Violet Midnight (Violet Night Trilogy) (16 page)

Emma wove her fingers through Jake’s.

His skin glowed with confidence. A hollow circle replaced his Chaos tattoo. Black lines shot out from the bottom of the circle and wound their way down his arm, circling his wrist like a thick, black band of leather.

So engrossed in the sight of the new marks forming on his skin, she’d almost forgotten the danger she and Jake faced. Ahead of them stood Marek and Rosa. A ring of eight Vamps circled Jake and Emma, with only the concrete slab behind them. They stood still, as if shocked by the spectacle of Jake’s transformation.

She released Jake’s hand and turned hers palm up
. Crossbow.
She grasped the dagger in her left hand and passed the crossbow to Jake. He looked at the weapon, then to her. She gasped when she saw his eyes. No longer black. Instead, a beautiful brown with flakes of amber.

Like hers changed from brown to violet, his changed from black to brown. He was a Hunter after all. She’d almost lost him.

“No!” A woman’s scream thrust Emma back into the moment.

Rosa’s canine teeth elongated, protruding from her ruby red lips. Her black eyes flamed crimson, fingernails turned dark, and instantly changed into razor sharp claws.

By her side, Marek morphed into a similar creature, only double the size.

Click. Click. Click.

Three arrows shot through the air. Jake had aimed and shot before anyone even noticed.

Three Vamps to the left of Rosa dusted.

Crack shot, already? In that instant, she knew he was different. It’d taken her years to hone her skills, but it came natural for him. She called him more bolts and side-by-side, they marched forward. Emma tossed her dagger and called it back. One more Vamp dusted.

The remaining Vamps scampered through the doors at each end of the room, abandoning their Masters.

So much for loyalty.

Moving faster than Emma could track, Rosa attacked. Seemingly from nowhere, a jolt to her gut forced Emma into a stumble. But Rosa disappeared into the shadows of the dim room.

They were in the theatre still. Only now, a concrete slab was propped on the stage.

Marek tackled Jake to the floor. “You’ve ruined everything. For that, you must die.” He leaned toward Jake’s neck, teeth bared.

Emma called for the crossbow Jake had dropped.

Click.

Marek turned and snatched the bolt from the air with a growl. One hand grasped the bolt while the other choked Jake.

“Jake!” Emma screamed. She scanned the room. No sign of Rosa.

Focus returned to Jake, Emma called her dagger. With her hand back, ready to send the steel blade straight for Marek, Jake worked his newly tattooed arm between them and pushed the massive Vampire off him.

He must be working with extra strength, too, because his father easily outweighed him by seventy-five pounds. As Jake jumped to his feet, Emma sprinted the short distance to his side as they faced off with the creature.

“Where’s your sidekick, Daddy?” Emma asked.

A growl cut from his fanged mouth as his lips curled. He back-peddled.

Emma scanned the room.
Where’d she go?

“Marek, it’s over. I’ve chosen. Get out. Get away from us,” Jake yelled.

Suddenly, a shriek shattered the darkness.

Emma whirled to her left. A pale blur rushed her. Marek charged Jake. Emma lunged, intercepting Rosa, and they collided with the cement slab in the middle of the room. Emma’s back cracked against the corner.

She clasped her fingers around the Vamp’s neck, holding her face away so her lethal fangs didn’t puncture anything vital.

With her free hand, she poked her blade. The weapon made contact with Rosa’s side, and she yelped, but didn’t turn to dust. Instead, the Vamp hissed, slammed her hand in the crook of Emma’s elbow, forcing her to loosen her grip, and leapt up.

Emma rolled to the side and pushed to her feet in time to see the back of Rosa’s head bobbing as she sprinted for the door.

Emma turned toward Jake. He stood, gaze fixed on Emma, mouth agape. He touched his wrist. Then sagged to the floor.

“Jake,” she screamed.

She skidded to his side and knelt, facing him. Although she was directly in front of him, he didn’t seem able to focus on her.

“Jake?” she whispered. He must be in shock or something. “Where’s Marek?”

Jake blinked and shifted his gaze down slightly. “He ran.”

The tension gripping his face softened as the light of recognition clicked on. Emma analyzed his face, every curve. Amber flecks in his bright, brown eyes flickered.

“Jake. Are you hurt?”

“My arm.” His voice cracked.

Her gaze drifted to where his mark had been. A hollow circle, resembling a ring, replaced the Avenos’s brand. The weaving strands of ink down his arm met at the base of his wrist and formed a thick line, from which there was an arrow, pointing to the one o’clock hour had it been on a clock.

The mark of Power.

“You were right, Em,” Jake’s heart thumped so hard, his chest ached. Yet it felt good. Bursting with happiness. Emma had saved him.

She smiled. Her violet eyes sparkled, rocking his world.

He sat back on his heels, holding himself steady with the edge of the concrete slab. Oh, God. Emma had been attached to that. He’d bitten her.

Bile rose. “Em. I’m—”

She leapt at him. Cool arms snaked around his neck, and she squeezed, stealing the air from his lungs. Light kisses touched his neck, and she nuzzled her face in his hair. “I almost lost you, Jake.”

He stood, taking her with him, and leaned against the concrete, cradling his treasure. “I love you, Em.” She hadn’t given up on him. Was prepared to kill him so he wouldn’t have to face a life of vampirism. “I love you so much.”

Her body quaked and wet tears streamed down his neck. She gasped. “Wait. Ava.”

Jake released Emma, and she slid down the front of him. “Come on.”

He’d seen them. But where? Everything was such a haze. Like a wicked nightmare. He motioned her toward the door leading up stairs.

A quick pause to check, and it was clear. Dark, but clear.

“You know where they are?” Emma asked.

“Not for sure, but like you’ve mentioned before, I’m kind of going on Instinct right now.”

“Like how you shot the crossbow.”

“Pretty much.” Images of how to use the mystical weapon flashed in his mind seconds before he shot those bolts. How to click things into place, aim, and land targets home. Exactly where to aim.

“Not fair. It took me over a year to master that thing.”

They reached the top step and Jake cracked open the door. It spilled into a bright, yellow painted kitchen. But again, clear. “Where’d all the party people go?”

Emma stepped beside him, dagger drawn. “Good question. My wrist is silent, though. Vamps are gone.”

Jake sighed with relief that he wasn’t triggering her wrist. That was so close. He ran his tongue over his teeth, happy to find them smooth. No pointy edges.

But the metallic taste coating his tongue triggered his gag reflex again. He pooled saliva at the base of his mouth and spit.

Emma edged the door open. The hinges creaked, and she tensed beside him. “I hope Ava’s okay.”

“We’ll find her.”

“It’s going to be one hell of a mind-wipe.”

Jake chuckled as he led them out the door. He veered left. “Em, can you call me that crossbow again?”

“Try it yourself. Think real hard about it, then say the name. Out loud or in your head. Either will work.”

Jake stopped, held out his hand and said, “Crossbow.”

Nothing.

A glass crashed against tile nearby. A hallway, maybe, up ahead. He glanced around and took in the kitchen. Tall, yellow walls led up to a cathedral ceiling. They sure liked tall around here.

A massive, marble-topped center island filled the space in front of a set of stainless steel appliances. Further back was a row of windows overlooking darkness. If he remembered, there was at least a football field’s length of grass out there.

“Crossbow,” Emma whispered. “Here. We’ll practice later.”

The sleek weapon fell into his palm, and he checked the magazine of bolts. Something dropped into his back pocket. “Spare mag. Ten bolts each. Make them count.”

Jake hugged the wall as he inched toward the doorway leading into the hallway, or maybe into the foyer. Muffled noises, then a grunt.

He peeked around the corner, one arm out, holding Emma back. Ava rolled around on the floor, mouth gagged, hands pinned behind her back.

“Ava!” Emma rushed around Jake, reaching for her friend, yet keeping her dagger up, just in case.

Ever the Hunter, even when the wrist was quiet.

“Where’s Greg?” Jake asked. He moved ahead of the two and looked up the spiral staircase. All seemed quiet. What happened?

“What the hell is going on?” Ava’s shrill voice sliced the air. “Where’s Greg?”

“Okay. Ava. Calm down.” Emma jerked her into a hug. Jake shook his head, indicating no sign of Greg.

“They freaking yanked me out of the bedroom they’d thrown me in after you went into that theater place. Shit. Then dragged me down the stairs about ten minutes ago and tossed me on the ground.”

Jake joined Emma’s side. “They left you?”

“Some big guy, Marek? I heard someone yell his name. He came storming through and ordered everyone out.” Ava patted her shirt down and her hair. “Greg was right behind me.” She made for the stairs. “Greg.”

“Why would everyone up and leave?” Jake asked. “Doesn’t make sense.”

“Sorry to say this, but it makes perfect sense to me.”

Jake looked down at Emma.

“They’re regrouping. There’s going to be a shit-storm now since you didn’t turn, making their super-magical, all-powerful trinity.”

“Greg!” Ava’s voice cracked. “Emma, hurry.”

She took the stairs by two and Jake followed close. At the top, they found Greg lying on his side.

“Em. He’s bleeding.” Ava leaned over him. “Greg.” Ava pushed the hair from his face. Blood trickled from his ear.

“Hospital. Now.” Emma knelt beside him.

“Call 911,” Ava said.

Jake shook his head. “We don’t want cops crawling around this place. Shit. I don’t have my car.”

“You do, actually. I kinda stole it and followed you out here.”

“Go. Go. Go.” Ava slapped at Emma’s shoulder. “Get it. Mine’s here somewhere, but I can’t find anything of mine. No purse, cell, keys. Hurry, before I have a complete and total meltdown on what I’ve seen here tonight. Seriously, Em.”

“Jake. Get him downstairs and out front.” She handed him the dagger as she stood. “Here. This is easier. Shove it in your pocket. Give me the bow.”

He snagged her arm. “No. We go together.”

“Hunter, remember?”

“I also remember you on that concrete slab. So don’t spew
I’m a Hunter
to me, Em.” He’d just woken from a Vampire-induced fog, chosen Love, and Emma was safe. No way would he risk that now. He wasn’t leaving her side.

“Give me the damn knife and both of you go.” Ava stood, reaching for the weapon in Jake’s hand. Greg moaned. “Hurry.”

“Come on.”

Within thirty seconds, they were down the stairs and out into the midnight air. “Where is it?”

“Off the road, a quarter mile from here. Keys are in it, though, so let’s hope it’s still there.” She bolted to the left and into the thicket.

Clouds had rolled in, blotting out the moon and stars. Yet, Jake saw with surprising clarity.

“I have to say, Jake. The Cunninghams as parents kick ass compared to the Avenos pair. And I haven’t even met the Cunninghams.”

“No disagreements there.” Jake glanced behind him. Only a dark void as they moved deeper into the woods. “Where are we?”

“North of town. That’s all I know. Nice, isolated place, though, don’t you think? Damn Vamps.” She poked at her neck. “Sharp teeth, too.”

Jake winced. He’d caused that wound. His teeth. He’d tasted her blood. Twice now. His gut churned.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be healed up soon.” She tossed a look over her shoulder. “So what’s their scoop?”

“Two months after I was born, a monk stole me away from Rosa. He hid me at a monastery in Rome for a while. The Avenos family tracked him down years later, but he’d already sent me to America. They tortured him, but he never broke. Never divulged anything.” He cleared his throat. “They killed him, of course.”

“Damn Vamps.” Emma veered to the right. “Up this way.”

“According to Rosa, she and Marek searched for years, using all their resources but were never able to find me. Probably because I jumped from foster home to foster home.” For once, being lost in the system and growing up in crappy group homes paid off.

“How did they find you? All of a sudden.”

“As my time drew near, the pull between us strengthened. Like a homing beacon. They sensed me near, kept researching, and found the Cunninghams adopted me.”

“Well, stupid Dylan and Cynthia helped, too. I’m sure.” Emma stopped. “The Cunninghams. Oh, God. We have to protect them. What if—”

“They’re alive. No harm has come to them. I made Rosa promise.”

“Like they’re going to keep a promise, Jake.”

“First Greg, then we’ll check on them.” He urged her forward.

“I’m so going to kill your parents, Jake.”

“Em, they’re over two-hundred-and-fifty years old. Strong. They have some mind control or something.” He punched a tree trunk as he ran by. “I couldn’t resist them.”

“Yeah. Well. You’ve denied them. Jake. You chose Love.”

“I chose you, Em. You.” He’d always choose her.

A sizzling tingle zipped up his arm, over his shoulder, and slammed into his chest. The world tilted, and his shoulder rammed into a pine tree. One revolution, and he fell to the ground.

“Jake.” Emma whirled, her wrist ablaze. “Oh. My. God.”

In the next breath, Jake realized why. A bright orange glow encased his arm. The black ink imprinted his skin morphed into a fiery glow. The light bounced off the surrounding trees.

Too bad it illuminated six Vamps encroaching from all directions.