CHAPTER 22
As soon as the girl sitting next to me regained consciousness, she began freaking out hardcore. Really though, who could blame her? She’d been abducted by vampires, and used as a demon host, and was now being transported in a car full of strangers. She had a plethora of reasons to act like a crazy person. However, it wasn’t exactly helping our situation.
I grabbed onto her flailing arms. “You’re safe,” I tried to tell her over her incessant screaming. When that didn’t work, I moved my hands to her shoulders and gave her a gruff shake, “Look at me—you’re safe now.”
Her warm hazel eyes, wide with fear, met mine. Quick, shaky breaths passed through her parted lips. Underneath my hands, the girl shook helplessly in shock.
“Are you okay?” She returned my question with an unblinking terrified stare, looking frailer than porcelain.
“Do you understand anything that’s coming out of my mouth?”
The girl blinked and then nodded. Good, we were making progress. “What’s your name?” I asked softly, trying not to startle her with any sudden movements or loud noises.
The girl’s body relaxed only a fraction under my grip. Nervously, she licked her lips, looking as though she were debating whether to give me her name or not. Apparently, she decided she could trust me and said, “Kelsey. Kelsey Easterly.”
I let her go, and sat back against my seat without breaking eye contact. “I’m Viktoriya. As I’ve already established, I’m not going to hurt you—and neither are my friends. You’re safe now, Kelsey.”
Kelsey broke our eye contact to look towards the front of the car. She stared at Larson skeptically, but when her gazed passed over Nathan, she appeared to relax.
When Kelsey was satisfied with my friends in the front seat, she looked to the guys in the back. Her face blanched at seeing Vigil who was still holding a knife to the other vampire’s throat. Her screaming started up again. This time, the thrashing of limbs accompanied her shrieks as she tried to claw her way out of the seatbelt restraining her.
In an effort to stop her, I threw my arms around her petite upper body, wrapping her in an awkward embrace. “Stop! Kelsey, stop it!” Of course, my demands had gone unmet.
“Damnit Kelsey, stop!” I growled.
She’d stopped so abruptly, I thought I might have accidently hurt her, until I noticed Nathan had rested a hand on Kelsey’s shoulder. I understood immediately. After all, Nathan had done the same to me on countless occasions. Nathan’s touch would have acted like a sedative—a sweet, euphoric sedative—that numbed a person’s soul to the core.
It surprised me to realize I was jealous. Jealous because he was touching her, showing concern for her being? Or was I jealous because I wanted to feel the effects? Was I that addicted? Either way, I knew I was being petty and ridiculous. He was only helping.
Still, I couldn’t help feeling slightly annoyed.
Once he was certain Kelsey was calm again, he released his hold. She blinked, looking up at him with what I was sure was the same dumbstruck look I’d worn a few times, as well.
I turned my attention to the traumatized teen. “Kelsey?” I asked. She continued to stare at Nathan in awe. I didn’t like it, but whatever. At least she wasn’t screaming anymore.
“Kelsey,” I said again. Slowly, she pulled her eyes away from Nathan to look at me. “Listen, if I say you’re safe, I mean it. I promise nothing is going to happen to you as long as you’re with us. As for the man holding the knife, he’s on our side, and if that thing next to him …” I glared at Lanky, “even thinks of trying anything, he’ll be taken care of, if you get my drift.”
Kelsey nodded, looking horrified. I sighed and went back to relaxing against the backseat. I closed my eyes, suddenly exhausted, but glad the girl was no longer having a mental breakdown.
“Viktoriya?” Kelsey’s soft voice was just above a whisper.
I peered at her under heavy lids. “Yes?”
Her lips silently formed the question, “What is he?” her eyes traveled to Nathan.
Again, I felt a little put off by Kelsey’s interest in Nathan, but I told myself her curiosity was to be expected. After all, he had touched her, and I knew as well as she did that no human touch could do what his did.
I shook my head indicating her guess was as good as mine. She gave Nathan one last speculative look, before giving up and snuggling into the car seat. Finally, some peace and quiet.
But peace and quiet, I did not get. I should’ve known better.
“I need to by a baby monitor,” Larson said just as I was drifting to sleep.
I mumbled, “You’re joking?” I must be dreaming.
“Dead serious—no pun intended.” He laughed at his joke, but no one else joined in. “Where can I buy one?”
I sat up, awake to my displeasure. “Please, don’t tell me you knocked up Trish.”
He chuckled at my accusation. “Certainly not, love. She’s too old to procreate.”
“Good to know. So tell me then, what’s with your sudden need for a baby monitor?” Larson could be so random at times.
“Surveillance. On Psymon.” I guessed that was Lanky’s real name. “And since I don’t exactly have the time to set up a security camera, I figure a baby monitor will suffice. This way, I can at the very least hear what he’s up to.”
“But he’s a vampire. Won’t he be like…silent? How will a baby monitor help?”
I didn’t see it, but I could hear the smile in his cryptic voice. “You probably wouldn’t hear anything, but I would.”
“Fine. I guess, you could try Target,” I told him.
Without warning, he jerked the car wheel, making a hard right and crossing three lanes of freeway to catch an approaching exit.
“Was that necessary? I think you gave me whiplash,” I complained, rubbing my neck. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kelsey sleeping soundly. Guess she was a heavy sleeper. Lucky girl.
A few minutes later, we were pulling into the Target parking lot. Larson parked the Escalade in a spot that was nearest to the entrance, and well lit. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a wad of cash.
“I trust your judgment,” Larson said.
“You’re going to send me in there?” I asked incredulously.
“Would you rather I go? I haven’t fed in a while love; don’t want me near all those tasty looking shoppers, do you?”
I remembered our earlier incident where I narrowly escaped being Larson’s dinner. “Yeah, good point. I’ll be back,” I told him, taking the cash and hopping out.
Just as I was approaching the entrance to the store, I realized Nathan was tagging along.
“What are you doing?” I asked glancing sideways at him.
Nathan watched me with fierce blue eyes. “It’s not a good idea to have you walking around alone after what happened tonight. Atlas might be looking to finish what he started.”
I shivered. Nathan was probably right. Atlas wouldn’t miss out on a second opportunity to take me down if the opportunity arose. Nor was he the only one I had to worry about—there were other things out there looking for me.
God, I’d never be able to go out on my own again.
“I know it’s kind of, er… your job to watch over me, but thanks just the same. I appreciate it.” Without Nathan I would have been dead weeks ago—multiple times over. I owed him my life and more.
In a low voice he replied, “I would do it for eternity, if I could.”
I swallowed, and nodded jerkily. Hearing him say that did something funny to my insides. I did my best to ignore it and act normal, but then I was thinking about the other night when I’d kissed him. My body sort of went rigid. It was all I could do to keep myself from doing something stupid—like kissing him again.
“Are you okay?” he asked, perceiving my uneasiness.
His brows were pulled tight together, creating worry lines between them. I couldn’t help but think that he looked cute when he was concerned. I shook off the thought. “Yeah, I’m peachy. Now, help me find a baby monitor,” I said as carefree as possible.
He nodded and we got to searching.
Cribs, walkers, bibs, diapers and more filled the aisle on either side. Nathan picked up a pink rattle and stared at it quizzically before setting it down again. He examined many of the baby things as if they were alien artifacts.
“You act like you’ve never seen this stuff before,” I teased.
He shook his head meekly. “I have not.”
“Oh.” How was that even possible?
We carried down the aisle in a heavy silence. A few paces down, we found the baby monitors. After looking over our options, we eventually found something suitable. Not only did it capture sound, but it also had video. It was perfect. Even if Psymon managed to be quieter than death, whoever had the receiver would be able to see exactly what he was up to. Today’s technology was wonderful.
I grabbed the monitor and we headed to the checkout line. A girl who looked barely old enough to have a worker’s permit, with a bob cut to her chin and dyed bright pink with purple streaks, stood behind the register. She had a nose piercing and her nametag read “Amy”.
“Hey y’all, find everything okay today?” she asked as she scanned the baby monitor without taking her eyes off Nathan and me. Her gaze seemed to flicker back and forth between the two of us as she bagged our item and totaled our purchase.
“Total comes to one-hundred and thirty-five dollars, and sixty-seven cents.”
I counted the cash Larson had given me, and turned to Nathan. “I’m short some,” I told him dejectedly. One of us would have to go back out to the car for more. It was somewhat embarrassing, but at least there wasn’t a line being that it was so late.
Nathan surprised me by pulling out his wallet and covering the difference.
She handed him back the change saying, “Congratulations, by the way.”
I stared at her confused for a moment. “Excuse me?”
“On the baby,” she said matter-of-factly, before rolling her eyes and pointing to the baby monitor.
Wow. Awkward, “Er…that’s not for us.”
She smiled, “Look, it’s cool—I don’t judge. People have kids young all the time.”
“Yeah, but really,” I argued. “It’s not—”
“Thank you,” Nathan said pleasantly before taking our bag. “We appreciate it.” With that, he took my hand and pulled me along.
When we were out of the store I said, “Can you believe she thought that was for us?” I laughed. The cashier hadn’t known our situation, and really, how do you explain it’s really for spying on a hostage vamp? Still, there were plenty of other rational explanations. The fact that she thought it was for us, was plain ridiculous.
“Yeah. Funny,” but Nathan’s voice held no humor.
“What’s wrong?” I asked sensing his irritation.
“It’s nothing. Here—” He handed me the bag with the baby monitor as we approached Larson’s borrowed ride. When we reached it, Nathan opened my door and I climbed in, giving Larson his makeshift security system.
“You owe your friend there—Nathan had to cover like more than half of it,” I told him.
“What? I gave you sixty,” he said indignantly, pulling cash from his pocket and handing it to Nathan. “Shit better be coated in gold, that’s all I’m saying.”
“It’s not. But it does have video.”
He seemed appeased. “Fair enough.”
“Now can we go home? I need my beauty sleep.” After this very long day, I was looking forward to climbing into my very comfy bed and never leaving.
Larson’s amused laughter reverberated in the cabin. “You’re supposed to be a demon warrior, love. Warriors don’t sleep.”
“This one does,” I said before yawning. “And tomorrow morning, don’t bother waking me. I promise to beat you if you try to make me train.” Larson had originally been training me at night, which I preferred, but recently he began including practices in the early morning hours as well. Early being two hours before the sun even rose. I had a feeling he’d purposefully changed the times so he had no choice but to stay at Nathan’s too, or risk being fried.
He laughed again, “Right, love. I’ll let you sleep in, but don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re going to get out of training. We will work on your technique later in the evening.”
Dissatisfied with having to still workout tomorrow regardless, I grumbled. At least, I’d get to sleep in. Maybe I’d even sleep until tomorrow night’s practice. I could only hope.