Wake of Darkness (15 page)

“So, they’re effective, but not as
effective as Stoker made it sound in the book,” she said, looking over her
list. “And the vampires are still powerful during the day.”  

“Yes.”

She knew that she looked worried;
there was no way to hide it even if she had been a better actress in front of
him—he could hear every thought that ran rampant in her head.

His eyebrows furrowed. “What is
it?” he asked.

“They seem so strong,” she replied
contemplatively, studying the paper.
The strength of twenty men?

“Please don’t worry too much. In a
fair fight, it takes two of us against one, simply based on physical
capabilities alone,” and then he smiled, adding “but you don’t fight fair
against the devil, now do you?”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that we capitalize on our
psychic talents, and we train together to learn how the others react in a
fight. In this way, we present a formidable enough foe for them.”

“No wonder. Laney, Catherina, and I
can literally see what’s coming.”

He grinned. “And Zoey can send a
stake through the heart of a vampire trying to attack the house before he can
reach the front steps.”

“That’s convenient, but I’ve got to
say: I feel a little like a sitting duck here.”

He took her hand. “We’ll keep you
safe,” he swore. He laced his fingers through hers. She sucked in a breath.

“I know. I just don’t want to have
to rely on others,” she murmured.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied,
looking at her hand.

She could practically see the
electricity around them. He traced his thumb along her palm, sending chills up
her arm. She closed her eyes to the sensation; her heart felt like it was in
her throat.

When she opened her eyes, he was
just inches from her. Their heads had bent so close to each others that she
could feel his breath on her cheek. She didn’t move, but she felt like every
nerve in her body was on fire.

“It is late. I should leave,” he
said, just above a whisper and moved as if to stand.

“No!” she gasped.

He looked at her with surprised
eyes.

She cleared her throat. “What I
meant
to say is that I have another question.”

“Yes?” he whispered.

“Will you tell me what’s going on
between you and Catherina? She was talking to Dante about you today, but she
stopped when I walked in the room. She didn’t look happy.”

He took her hand in both of his,
turning it palm side up and tracing the lines in the fair skin there. She
sighed.

Do you know what that does to
me?
She thought but didn’t ask.

The faintest resemblance of a smile
tugged at the corner of his mouth. He knew.

“I first met Dante many centuries
ago,” he whispered, “before he and Catherina had found one another, even before
the one knew the other existed. I was in Paris at the time and ran into him on
the banks of the Seine. We recognized each other’s nature and he quickly
introduced himself to me. We developed a natural friendship which grew into a
fraternal regard over the years,” he explained. “In many ways, he is the
brother I never had.”

She nodded and waited for him to
continue.

“Catherina views me…
differently
because I was associated with Dante before she met him,” he went on. “She tends
to be the jealous type. She bears a grudge against me for this, I know. For my
part, I cannot agree with her morals. She leads this family, but I have seen
her lead people to destruction. I don’t want to be a part of that. But Dante
was my only family for so long, how could I abandon him simply because I do not
— let us say ‘
agree’
— with his companion?”

“So you don’t like her?” she whispered.

“You could say that,” he answered. “I
do not sympathize with how she conducts her life. She has always been ready to
sacrifice her acquaintances, her friends, and even her principles when she
wants something.”

“Jim and Laney think of her as
their mother,” Sophie stated.

“Yes, but Jim does not see
Catherina in that light as much as Laney does. He has been with us longer,
although not as long as Zoey. Time and experience erase all manner of
ignorance,” he replied bitterly.

“I don’t trust her,” she confessed.
“And I don’t know why.”

“I understand.”

Sophie looked down at the hand he
still held. She watched him absentmindedly run his fingers from the bottom of
her palm to the tips of her fingers and back again.

“Why is it,” she began, “that I can
hear everyone’s thoughts outside, but I have such a hard time here in the
house?”
I can’t hear Catherina at all.

“We can choose who may hear our
thoughts. It’s as simple as refusing to speak to someone aloud.”

“How?”

“Simply decide that you don’t want
them to hear you. For instance, you may decide that you don’t desire me to hear
what you are thinking. In such case, you simply tell yourself that I may not
hear you and I won’t be able to until you decide to let me in.”

            I wouldn’t,
she thought automatically.

            She saw a flash of relief across his face.

            She smiled shyly at him, but then, despite her
wishes, she was overcome by a yawn. He smiled.

            “You should get some sleep,” he whispered.

            “You’re right,” she replied and reluctantly
pulled her hand out of his.

            She stood and started to gather the book and her
notebook so that she could head upstairs. “Oh,” she said, and turned back to
him, “thanks for the book.” She held it out for him to take.

            He stood silently and took it from her. “Of
course,” he replied. His eyebrows furrowed for a moment as he looked at her,
before his expression smoothed. “Goodnight,” he said quietly.

            She watched him for a moment, trying to figure
out what the look on his face had meant, but then nodded; maybe she imagined
it. “See you tomorrow,” she whispered and closed her eyes.

            She felt the air move around her body, but felt
an ache in her chest, right before she opened her eyes and found herself in her
room. She sighed and sank down on the bed.

*

            She slept in late the next morning, which was
unlike her. Soon, she was hurriedly accompanied to school by Jim. She ended up
in line for hours at the registrar’s office, withdrawing from classes and her
feet ached when she climbed back into his truck hours later.

            He chuckled to himself and shook his head. “I
don’t know why you two keep trying to resist everything,” he said, looking
ahead at the road.

            “What are you talking about?” she replied,
although she could easily guess what he meant.

            “You know, you two are supposed to be together. It’s
so obvious the rest of us can hardly stand it. The tension between you two
gives me a headache.”

            She laughed nervously.

            “I’m serious. Anyway, what’s the big deal?” he
asked.

            “What do you mean?”

            “Well, you know what happens when destined
companions meet.”

            She snickered. “You sound ridiculous when you
say ‘destined,’” she interrupted.

            “Maybe so, but that’s what it is,” he replied. “I
know it doesn’t make any sense, but you’re supposed to be together. Why don’t
you just chill and let it happen?”

            She looked down at the hand Alexander had been
holding the night before. She stroked it with her other hand, remembering his
touch. “I’ve had…bad luck with guys,” she whispered.

            “Alexander’s not just any guy, and this thing is
bigger than some kiddy crush,” he retorted.

            “I don’t need you to patronize me. Everything’s
just been happening so fast,” she replied. “Anyway, he never lets me in his
head. I can’t tell what he’s thinking.”

            “Can’t you?” he asked incredulously.

            She shrugged.

            “Give him some time. He’s gone through some crap
before. He’s lost some people that he loved. I think that’s why he’s dragging
his feet, but I wish y’all would just get over it.”

            “Does it
really
give you a headache?” she
asked.

            “I’ve been listening to that guy’s thoughts
about you for months,” he replied with a martyred look. “Hell, I’ve been
listening to your thoughts about
him
for months. It’s annoying.”

            “Hey, I didn’t ask you to stalk me,” she joked.

            He pulled into the driveway, set the parking
break, and turned the engine off. He turned to look at her. “Sophie, in all
honesty…” He paused and looked at her seriously, something Jim rarely did.

            “Yeah?” she asked.

            “In all honesty, if you want to get by in this
life, you just gotta follow your heart and your gut. That goes for Alexander,
too.”

            She nodded.

            He glanced toward the house and a huge smile
spread across his face. “Well, speak of the devil!”

            Sophie’s eyes tracked up to the back porch of
the house. Zoey and Alexander stood a few feet apart from one another, deep in
conversation. His hands were in his pockets, but there was a smile on his face.
Zoey stood with her arms crossed, and her flame of red hair blowing in the
wind. She laughed.

            Jim and Sophie slid out of the truck and the
other two stopped talking immediately. Zoey smiled at them both and waved a
greeting, but Alexander seemed not to notice that anyone other than Sophie was
around. She sent him a shy smile as she and Jim got closer.

            Zoey slinked down the stairs and walked up to
Sophie. “Alexander and I were talking. You need another round of practice.”
Zoey gestured to the training bunker.

            “Right now?”

            Zoey nodded.

            Jim smiled. “Good a time as any.”

            “Okay,” Sophie replied. She looked up at Jim
warily.

            “You’re not sparring with me,” Jim said.

            “No,” Zoey interjected. “With me.”

The room was the same as Sophie
remembered it. She’d thought that maybe her memory had enhanced the way it
looked, but the stainless steel racks and overhead lights reminded her of
something she saw in a movie once.

She glanced around the room for
objects Zoey might use against her.

Zoey shot her a reproachful look. “I’m
not going to hurt you,” she said to Sophie before looking at Alexander and Jim.
“Just keep her from hurting
me
.”

“Tell me why we’re doing this
again?” Sophie asked.

“Jim and I need to observe you
without having to worry about you trying to kill us,” Alexander replied as if
it were the most simple and logical explanation in the world.

“Right,” she replied, but she
didn’t feel completely comfortable. She’d seen what Zoey could do against a
vampire; she was well aware of the other woman’s abilities. There was something
a little wilder about Zoey, too. Alexander was refined, in control, and Jim was
playful. Zoey on the other hand did everything with stealth. She rarely spoke
unless she had to, and she possessed a feline grace that was mildly unsettling.

“No weapons,” Zoey instructed. “Attack
me.”

“What?”

“You heard: attack.”

“Yeah, right,” Sophie mumbled,
staring at the redhead as if she were crazy.

Suddenly Sophie was staring at a
blank wall. Zoey had disappeared. She was about to turn around when something
hit her in the back of the head with a pop.

 “Ow!” Sophie yelped.

She turned around on a heel and
found Zoey there, laughing at her. Sophie glared at her.

“You were right, Alexander,” Zoey
said. “You have to get her mad.”

“Don’t get her too mad,” he warned,
before whispering something to Jim.

Jim nodded, his eyes fixed on
Sophie.

“I’m not sure I believe that,” Zoey
replied, circling Sophie. “I think someone could easily take advantage of her.”
She grabbed Sophie’s arms and jerked her closer with a maniacal look in her
eyes. “I think I could make her do anything I wanted.”