest floor, stepping over roots as they went. There wasn't much of a clearing, which kept them in close quarters.

I glanced back at Dante, who frowned. He straightened his spine.

“Someone's been messing with your mind, Sky. We are human. I know we are.”

Stubborn vamp boy! And Noel had thought I couldn't handle the truth. Dante wouldn't accept that he was undead if the truth walked up and bit him in the neck.

Jared screamed again. He swiped a hand over his thigh and lifted bloody fingers.

Dante's brows rose. “Things aren't looking good for Jared.”

This time, Giselle didn't wait. She lunged forward and knocked Jared's sword from his hands. The blade hit the hard packed soil. Jared took a step back, followed by another. Giselle stepped forward slowly.

Jared continued backing away then stopped. “You should have never reported me to the police.”

Giselle lifted her sword. “You're right. I should have killed you myself.”

She lunged, but before she could strike the fatal blow, Jared ducked at the last second. Giselle missed and passed him. As she did, Jared jumped back up and shoved her face-first into a tree.

Giselle's sword fell from her fingers when she hit the tree trunk. She fell, landing on her back.

Jared quickly snatched a mango-sized rock off the ground and leapt on top of her. He lifted the rock.

“I am going to bash in your skull, you backstabbing bitch!”

“Like you killed that boy?” Giselle lifted her head off the ground. A drop of blood ran down the side of her face like a tear.

The rock shook in Jared's hand.

Without saying a word, Dante and I crept in closer.

“What is it with you and that infernal boy?” Jared demanded. “He was an imbecile.”

Giselle's eyes narrowed. “He was defenseless.”

She ought to be worrying more about her defenselessness at the moment than a boy who died over a hundred years ago.

Jared straightened his back. “The world is better off without him, just like it will be better off without you.”

Jared slammed the rock down. Giselle moved her head at the last second, but it wasn't enough to miss the blow altogether. She cried out as it struck one side of her head. She kneed Jared in the gut. He grunted as she twisted around and crawled toward her sword. Jared leapt to his feet and got to the sword before Giselle. He dropped the rock and scooped up the blade. Giselle was still on her hands and knees when he kicked her in the face so hard she fell onto her back, suddenly motionless.

Ouch
. I knew from personal experience that had to hurt like hell.

“Game over,” Jared said through gritted teeth. “
Au revoir
, Giselle.”

“Jared, stop!” I screamed.

My voice didn't startle him for a second. The contorted expression on his face made him appear demonic as he stood over Giselle's body, sword raised. It was too sick. I couldn't let him, even knowing that saving Giselle was what had gotten me into this mess in the first place. This wasn't about saving her. This was about ending the vampire who had taken my life.

As Jared raised the hilt of the sword, I raised my gun and fired. The shot rang out through the forest, echoing across the gorge.

19

Jared dropped the sword and stared at me in shock. He took a step forward, stopped, keeled over and fell to the ground on his stomach.

The gun shook in my hand. Oh my god, I'd shot him. I'd killed him. It was over. I stared at Jared's body in disbelief.

My heart hammered inside my ears, or maybe they were still ringing from the shot.

Jared and Giselle were laying on the ground. Dante and I were left standing.

A hysterical laugh burbled up my throat, but I held it in. A sickening sense of joy came over me. And relief. I'd never felt so much relief.

“You did it,” Dante said. “You got him.”

I nodded slowly. “It had to be done.”

“Damn straight it had to be done,” Dante said, walking over to Jared's body.

Dante stared down for a long while before turning to look at Giselle. Her eyes were closed, but her chest rose up and down slowly. I kept my ground.

“That one's still breathing,” Dante said.

“Where's Gavin?” I asked.

“The vampire is still locked inside her basement.”

“Do you know where that is?”

Dante shook his head. “She blindfolded me the entire way here. Doesn't matter. He's a vampire.”

“So are we, and he's a friend of Noel's.”

“I'd know if I was a vampire.”

“Blood doesn't excite you?” I challenged.

Dante's frown deepened. “It's a side effect.”

“It's a symptom.”

“I don't believe it,” Dante persisted. “The agency would never allow something like that. We kill vampires. She kidnapped an agent and stabbed another.”

He took a step toward Giselle.

My eyes were on her. They should have been on Jared. By the time I noticed him rise onto his knees, it was too late. His hand shot out, grabbing Dante by the ankle.

I screamed as Jared yanked back. Dante fell to the ground beside Jared, who snatched the rifle out of Dante's hands by the barrel. Jared cracked the handle over Dante's head.

“No!” I screamed.

Dante slumped over, taking the spot Jared had occupied on the ground moments before.

Jared stood with the rifle, laughing hysterically. His lips pulled back, showing the whites of his teeth, when he looked at me.

“You think I'd trust you with a loaded gun? I filled it with blanks.”

Oh. Shit.

I glanced at the pistol, no more helpful than a BB gun.

Jared cocked the rifle, lifted it to his shoulder and started toward me slowly. I lifted the pistol, both hands clasped around the handle as though in prayer. I might not be able to kill him, but I could slow him down.

Jared tsked. “What a pity, Raven. So much potential. We could have been a team. It just goes to show: Never trust a woman.”

Jared headed straight for me.

I braced myself and aimed at his face. My trigger finger twitched. Jared lifted the rifle higher. I watched his finger on the trigger, waiting until he got closer.

As he closed in, Giselle appeared behind him. I'd never seen her get up. My eyes widened in surprise, which was enough to tip Jared off. He whirled around. Giselle's blade sliced through his side.

Jared screamed.

He swung the barrel of the rifle around, aiming for Giselle, and took a shot. She dropped to the ground just in time to avoid eating lead.

I ran to Dante, dropping to the ground beside him.

“Dante!” I cried, shaking him by the shoulders. “Dante?” I said, nudging him.

Another shot rang out.

“Dante, get up!” I yelled.

His eyes opened suddenly, as though he'd received an electric shock. I nearly cried out in relief.

“We have to get out of here now,” I said.

I got to my feet and grabbed his hand. Dante pushed off the ground as I pulled him forward. I yanked his hand toward the platform. We made a run for it. Turning my back to the enemy was far from ideal, but to do otherwise could cost us our lives.

We scrambled up the platform stairs and sprinted to the metal cage. Dante ripped open the door.

“Get in!” he said.

I didn't need to be told twice. The cage bounced when I jumped in. Dante stepped in behind me. Before he could close the door, Giselle ran up the platform, sword in hand, and grabbed the door with her free hand.

“I'm coming with you,” she said.

“Where's Jared?” I demanded.

“He's retreated into the woods.”

“So why don't you go after him?” Dante asked.

Giselle glared at him. “Because he has the rifle. The rifle I entrusted you with.”

Dante pulled the door closed. “You're not coming with us.”

Giselle looked at me. “I'll take you to Gavin.”

I chewed on my lower lip, thinking.

“Aurora, forget the vampire,” Dante said. “We have to report this to Melcher.”

My hands trembled. I stuffed the gun inside the back of my jeans and took Dante's hands in mine, squeezing gently. Dante turned his head slightly to the side, suddenly still. He searched my eyes.

“Dante, I can't go back to the agency,” I said slowly. “Not after I tried to kill Jared. You know what Melcher would do to me.”

Dante's grip on my hands tightened. He nodded and relaxed his hold.

“That means I can't go back, either.”

Giselle shoved her way inside the cage with us.

“The two of you are going to need a benefactor and a place to stay,” she said. “Unless, of course, you fancy getting yourselves killed.”

The cage wasn't designed for more than two people—even if the third occupant was a skinny vampire. Dante and I had to squish together to make room for Giselle.

We were only inches apart. His chest heaved as his lungs pumped the cool air around us in and out. He grabbed ahold of the rope, arms flexing as he pulled the cage across the chasm. Halfway across, Giselle reached inside her pocket and tossed her phone into the raging river below.

As the cage neared the platform on the other side, Tommy appeared on top of the concrete block.

Dante leaned against the ledge, jolting the contraption along the way. “Tommy!”

Tommy barked and jumped onto his hind legs. His tail wagged like crazy.

Woof. Woof. Woof.

Each ecstatic bark became louder the closer we approached. Dante put his entire upper body in to pulling the rope.

Giselle craned her neck toward the approaching platform. “Is that a dog?”

No, it's a horse
. I kept my sarcasm to myself.

Once the cage bounced over the platform, Dante jumped out. In an instant, he gathered Tommy into a hug.

“Tommy, boy! I'm back!”

Tommy barked happily.

I stepped out, followed by Giselle.

“That's nice, but we need to get going,” she said.

Dante glared at her over his shoulder. “We're going.” He stood and switched to a smile when he looked at his dog. “Ready for a road trip, boy?”

Tommy stared up at him and wagged his tail.

“Let's head out.”

Dante led the way back to Alyeska. None of us spoke during the walk through the woods. It was as though nature had cast a spell of silence over us. We walked in silence, single file. I'd never felt more wired or exhausted in my entire life. My body and mind kept teetering from one extreme to the other.

“Are we taking the Subaru?” I asked when we reached the parking lot.

“The truck,” Giselle said, nodding at a big-ass blue Ford truck parked at the front end of the parking lot.

It wasn't until we were inside Giselle's truck, headed out of Girdwood, that Dante cleared his throat and said, “Now would be a good time to bring me up to speed.”

I took a deep breath and told him about the tasting, Valerie, Levi, and Mason, the human deaths at the agency's hands, and their recruitment of previous targets.

Dante shook his head. “Something is rotten in Denmark.”

From the driver's seat, Giselle glanced over briefly before returning her attention to the road.

“So how do we make this right?” Dante mused, drumming his fingers over his thigh.

Staying alive was more my focus than making things right.

“You can't set things straight if you're dead,” Giselle said.

One thing could be said about Giselle—she'd survived in the world a long time. Maybe having her along for the ride wasn't the end of the world, even if it meant sleeping with one eye open. Melcher wasn't the only one aligning himself with past enemies.

“We could head east toward Canada,” I said. “Cross the border on foot through the wilderness.”

“No,” Dante said.

“You've got a better idea?” I asked.

Dante studied the passing scenery, taking his time answering. Finally he said, “We go north toward Denali and we keep heading north. Why do you think Melcher always sent me to Fairbanks? Because I know that area better than anyone.” Dante leaned into me. “Including everything in between.”

I clenched my jaw.

Cozy.

Until I had a chance to meet up with Fane, hiding out with Dante and Giselle made the most sense. I couldn't risk going home to pack a bag or speak to Noel. It was only a matter of time before Jared found a phone and alerted Melcher.

“Do you have an extra phone in here?” I asked, eyes on the glove box.

“No more phones,” Giselle said.

“Where can we pick up some burners?” I asked.

“No phones of any kind from now on,” Giselle said.

My jaw tightened. “I need to call Noel and let her know Dante and I are okay. While I'm at it, I can give her Gavin's location. There's no reason to leave him locked up. He never hurt anyone.”

“We can look for a pay phone once we're out of Anchorage,” Giselle said. “Until then, I'm not stopping.”

“She's right,” Dante said. “We have to keep moving.”

I looked between the two of them, mouth ajar. My gaze settled on Dante. I could stare all I wanted. His eyes were intent on the road.

Then it occurred to me. I couldn't call Noel—not even from a pay phone. Her phone was electronic road kill on the Seward Highway. There was no way to reach her. No way to reach Fane.

There had to be someone who could pass on a message to Noel. Daren, Reece, Whitney or Hope. Too bad I didn't know any of their last names.