Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 171

"Oh, it's okay. The lounger looks like my size. You two can share the bed. I mean, if you're secure enough in your manhood and all that."

"Funny. Just take the bed. I'll have the lounger, and Carl can sleep on the floor or something."

"Carl, get into bed," I ordered. "But even look at me during the night, and you're on the floor. Got it?"

Carl shuffled over to the bed. Peter shook his head and tried to relax on the lounger. I threw a blanket and pillow at him.

I sat on the bed and took off my boots. It had been a long day, and I wasn't sure I was going to make it through many more of them. The sick part was something inside me wasn't scared; it welcomed the idea of death. I was so tired of merely existing, but I couldn't see a way of truly living. I had a purpose, I reminded myself as I watched Carl get comfortable on the bed. I wasn't going to give up without a fight.

I inched over to the window, half-afraid to look outside.

"s.h.i.t," I whispered, seeing half a dozen vampires in full view. Who knew how many were hidden.

"Don't worry. They'll be gone in the morning. Worst case scenario is you never leave your home at night," Peter said.

I threw him a scornful look. "Sure, that's the worst case scenario."

He sat up and spoke earnestly. "We'll get this fixed, Ava. Don't worry."

"Easy for you to say. I've never been in a real fight. I haven't a clue how to defend myself."

"Maybe tomorrow, I'll teach you a few moves," Peter said and yawned.

"Eddie said you've killed worse than a vampire. What's worse than a vampire?" I asked.

"You don't want to know."

"Sure I do."

"Go to sleep, Ava."

I sighed and lay on top of the bed. Carl was already snoring under the blankets. He needed as much sleep as a newborn baby. That couldn't be a good sign. I lay awake for ages, listening to the comforting sound of Peter's steady heartbeat.

I had been about to solve my problem with Carl when an even bigger crisis was thrown at me. Clutching the silver cross, I mentally thanked it for saving me and wondered how Carl had ever seemed like the biggest problem imaginable. One group of vampires wanted to use and enslave me, while the other just wanted me dead. Even with a half-baked plan, I couldn't see any possible way to get out of the mess I was in.

Chapter Eight.

Carl woke me the next morning, looking pitiful and claiming he was starving. Bleary-eyed, I stared at him until I realised he hadn't eaten in a long time.

"All right, I'll go hunt and gather. Wait here. And don't wake Peter."

I got up but paused to look at Peter for a minute. His face was completely relaxed and utterly handsome-devoid of frowns and glares, he looked five years younger. I felt a little pang as I wondered what had really happened to him. Losing his whole family must have affected him badly. For an instant, I wished our lives were normal so I could get to know him better.

Heaving a sigh, I left the room, knowing it wasn't meant to be. We both had too many issues to deal with. The fact I could probably do to him what I had done to Carl didn't help.

The chilly presence followed me out of the room.

"What are you, then?" I mumbled, half to myself.

"Ava?"

I jumped about a foot in the air. Covering the yelping sound I made, I greeted Eddie with a false smile.

"Hi, um, Carl's hungry. I was going to go out and get him something."

"No need for that. Kitchen's this way. Sit with me while I finish making breakfast. It's still early, but I thought we all needed a good meal to start the day. Before we get into anything else."

I followed him into a cosy intimate kitchen. There was a small table surrounded by four chairs near the door, but I was too absorbed by the smells coming from the old-fashioned cooking range to be interested in anything else.

"That smells delicious. Need any help?"

He shook his head. "Sit at the table; I'll pour you some coffee. Did you sleep well?"

"Okay, I suppose. As well as anyone would knowing there's an army of vampires outside waiting to tear you apart."

He smiled. "It wasn't quite an army." He sat across from me. "In fact, I believe you would be more than a match for any of them."

"But not all of them," I said. "I doubt I could take on even one of them, anyway."

He hesitated then leaned forward. "If what I've heard is true, daywalkers are strong, stronger than vampires even. But they must drink."

"I thought I was the only one."

He leaned back. "The one who ruled before Daimhin created one. He pa.s.sed on the knowledge to Daimhin as he lay dying, murdered by his own child. She had that daywalker murdered and swore to never allow another to live. There have been others, most are killed in the womb or not long afterwards. Some escape for a while, but almost all are found out in the end."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked in wonder.

"I have my ways. Just remember what I said. You have untapped talents inside, and that's what Daimhin's afraid of. Use them. I've been waiting for a daywalker to come along for quite some time now."

"We smelled food," Carl said behind me. Eddie held my gaze for a few seconds longer, enough to make me feel uncomfortable. He stood up abruptly and gestured toward the chairs.

"Sit. Breakfast is just ready. I hope the room was comfortable," he said, heading back toward the cooker.

"Yeah, great," Peter said, sitting down and giving me a penetrating look. "You okay?"

I nodded, but I really wasn't. As the men chatted pleasantly together over breakfast, all I could think about was having hidden talents. I wasn't sure if drinking blood to somehow unleash some kind of special power that might exist was something I was prepared to do. I didn't doubt Eddie's words, something told me he knew very well what he was talking about. What I doubted was my ability to handle the consequences.

"Have you thought anymore about what you're going to do?" Eddie asked. It sounded innocent enough, but I knew he meant giving in to the thirst. I half-expected him to ask for his necklace back.

I glared at him, unable to hold back my distaste. I got the impression he wanted to use me for his own gain. I just hadn't figured out what that was.

"You already know what I'm going to do," I said, venom penetrating my tone.

"Ava, chill," Peter said.

"You might like kissing his a.r.s.e, but it isn't my idea of fun," I snapped back. I turned to Eddie, deciding to set him straight. "And you. Don't think I'm stupid. You're a little too interested in what would happen if I drank blood. You're not all that invested in Carl's safety. Or mine for that matter. So maybe it's time you spat out what's really in it for you."

He stared at his plate for too long. I stood, ready to leave.

"Sit down." Eddie didn't shout, but his voice reverberated around the room, shocking me into obeying. The force of his will washed away and angered me all over again.

"I apologise," he added. "But you need to watch that att.i.tude. It won't get you anywhere and you, little girl, owe me. You'll listen to my advice if you know what's good for you."

"Eddie, go easy on her," Peter said. Eddie held his hand up abruptly. Peter choked, his eyes widening in surprise. He grabbed his throat, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly.

"What are you doing to him?" I didn't know what to do. Eddie was more powerful than I had guessed, but Peter was turning purple. "Stop it!" I shouted, jumping to my feet again. Carl followed suit, but I pushed him back down, afraid Eddie would pick on him too.

Eddie rolled his eyes and gestured with his hand. Peter gasped a couple of ragged breaths.

"Now," Eddie said, an irrepressibly smug smile on his face. "I'm a lot older, wiser, and more powerful than you. Don't p.i.s.s me off. This is your only warning."

Peter threw a horrified glance my way. I swore under my breath. I knew being around other people was a mistake. Someone always got hurt, or worse, turned out to be a major a.r.s.ehole.

I leaned my elbows on the table and nestled my head in my hands. 14, 28, 56, 112, okay. All I had to do was persuade a hungry vampire to help me get rid of Carl, spark a vampire world war and manage to survive it all without being struck by lightning or getting offed by a moody as yet unknown ent.i.ty with super powers called Eddie.

I sighed wearily and looked up at Eddie. "What exactly is it you want?" The odd presence I kept feeling blew on the back of my neck as if urging me to play along, except I wasn't sure whose side it was on.

Eddie grinned as though things hadn't gotten as tense as h.e.l.l. "I don't want a thing, Ava. Not yet. But the time will come when I'll need you on my side. And I want you to be ready." He leaned forward and whispered to me. "Or you'll be no use to anyone."

A shiver ran up my back at his words and the darkness in his eyes, but I fired back a defiant glare, unable to let myself show he was intimidating me. One corner of his mouth curved upward.

"Why don't you three pay a visit to Becca," he said after a moment of tense silence. I'll work on Daimhin's crowd and get back to you. I know you could call, Peter, but I'd rather do it myself." He smirked at Peter who lowered his head.

None of us argued. We left, subdued into silent obedience. In the car, I sensed Peter's frustration, but I was curious.

"Who is he calling?" I asked.

"n.o.body important. Maybe it was a mistake to go to Eddie," he muttered.

"We've no other options. Well, you do. But me and Carl? We're stuck."

"I've never seen him act that way before."

I shrugged. "What else can he do?"

"I don't know. I never knew he could do... what he did back there."

I pushed at Carl's long legs in frustration. There wasn't enough room in the back for him to sit comfortably without digging his knees into me.

"Oh, screw this." I climbed into the front seat, ignoring Peter's protestations. "I can't sit next to him back there!" I shrieked.

"But you just had breakfast!"

I glared at Peter. Of course he would a.s.sume I meant I couldn't control myself. In fairness, I couldn't, at least not without the help of the cross around my neck.

He glanced at me worriedly, barely paying attention to the road.

"Are you going to bite me, Ava?"

I snorted inelegantly. "Your blood doesn't appeal to me. Get over yourself. Where are we going anyway?" I said, desperate to steer the conversation away from things about Peter that might appeal to me.

"To Becca's house. It's her day off, so she won't be at the bar. She might know something about Arthur and that a.s.sa.s.sin. I mean, we've no idea if Arthur is alive, or undead, or... whatever."

"Shouldn't we go back and get some-I don't know-weapons or something?"

"It's only Becca, Ava. Don't overreact." I was almost certain I heard him mutter such a girl under his breath.

"Besides, it's near Nancy's house. I thought you might like to drop in to her, say h.e.l.lo, have some tea."

He pretended to concentrate on the road, ignoring the choking noise I made. I hadn't realised Becca's place was close to my grandmother's home.

"I don't think we'll have time for that."

"Sure we will. Won't take long, and she'd like to see you." He turned to me, his eyes softer than usual, making my stomach quiver. I knew there was nothing between us, but I frequently needed to catch my breath when he looked at me.

"I can't." I couldn't hide the ache in my voice, but I really couldn't go see my grandmother. I wasn't ready to face the past. Not yet.

"I know you had it bad before with Nancy. So I'm sorry I was so hard on you at first. I thought you were something else. I don't know what you are, not really, and I don't exactly trust you, but I still shouldn't have treated you like that," Peter said, conflict clouding his expression.

"Really kills you to admit when you're wrong, doesn't it?" I said, trying to keep my voice light.

I could see him trying not to smile. I relaxed in my seat, for the first time feeling like we were on even footing.

"I tried to find you, you know," Peter told me after a few minute's silence. "Years ago. You never told me your surname, so I didn't connect you with Nancy until Eddie said it. Nancy hired me to look for you, but I couldn't get a trace. Guess the charms on your apartment building didn't help, eh?"

"I didn't want to be found," I said, baffled at the idea he had been looking for me on my grandmother's behalf.

"Yet you stayed so close to home," he said, trying to draw me out. I pretended he hadn't spoken.

"How come she hired you anyway?"

"I deal with things people don't believe in."

"What, like me?" I said, my tone wry.

"Occasionally. I'm good at finding bad."

"Gee, thanks."

He shrugged carelessly, but I noticed the look of pain that fleetingly crossed his face. I was intrigued, but he wasn't going to open up to me. I wanted to know more about him, his life, and whatever tragedy that had befallen his family, but I wasn't used to face-to-face contact. I didn't know how to talk to people properly.