Ignite (Midnight Fire Series Book One) (29 page)

"Everyone will love you, don't worry. My
little brother can't wait. I think he thinks you're a shiny new toy
for him to play with."

Kira smiled, already picturing a miniature
version of Luke running around with a wide smile on his face,
fascinated by everything around him. Luke's family would be
interesting to finally meet. Kira wondered what his sister and
parent's would think. Had he told them about Tristan?

"And," Luke continued talking, recognizing
that Kira still needed reassurance, "the Council really isn't that
bad. Everything is going to be great, you'll see."

"I hope so," she said and glanced back out
at the party. Miles and Susie were still dancing, getting
friendlier and friendlier Kira thought, and Dave and Emma had
disappeared. So much for the five of them hanging out. Everywhere
she looked, she saw her classmates, but they seemed more like
strangers to her now than ever before. She wasn't sad to be leaving
this town, just the few amazing friends she had made there.

Kira looked back at Luke, ready to ask more
questions about their travel arrangements for tomorrow, when she
saw him focus on something beyond her shoulder. The muscles in his
face tensed, his usual laugh lines disappeared, and Kira saw his
whole body stiffen. It could only mean one thing.

"Lover boy is here," he said and Kira turned
to see Tristan weaving his way through the crowd. Like a shadow
sneaking between the rays of the headlights, he molded into the
dark. Every part of him was hidden except for his pearly skin. Kira
tried to smother the smile threatening to spread across her face,
and turned back to Luke to silently let him know she wouldn't
abandon him to spend time with her boyfriend.

"I'll leave you two alone," Luke said,
pushing against the wall to straighten his body and prepare to walk
away.

"Luke, stay. I want to hang out with both of
you."

He shrugged, as if to say that's not
possible, and started to leave. Kira heard the porch steps creak
behind her, knowing it was Tristan, and spun around.

"We need to talk," Tristan said, his voice
full of concern. Luke stopped walking and looked back, alert.

"What's going on?" He asked. Kira could tell
he had transitioned to business mode and had let the personal drama
go for the moment.

"Privately. Can we get inside?"

Luke nodded and walked over to the door.
Reaching above the doorframe, he pulled out a spare key Miles must
have told him about and opened the locked door.

Tristan grabbed Kira's hand, entwining their
fingers, and quickly kissed the top of her head before following
Luke inside.

Luke shut the door behind them. The kitchen
was eerily dark and the soundproof glass dulled the strains of
music coming from the party. Heavy shadows crept around the lines
of light peeking through the windows making the three of them seem
very alone. Kira shivered with a sense of foreboding and dropped
Tristan's hand to lift herself onto the granite countertop. She
knew she would need a seat to hear the news Tristan clearly felt
was urgent.

"What's going on, Tristan?" She asked.

With traces of sadness lining his clear blue
eyes, Tristan looked at her and responded, "You and Luke need to
leave now. Immediately. I brought Luke's car and packed your
stuff." He ended quietly, as if not wanting to believe the truth in
his words. Kira reached out to grab his arm, pulling him closer.
There was something else, something he didn't want to tell her. In
the corner of her eye, Kira could see Luke pacing around the
kitchen, thinking.

"They're here, aren't they?" Luke stopped
walking and faced Tristan, who just nodded.

"What?" Kira asked, feeling left out, before
realizing Tristan of course meant vampires. "Wait? They're here? As
in Charleston or the backyard?"

Tristan ran his free hand through his hair
and turned to Luke in full protection mode. Kira had seen this act
before, and she didn't like it. "The pack of vampires I sent away
last time, they're back. We have five, maybe ten minutes before
they reach the party and tear this place apart. You both need to
leave now."

"But, what about everyone else?" Kira jumped
from the countertop, not allowing them to ignore her. She could not
leave these people to fend for themselves.

"We need to do something," Luke said,
walking closer to the two of them in order to figure out a plan.
Tristan nodded in agreement. "Okay, Kira and I will just have to
face them. We're powerful enough to bring down a few vampires, this
will all be fine."

"No, that's way too risky," Tristan said,
looking Kira in the eye. "You have to leave. You and Luke get in
the car and start driving. I'm going to lure the vampires away,
pretend I'm with them and that I saw you leave. Hopefully, I can
lead them in the wrong direction for a while so you and Luke have a
chance to escape."

"Oh, and your plan is totally foolproof,"
Kira smarmily replied. "I would rather fight them. It's what, eight
or nine vampires? Luke and I can handle it. You can't do this on
your own, Tristan." She reached her palm up to cup his face,
letting her finger brush against his hair. She wouldn't let him do
this alone.

"No, Kira," Luke spoke forcefully.
"Tristan's right. He needs to do this. It's the best way to make
sure you don't get caught."

Kira turned to Luke angrily. "It's not like
you wouldn't gladly watch him die." She hissed, then looked away,
instantly sorry for the remark. Luke was better than that — she
knew he was better than that.

"This isn't about that, okay?" Luke replied
softly, while staring at the ground to try and hide his involuntary
wince. "Everyone at this party is at risk right now and you being
here only amplifies that. Tristan's plan is the best way to keep
everyone safe. So, let's go." He grabbed her hand and started
pulling her from the kitchen, towards the front door of the
house.

"Wait, Luke. Wait!" She tugged against his
hold and stopped walking to glance back at Tristan. Drenched in
shadow, he stood in the kitchen alone, turned slightly away from
her and Luke as though he knew this was goodbye but couldn't bring
himself to say it.

"Meet me at the car," Luke said and dropped
Kira's hand to leave the two of them alone. He disappeared out the
door, and before Kira could blink, Tristan was by her side. His
hands gently cupped her face while he stared into her fire-laced
eyes.

"It's going to be alright," he said, urging
her to believe him. Kira tried to quell her racing heart and
believe his words, but even if it was alright tonight, neither one
of them knew what the future would hold in these next two months
apart. He would be chasing down Diana, and though Kira knew he
could take care of himself, even vampires could die.

Kira rested her forehead against his,
enjoying the brush of his cool breath on her cheek in this one
moment of peace.

"I love you," she whispered.

He leaned in to kiss her and Kira pulled him
closer, not wanting to let go and lose the touch of his soft lips
on hers. Tristan lifted her off the ground, hugging her close to
his body, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Everything felt
perfect at least for an instant, before Kira felt his body stiffen.
He broke their kiss, pulled her in even tighter for a final hug and
then set her back down, still holding her.

Kira stared into his sapphire eyes, reading
the sadness tinted longing in his irises, and knew the vampires
were here. Tristan let her go and stared, moving his eyes so he
could take in every inch of her face. She ran her hand through his
hair, pushing the ebony locks off of his forehead one last time,
breathing in the moment.

In the time it took for Kira to blink away a
tear, Tristan had vanished, leaving just a memory, and she was left
alone holding only the air.

###

About the Author

Kaitlyn Davis graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns
Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars. She's been
writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed
to finally share her work with the world. She currently lives in
New York City and dreams of having a cockapoo puppy of her own.

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