The Flash of a Firefly (21 page)

“I came to talk to you.” He carefully skirted around a broken chair. “But when I got here, a werewolf was doing all this …”

“Where is it now?” Sullivan asked as he stepped lightly to my side.

Max turned red and began brushing off his jeans. “I found a shovel in your garage, so I buried her.”

My eyes narrowed. “And all that commotion a minute ago didn’t catch your attention? What kind of vampire hunter are you?”

“I’m not,” he said defensively. “I was pulled out of university, given basic training, and put on a plane to come get you. So excuse me if I’m not doing this right.”

Well, that was something. I knew the Iustitia had to be desperate to ask for my help, but they must be worse off than he made them out to be. That didn’t change the fact that he was dangerous to have around. If he didn’t think he was going to get anywhere with us, then he might as well knock us off while he had the chance.

“She’s waking up,” Alex called.

He had replaced the tattered couch cushions and laid her down. When I got to her, her eyes were fluttering open. Her heartbeat was erratic, and she started gasping for breath between coughs.

I flashed a look at Sullivan. He looked down at her, and his forehead creased. He laid his fingers on her temples for a brief moment. He straightened back up and took a deep breath.

“What?” I demanded. My stomach was in knots as he slowly let his breath out. He was thinking too much about this. “Sullivan, what’s happening to her?”

“It’s possible that it didn’t work,” he said slowly. “I had a few issues.”

“Issues? What kind of issues?” I knelt down next to the couch. Her body was shaking viciously as she continued to fight for air.

Sullivan watched her intently. “I pull the subconscious desire to forget something forward to rewrite their memories. She didn’t really have that kind of desire.”

“Is she all right?” Max asked.

I shot him a look, and he backed away. Sweat was beading on her skin now, and her heart was speeding up even more. “Sullivan,” I pleaded.

“This has never happened before,” he admitted.

I gripped the ruined cushion and looked up at him. My body tingled with anger, or worry. I still couldn’t tell the difference. If she didn’t wake up soon, then she was going to have to be taken to the hospital. Her heart couldn’t keep up this pace for long without giving out. I tapped her cheek lightly, but it didn’t help.

Alex came around the couch and placed a wet washcloth from the bathroom on her forehead. “Hey,” he said to Max. “Make yourself useful and get a glass of water and a paper bag.”

He cracked his knuckles. “I can’t. The kitchen caught on fire before you got back. I put it out as quickly as I could,” he added.

My head spun.
This isn’t happening,
I thought.
This is
not
happening
. How did things get here? One day things were going along as usual, and the next it was all turned upside down. There was no going back now. At least there wasn’t without losing anything else.

Lyn gasped and tried to sit up, but Alex held her down by her shoulders. Her eyes fully opened and became glassy. She continued to fight to catch her breath, but she was awake. She looked between Alex and me with tears rolling down her face.

“Lyn?” I asked nervously. “Are you all right? Do you know who I am?”

She nodded her head. Alex moved his hands and let her sit up slowly. She wiped at her face with the sleeve from her sweater. “What happened?” she asked, barely audible.

Sullivan bent down and leaned in toward her. “How are you feeling?”

She rubbed her forehead with both hands and winced. “My head is killing me, I’m nauseous, and I’m confused.” She looked me straight in the eyes. “Did one of you do ...” She trailed off and stiffened.

“No one did anything to hurt you. We …” I paused. “We tried to erase your memories of us, but it was to protect you.”

Her jaw dropped. “What?”

“We thought it would be better for you,” Sullivan explained.

“Better for who?” She stood up and swayed.

I caught her before she fell, and she pushed me away. It was like a knife in my heart. It was better for her even if she didn’t realize it. I didn’t expect her to understand, but I wished that she had.

“Alex, take me home.” She brushed past me and stopped. Slowly, she turned around and glared at me. “Kaden, what happened to your house? And who is he?” She pointed to Max. “Someone better tell me what’s going on here.”

There was a long pause. I wasn’t sure how to answer her. So much had happened but nothing she should know about. “Lyn, I—”

“Don’t,” she interrupted, changing her mind. “I don’t want to hear you lie to me. I’m leaving.”

Alex walked around the couch and touched her arm. He leaned in to whisper into her ear. She started to cry again, and he led her upstairs, but not without throwing me a nasty look over his shoulder.

“Kaden, I know this is a bad time, but I really need to talk to you about Rome,” Max said.

Saying that this was a bad time was a huge understatement. My life had just crumbled to dust at my feet. Why would I want to discuss anything with him, now or later? I didn’t care what was happening in Italy. Enough was going on in my own backyard.

“They’re killing people every night. Rome is supposed to be off limits, but it’s completely overrun. We’re losing members left and right while we’re hunting. It’s impossible to get a step ahead of them.”

“I don’t care,” I snapped. “The fewer of you, the better.”

“It seems like they’re on a crusade against religion. If this continues, then people might find out you’re real,” he continued.

“Phoenix would send the Enforcement Team if he felt things were getting out of hand,” Sullivan told him.

“He’s right,” Flo said, storming in the open front door with Stu trailing behind. Her blond hair was stained with blood, and they were both covered in dirt. “It’s not our job.”

Max was bright red now. His heart was racing as he fought to maintain his composure. He was like a sheep that had wandered away from his flock and into a den of wolves. Hungry, agitated wolves.

“I say we go help,” Stu said.

Flo smacked the back of his head. He had to be kidding. We would have to be out of our minds to go into the middle of enemy territory and expect them not to kill us. It was impossible.

Max perked up. “If you want to bring anyone to help, that would be great.”

“I want to get my name off that list you guys have,” Stu grumbled. “It’s not a selfless act or anything. It’s a give and take type of deal.”

“Of course.” Max looked at me again. “I’d have to speak with the elders to get approval, but I’m sure something could be arranged.”

Even I was a little intrigued at the thought of being removed from their list. Every vampire with any significance was on it to be targeted. We were the ones hunted down, while any other kill was just a bonus. From a rational standpoint, all four of us would have been off it already due to good behavior, but that was not how the Iustitia worked. The only way off was death.

“So we are?” Flo asked. “On the list, that is. Why aren’t you killing us?”

“Yes, because of what you’re capable of,” he stammered. “But my orders weren’t to kill anyone.”

“Assuming you get permission, I’ll go,” Sullivan announced.

“What?” Flo shrieked. “The two of you are insane.”

She continued to yell, but I was getting better at blocking her out. They were insane—she was right about that. But maybe it was the right decision. I just had risked my own life, and theirs, to keep my freedom. I barely had managed to hang onto it, but what was I going to do with it?

I could stay and rebuild, but they would be back. Next time with bigger guns. Saying no to the Iustitia would be the smart thing to do, but at the same time, I was curious. Phoenix was trying to get me to go back after all this time while he let vampires into a territory that was out of bounds.

Things were about to change whether I liked it or not. One thing I knew for sure was that I wasn’t going back to Spain alive, but another thing I knew was that they weren’t going to stop trying. I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for them. If Phoenix was trying to pull something off in Italy, then I was going to be there to stop it. Two could play at that game.

“Make your phone calls,” I told Max. “I’m going back with you.”

“No way,” Flo snapped. “I’m not going on a suicide mission.”

“No one is asking you to.” I stepped over broken glass and pillow stuffing to get to the stairs. My room had better be in one piece. The sun was going to be up soon.

“I hate Europe,” Flo grumbled. “You’d better not screw me over, Iustitia. After this, I never want to see one of you again.”

He smiled with relief and hurried after me, holding out his hand. I looked at him but kept my arms at my sides. I might have been going over there to help, but I didn’t have to like it. And I certainly didn’t have to get friendly with any of them.

“So you’re coming with us then?” Stu nudged Flo.

It was going to be a long trip with those two tagging along. There was nothing like traveling with overgrown children, but the help would be nice.

Alex came out of my bedroom and shut the door behind him. He walked quietly down the stairs and stopped right in front of us. “I’m going with you,” he said seriously, glaring at me.

“Alex, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I started.

“I’m not asking,” he said. “Someone’s got to make sure they don’t try to stake you during the day.”

“Werewolves?” Max asked.

I smiled to myself. “Is that a problem?”