3 Hit the Road Jack (9 page)

"I will. I promise." I reached up and kissed his cheek.

"If anything happens to her, it's on your fucking head!" Matteo stiffened at Kellan's words; clearly he understood his implication.

"We should go, yes?" Matteo checked.

"Yes, let me change clothes and grab my stuff, then I'll meet you at the car."

"Want me to follow you?" Kellan asked as I turned towards the luggage on the bed. He came up behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist as he nuzzled my neck.

"I'll be fine. I can fend for myself. I'm a vamp too, remember?"
 
I smiled as he kissed my pulse point.

"I remember. How can I forget?"
 
He inhaled me sending a shiver down my spine.

"I should go babe."
 
I turned in his arms to face him. He stole my lips before I could take a breath. I responded quickly, eagerly as he devoured me. I dropped my wallet on the bed to freely run my fingers through his hair. His hands traveled south, cupping my rear and squishing me into his growing desire.

At the sound of a throat being cleared, I pulled away earning an agitated growl from Kellan. His head snapped towards the door where Kalel stood, arms crossed, lips pursed and brows nearly a straight line as he scowled.

"I'm going to take a cold shower," Kellan grumbled. "Be safe." He kissed me one last time before escaping to the bathroom.

"Sorry to interrupt," Kalel relaxed his stance.

"It's ok. I need to change and leave anyways."

"Where are you going?"

"The embassy with Matteo."

"I don't trust the kid."

"Apparently no one does. Kellan said the same thing."

Kalel narrowed his eyes. "You're going alone?"

"He said they only wanted me."

"They've made exceptions before and allowed vampires in." His frown deepened. "I agree with blue balls. I don't like this."

I cut my eyes at him. "Be nice, and don't worry. I can take care of myself."

"Not alone against a multitude of vampeens whose strength blows yours away."

"I'm not a weakling,
Kalel
" I
said, busying myself by picking out an outfit from my bag
.

"You're also not old enough to be stronger than most of them."

"I have my necklace," I countered. I palmed the upside-down cross beneath my hoodie.

"Raise the shield before you even get in the car with the waffle."

"What's up with the names?"

"I'm frustrated. Now change and stop by my room so I can wire you. This way if you get in trouble, we'll know."

"Fine, now go." I
shooed him out,
shut the door and locked it. One minute later I was at his door dressed in wide-legged gray cotton-wool pants, black ballet flats, a fitted cream sweater and my hair freshly wrapped in a bun atop my head with my passport, debit card and phone in my pockets.

"Come in and shut the door." He h
a
nded me a pair of diamond stud earrings. I handed him my pearls in return.

"Don't lose those. They're my mom's." At the mention of her, a wave of sadness hit me.

My parents' deaths had hit me harder than I liked to admit. Rather than wallow in sorrow all the time, I tried to distract myself to avoid thinking about them. There were times when Kellan was out with Craig and my aunt
was
away, times when I was alone in our house that I broke down, but never in front of anyone. I'd broken down too much, been too sappy right after my transformation. The doctor said it was all the body and hormone change
s, but I felt weak. Crying seemed
like a weakness, esp
ecially when it was in front of
vamp
s
that
tend
ed
to look down on emotion.

"Focus Leka," Kalel cut into my wander. He held up a lapel pin. "This is the camera; your earrings are the speakers, recorders, whatever you want to call them. They pick up the sound and match it to the video feed which I can get on my laptop and phone. And before you ask, no, you won't be caught by security."

"Ok." I turned my head as he pinned the camera on me. As soon as he finished I looked forward to him gazing straight at me, an odd expression on his face. I swallowed hard, feeling exposed almost. He shook his head and pulled away. "Let me make sure it's working." I merely nodded my head, trying to ignore the flutters in my stomach.

Focus on Kellan. You can't screw this up with him again.
 
Kalel gave me an odd appraising look.
"Um, yea, check it
,
"
I stumbled, trying to get him to focus on anything but me.

Two minutes later I was set to go. "Be careful Leka. I'll be watching.
And make sure you keep your thoughts blocked.
"

"Thanks." I left with an uneasy feeling. They were all so worried about me going
some
place
that was essentially like the vampeen White House or Pentagon. I just didn't understand the hype. Aside from Keira, I
 
hadn’t
really faced anyone who strongly disliked opposite vamps. I'd been warned, but hadn't experienced. For some reason, I had a feeling I'd learn very soon.

"You took long," Matteo stated as soon as I got in the van.

"I'm a girl. I take a while to get ready." He started the car, giving me a sideways glance before pulling out.

"I do not understand why you are important. They talk like you are royalty. I expected a queen, Angelina Jolie, someone much more than you." He finally rubbed me the wrong way.

"Well you got me
,
"
I bit
out;
m
y tone was
harsher
than I intended,
but
I didn't bother softening. He'd just insulted me. I knew I was none of those things, but it was rude of him to blatantly throw it in my face in a demeaning way. I wasn't calling him a servant, chauffer or 'the help.'

"You're mad," he observed.

I ignored him as I stared out the window at the scenery. The houses were close together, reminding me of most old European cities like Paris and London. Their colors broke up the similarities as nearly all of them boasted the same design, windows overlooking their neighbors and tiny
balconies
. Homes gave way to apartments of the same design
with
multiple residents. The area had more hills than I remembered
;
the streets winded from cobblestone to concrete and back as we navigated towards the center of town.

We rode in silence until he parked on the street in front of what appeared to be an old European church complete with a bell tower and clock.

"This is it?" I checked, staring at the multi-tonal brick structure.

Chapter 8

I didn't know what to expect as we entered, but I was quite surprised to follow Matteo into an actual church. Wooden pews lined the center aisle and stained
glass
windows amplified the
magni
fi
cence
of the cathedral ceilings. A large marble cross with Jesus nailed to it hung in the center back wall w
ith a depiction of his crucifix
ion in the small glass window above it.

"Come," Matteo stated.

I followed him through a side door next to the
candelabra
on the stage.
 
Immediately we entered a tiny pass through. There were no lights, no photos, merely the wooden floors that covered the entire church carried through the short hall leading to another door labeled with in an unrecognizable language.

"It reads 'Cleaning Supplies,'" Matteo offered, as if he could read my mind.

I watched him grab and hold the door handle. Seven seconds passed before a light
flashed
and the lock clicked. He
led
me down a set of narrow concrete steps; I could only picture the spooky steps leading down to a dungeon as we descended. The darkness surrounded me as a chill ran through me. My nerves returned as serum made its presence known in my throat.

A single
hurricane
lantern greeted us at the bottom of the stairwell, illuminating a concrete door with a rectangle cut-out resembling a mob peephole. Nothing was visible through it though. I nearly leapt into Matteo's lap when a large blue scanner hummed, the grid of light passed over us.

"You are not going to live through Jack if light scares you," Matteo smirked, a merriment of cockiness, amusement and, surprisingly, concern, dancing in his expression. I scowled as the door creaked open.

The door opened to a TSA-type security setting. Vampeens in navy blue uniforms labeled 'Security' in multiple languages on the left side o
ver
their hearts dominated the space with several large pieces of screening equipment amongst them. Everyone had an array of weapons encompassing their waists via utility belts. Despite the high level of precautions in place, the atmosphere was much lighter than the vamp army headquarters.

"Hey Mattey,"
greeted
the blond male closest to
us
. They broke into the native language, shaking hands once he stepped
through
the x-ray machine. I stood staring at them, slightly annoyed as I waited for my cue.

"Come," Matteo stated. I walked through right as everyone fell silent. Unease pimpled my skin as I followed their gazes to the far right corner. Relief washed over me at the sight of Auggy and another male dressed in fifties-style military attire.

"Skip the
shit
and get your
ass
over here Lex," Auggy ordered. Matteo and his friend glared darts at me. Matteo had already made his opinion of my regard known in the car so it didn't surprise me.

Matteo mumbled under his breath something I couldn't translate. That had the blond Ricky Martin beside him agreeing as he stared at me openly with anything but friendliness in his eyes. I rushed through the
maze
feeling elated the second I reached Auggy.

"Glad you made it Jackson."

"I'm glad to see you, but I'm still pissed at you." Several vamps gasped, whispers broke out at my casual grumble to the High Authority leader. I wasn't sorry after what he suggested with Mel.

He studied me for a brief minute before shaking his head once. "I knew you would be. I also knew it'd drive home just what you were risking on this mission. Hartford was in on it, but there's no way in hell he was letting his daughter go. So miss pissy pants, you're just going to have to get over the fact that you're an emotionally driven vamp. That's both your greatest strength and
your greatest
weakness. Now don't let it become your downfall. Jack is brutal."

I opened and closed my mouth several times. My knuckles were white, clamped tightly in a fist at my sides; my features pulled taut as Auggy laid into me.

I jumped when,
 
"Don't be emotional. You're further proving his point,"
 
filled my head like a thought plugged in. Auggy's brows furrowed as all the anger gave way to shock.
 
"Don't blow our cover. I'm connecting to you through the earrings. It's Kalel. Kai, Craig and Kellan are here too."

I plastered a smile on my face
, trying to cover up my mistake, though I was reeling at the idea of Kellan, Kai and Kalel all in one room trying to work together. I was praying they didn’t kill each other. If they tried, hopefully Craig, Will or Rafi would step in.

“Jackson!” Auggy bellowed.
I quickly gave him my full attention again.

"
Um, you know, y
ou're right Aug. I am too emotional sometimes. Now am I going to get a tour of this museum or what?"

"What kind of shit shenanigans are you pulling?"

"Me? What about you? You're the elephant, I mean vampire in the room."

He chuckled. "That sounds more like you. And for your information, I'm a vampeen. You only assumed I was a vampire."

"Huh?" I swore my brows reached my hair line.

"Fix your face and follow me Lex," Auggy said, turning to speak to the male beside him.

"You know, it's extremely rude of you not to introduce us Auggy," I stated as I followed them out of the room.

"So sorry your highness, but introductions will have to wait."

"What for?"

"For everyone else
; w
e're going to a meeting. They are very interested in how you plan to take out Jack." I groaned internally, my heart skipping a few slow beats. This didn't feel right at all.

"Don't give them any strategic information. They are not to be trusted."
 
A knot formed in my stomach. I thought about it for a minute realizing they were probably right. If only in case of a mole, I couldn’t divulge anything. Who knew what they would do with that information, though truthfully I didn't have much of a plan formulated.