Keepers of the Flame (Trilogy Bundle) (5 page)

“We're all in danger,” I told her. “You don't have to be a protector to face danger.”

“Yes, but most of us don't consciously and deliberately put ourselves in the path of danger,” she pointed out.

She was more intelligent than I'd given her credit for. I filed this knowledge away somewhere in my mind for future reference. I got the feeling she played up the bimbo part and it would be so easy to underestimate her. I made a mental note not to make that mistake.

We spent the morning talking about different topics and I found her a witty and intelligent conversationalist. She was so different from the surly teenager I'd encountered the first time we met and as we conversed, I began to see why she'd reacted the way she had. Even though she was reserved and normally quiet spoken, she was fiercely independent and I recognized that determination not to rely on anyone in her. It wasn't anything she said per se, it was just that for the first time in my life, I felt like I'd met a kindred spirit.

The thought was disconcerting. I didn't want to get attached to her because I knew that once the mission was over, we would go our separate ways. I'd lost too many people in my life; I wasn't willing to add another to the list.

When there was a slight lull in our conversation, I said an abrupt goodbye and beat a hasty retreat. I could feel her looking at me in confusion and slight hurt, but I needed to get away.

***

Later as I climbed up to her room, I wondered what explanation I was going to give her for the way I hurried off. She had the entire attic floor to herself and when I got there, her door was already open.

“Come inside, Dylan. Hurry!”

I heard the excitement in her voice and it echoed the excitement I felt at the way she called my name. It didn't sound any different from how most people called it, but it had felt different. And I knew I was being paranoid.

I entered the room and discovered she'd dressed in skin tight skinny black leather pants and a black tank top. She had on a biker jacket and was in the process of zipping it up when I came in. she looked up from her task and flashed me a quick smile before focusing on what she was doing.

I used that time to study her and felt my throat close up at the sight of her. She looked every inch the vampire, from the top of her tightly pulled-back ponytail to the tip of her leather-soled boots. This was like vampire uniform and I was similarly attired myself. But even as she stood there, it looked to me like there was something a bit off about her. It was nothing I could put my finger on, but it niggled at the back of my mind. Trying to ignore it, I pointed to the sky roof above her bed, which was wide open.

“Are you ready?”

She nodded expectantly and her eyes sparkled. “Thus far, I can say it's the only thing that's great about being a vampire.”

That struck me as odd and I turned to look at her. “You don't like being a vampire?”

“Who does?” She shrugged carelessly. “It's not like I had much of a choice on whether I wanted to be immortal or not.”

“You want to be mortal?” I sounded incredulous. I couldn't imagine it.

She looked away and worried at her lips before asking quietly, “Don't you think it would be nice to be normal for once?”

I actually thought about it. Normal? What was that? It definitely wasn't a state I'd ever experienced. Even born to a completely vampire family as I'd been, I had felt like a freak, an aberration of nature. I didn't think
normal
existed and I told her as much. She just shrugged and gestured up to the sky roof.

“Have you removed the shield?”

“Not really, but I've made it so that you can pass through.”

She rolled her eyes, “Why, thank you, kind sir.”

I couldn't help smiling at her slight British accent. It was almost unnoticeable but became stronger when she was upset, and now when she'd been using sarcasm.

She walked to the foot of her bed and like a bullet, shot out of the roof. I shot out after her and saw that she'd already gained some distance. I made sure she was within sight but gave her the space I knew she was craving. Don't ask me how I knew, I just did.

I moved in the air and watched as she cavorted, moving with grace and abandon. It was not
flying
exactly. Vampires don't fly. But we have the ability to move through the elements to get to where we're going. Besides, since I discovered I could teleport, it wasn't an activity I'd practiced for a long while. But watching Luanne, it was almost like she was dancing in the sky. From where I was, I could feel her joy and excitement, and it was contagious.

I allowed her to swirl and dance around in the night sky until she wound down, then I made to move toward her. All of a sudden, I couldn't explain it, but I felt a burning urgency to get to her. My instincts had saved my life on more than one occasion and I wasn't about to ignore it now. Thank goodness I didn't. A few seconds more and I would have been too late.

The sense of freedom and exhilaration I felt when I was up in the air was second to none. Then my insecurities faded, the fact that I was seen as weird in school didn't mean anything to me when I was up in the air. I was one with everything around me and it was the only time I felt at peace with myself. This time was no different even though I was acutely aware of Dylan not too far away from me. I appreciated the fact that he was sensitive enough to give me some space and just let me be, but I couldn't shake how tuned in to him I felt.

I finally slowed down and knew the instant he headed for where I was. I stood still, feeling the wind on my skin even as I hovered in the air, and waited for him. But just before he got to where I was, I felt the stone on my pendant begin to tingle. Suddenly, it heated up and became incredibly hot. I knew instantly that something was terribly wrong. The stone had never heated up to that degree before and as I rubbed on it, all my instincts on high alert, I felt the first fission of fear. With one part of my mind, I registered the fact that though I felt the heat from the stone, it wasn't burning me. Instead I felt like I was absorbing the heat.

“Luanne?” Dylan had come to where I was standing and he was also as alert as I was.

I opened my mouth to answer when I felt a searing pain on my right arm. I opened my eyes wide in shock.

“Quick, head for the house!” His command and the urgency in his tone pierced through my confusion and I turned toward the direction of the house but I hadn't moved at all when I discovered my path was being blocked. There was a row of leather-clad vampires blocking my way; I knew they were vampires because I could feel their aura even though they were all masked. I turned to Dylan and that was when I realized we were surrounded.

I hadn't realized I'd moved but suddenly my body was touching Dylan's. I felt my heart pounding in fear. Wave upon wave of terror flowed over me as I gazed upon the menacing presence of the masked vampires. There was no escape.

Suddenly the row of vampires in front of me parted and a vampire walked through. He was roughly the same height and build as Dylan, but I felt the strength and power coming from him. He had piercing blue eyes and hair the color of corn. It fell over the lapel of his leather jacket, creating a sharp contrast. I could tell that he was one vampire who had seen several hundred years and wondered what he wanted with me. I didn't have to wonder for long.

“Farley, I see you're here. I'm impressed.” His voice was a deep bass and had a gritty tone to it, which still managed to sound smooth and fine. Kind of how I would expect high quality whiskey to sound, if it could speak.

Farley? I wondered, slightly puzzled. Who was he talking about? I felt Dylan go absolutely still beside me and I knew the man was referring to him. How did the man know Dylan?

“Lord Morrison, it's been a while.”

“Hasn't it though? Now hand over the girl and we'll be on our way.”

“Ah, I wish I could, but you know that's not possible.”

“This is bigger than you Farley, and I know you're not a fool. Hand her over.”

“That would be over my dead body.”

Lord Morrison flashed a smile and shook his head. “Still as stubborn as ever, eh? I know you're an excellent Protector, Farley; I trained you myself. However, you're not that infatuated with your own prowess, surely. I have you surrounded; you are overpowered, thirty to one. I would hate to have your blood on my hands.”

I felt the fear fade and anger swept over me. Who on earth did that man think he was to patronize Dylan that way?

“What do you want with me?” I finally spoke up.

He turned to look at me with faint disdain. “Little girl, you've been enough trouble. You either come with me peacefully or forcefully. Either way, you come with me.”

I could feel the heat from the stone spread through my body, even as my arm throbbed. I raised my chin up and looked him in the eye. “I'm too hot for you to handle.”

His eyes flashed with amusement. “Obviously you think this is a playground. Enough talking now. You come with me.” The amusement had fled from his eyes and they were now as cold as the arctic.

“You want her, come and get her.”

Dylan's challenge echoed in the night and there was a subtle, but no less menacing shift in the other vampires. Lord Morrison stared at us silently for a few moments then turned and walked back to where the other vampires were standing. Suddenly he snapped his fingers and the vampires attacked us from every side.

Dylan grabbed my hand and we shot up in to the air, taking the other vampires by surprise. He let go of my hand and held out both his hands, and when he brought them down, he was holding two shining swords, one long and one short. He thrust the shorter one into my hand. From the corner of my eyes I could see the masked vampires gathering around us once more.

“Use it!” he barked at me before swinging the long one in an arc and heading straight for the group of vampires.

I held the short sword and it trembled in my hands. I felt panic rise up in my chest and knew I was too close to hyperventilating. I wasn't a fighter! I knew how to hold a sword and even how to use one, Katrina had seen to that. But I had never for one moment imagined that I would ever need to use one on people…well, on vampires.

I had a split second to watch Dylan in action and felt awe. His muscles rippled as he swung his sword and it was like a beautiful dance. Just then I felt a hand grab at me and I turned instinctively and thrust. The vampire immediately let go of me as it turned into dust. Another vampire grabbed at my ponytail and yanked. I almost yelled in pain and swung around to face the offender. But then a hand grabbed at me and another, then another. I was being mobbed and there was nothing I could do about it. I tried to use the sword but my hand was being held captive.

I noticed then that they began to move with me. They were moving at such speed, I was sure Dylan would never find me.

I yelled for Dylan but even as I was calling out to him, I knew it was futile. Whatever these people wanted me for, they were determined not to let anything or anyone get in their way. I was going to have to find a way out of this myself, I thought with a sinking heart. Once again, I was alone.

Suddenly I was free and just as they had appeared, the vampires all disappeared. I looked around for Lord Morrison and even he was gone. In wonder, I shifted my gaze to Dylan's.

“What happened?” I asked, my voice shaking with reaction. “Where did they go?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he replied, panting.

That was when I noticed that he had a very nasty cut running from his left eye to his neck. It looked like it was made by a knife. My blood went cold at the sight.

“What happened to you?”

“It's nothing serious,” he replied holding onto my arm. “We need to head for your home right now before they come back.”