4 Waxing & Waning (7 page)

My first real operation came at the end of the month. Professor Blake was putting together a team to infiltrate a vampire nest on the south side of the campus. Since Rafael had told me vampire nests were nasty, I wasn’t against cleaning one out. I was almost sure of it.

“Okay, everyone knows what they’re going to do, right?”

Blake was all business. He was dressed in black, a knit cap pulled low so it hid his blond hair. He’d insisted I do the same and, even though the idea of ruining the hair I’d spent twenty minutes straightening was a foreign one, I eventually relented and tucked every blonde strand beneath it.

There were six operatives in the van. Blake said he believed there were four vampires inside. Six against four – especially when you’re dealing with vampires – didn’t sound like good odds to me.

“I still don’t understand,” I said, gripping the gun I’d been issued in a tight fist. “Do you really think that six of us can take out four of them?”

“We’re not taking them out,” Blake said. “We’re tranquilizing them.”

“And then what?”

“And then? Then an extraction team comes in and finishes the job.”

That didn’t sound very efficient. “And why aren’t we taking them out?”

“That’s not our job.”

“Why isn’t that our job?”

Nick was one of the other operatives in the back of the van, and he was the one who made the obnoxious snorting sound now. “Why don’t you just follow orders and shut your mouth?”

“Why don’t you bite me?”

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and one of them will bite you,” Nick shot back.

“Nick,” Blake warned. “Zoe is a part of our team.”

“She doesn’t seem like a part of our team,” Nick challenged. “There’s no other member of this team who is allowed to come and go like she is. She doesn’t have to follow rules. She doesn’t have to go to all the classes. She’s just allowed to mouth off and do whatever she wants.”

“Zoe’s status in this group is the same as yours,” Blake said. “She is a member of the team. This is an argument for another time.”

When I was sure Blake wasn’t looking, I stuck my tongue out at Nick. He was so easy. I could practically read the murderous thoughts in his head, even from across the van. He was such a dick. They were all dicks. The only one I could tolerate was Mark, who was conveniently my partner for the operation.

“I’ll be part of the first group in,” Blake said. “Nick, you and Dustin will follow behind me.”

“And Zoe and I will be at the back of the house to catch any stragglers,” Mark finished.

“Yeah, I don’t understand why I’m not going in the house,” I said.

“This is your first op,” Blake said. “You need to take it a step at a time. You can’t be with the first wave yet. You’re not ready.”

I felt ready, but I was playing Blake’s game tonight. It was a dangerous situation. I had to defer to his knowledge, even if I didn’t want to.

“Fine.”

Blake nodded. “Why don’t the two of you take up your positions now?”

Mark opened the back door of the van, dropping onto the pavement and waiting for me to join him. I exchanged one last look with Blake. There was so much unsaid between us. Instead of saying any of it, I followed Mark. Once we were outside, we traipsed along the edge of the property in silence, my heart hammering as we made the trek.

This was it. I was finally in the thick of things.
So, why did this feel … wrong?
Rafael had explained how vampires in a nest thought. They looked at humans as nothing more than food. They didn’t care if they killed them – or turned them. Blake had explained that the more vampires nesting on the campus, the worse it got for regular people – and I couldn’t help but agree with that sentiment. Still … there was something wrong with this whole thing.

“Doesn’t this bother you?”

Mark and I were crouched in the bushes behind the house. Waiting. Blake and his three friends hadn’t entered yet. I was sure of that. The house was silent; the inhabitants either resting or engaged in other activities. The whole house was eerily quiet.

Mark glanced over at me, his face eager with anticipation. “Doesn’t what bother me?”

“This,” I whispered. “All of this. Taking orders, and then being forced to hide in the bushes.”

“Not really,” Mark said. “I’ve never been on an op this big before.”

That was both disheartening and illuminating. “You haven’t?”

“This is usually reserved for people who have at least three years in the Academy,” Mark replied. “I’m not there yet.”

And I definitely wasn’t there yet. “So, why are we here?”

“It’s you,” Mark said. “They think you’re magical or something.”

“Magical?” I kept my voice even. Paris said she hadn’t told Mark what happened at the sorority house. She’d purposely kept things vague. Mark had no idea what I was truly capable of – not that I did either.

Mark shrugged. “They say you’re something special.”

“Is that all they say?”

“Pretty much,” Mark said. “I think I’m here because I’m the only one you tolerate. Thanks for that, by the way.”

“I’m not magical,” I said, testing him.

“I know,” Mark said. “As long as they think you are, though, we’re going to get special treatment. I’m not complaining.”

He was either incredibly naïve or the world’s greatest actor. I was leaning toward the former.

“You’re really gung-ho about all this stuff,” I said.

“And you’re not?” Mark turned to me, his eyes sparkling. “Think about it, Zoe,” he said. “We’re about to eradicate evil.”

My insides twisted. “How do you know that?”

“What do you mean?”

“How do you know they’re evil?”

“They’re vampires,” Mark replied simply.

“I don’t think all vampires are evil.”

“Of course they are,” Mark said. “They don’t have souls.”

“Do we have souls?”

Mark’s face was blank under the dim moonlight. “Of course.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because … well, we just do. We’re all unique. If you don’t have a soul, how would you be unique?”

“How do you even know what a soul is?” I pressed. “Other than people telling us we have souls, I mean, how do we know?”

“You don’t think you have a soul?”

“I don’t know what a soul is,” I said. “Not really. I’m unique because I’m a person. I don’t necessarily believe that there’s something in me that transcends this life and moves on to the next.”

“What about the ghost?”

I stilled. “Lisa?”

“Have you seen any other ghosts?”

I’d forgotten he knew about Lisa. “No.”

“If people don’t have souls, how did Lisa’s hang on to this plane?”

Crap. He had a point. “I don’t know.”

“So, if we have souls and we lose them when we die, what happens to a vampire when they die?”

“Do we even know they die when they’re turned?”

“Well, no,” Mark said. “I’ve never seen it. I’ve read about it, though.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
, too.”

“Listen,” Mark said. “I don’t know everything. I don’t think anyone knows everything. I do know that these people have shown me more truth than I’ve ever known before in my life.”

“For instance?”

“For instance, they’ve shown me that vampires and werewolves are real.”

That was too simplistic. “That doesn’t mean they’re evil.”

“Are you saying that because you used to share your bed with a werewolf? Actually, two werewolves? Or, are you saying this because you don’t really believe any of it?”

It was a pointed question, and Mark’s face was drawn and serious when he asked it. “I’m saying it because this just doesn’t feel right.”

“What doesn’t feel right about it?”

“They’re going in there to tranquilize vampires, which seems like a waste of time to me,” I said. “If they want them dead, then why aren’t they killing them?”

“Maybe there’s a special way to do it,” Mark said.

“If there is, why wouldn’t they tell us?” I pressed. “What if we’re in a sticky situation and have no choice but to kill one?”

“The tranquilizers are easier,” Mark said. “That’s why they gave the guns to us.”

I glanced down at the weapon in my hand. Like everything else at the Academy, weapons training had come easily to me. I’d only needed two sessions with the gun before I’d been cleared and issued one. Mark’s words should have made sense, and yet … .

I was pulled from my thoughts by sounds from inside of the house. Blake had obviously started his offensive, and the inhabitants were clearly caught off guard. I could hear yelling, the “hiss” accompanying the sound of tranquilizer guns being shot flying through the air. And then I heard something else: Screaming.

I glanced over at Mark. The excitement from before was gone, replaced with pale worry.

“Maybe we should go in through the back door,” he said.

“Go.”

I didn’t tell him that I was running into the heart of danger for different reasons than him. I knew the screams I’d heard had been full of anguish, not anger and retribution. I was going into the house to try and save the inhabitants, not kill them. All Rafael’s talk of nests and the evil associated with them was gone. This was wrong. I didn’t know exactly what Blake was doing, but I did know that it wasn’t right. It wasn’t just.

Mark was through the door before me, and I purposely separated myself from him once we were inside. He rushed to the front of the house, gun drawn, and a maniacal look on his face. I didn’t like the look, but that was something to contemplate at another time.

The sound of breaking glass and bodies flying across the room accosted my ears, and yet I didn’t move into the other room. Something told me it was a mistake. There was someone else here.

I glanced to my left, catching sight of long, blonde locks as they billowed wildly. The woman who ran into the room was small, about my height. Her face was full of terror, and the extended teeth in her mouth told me she was a vampire.

She pulled up short when she saw me.

“Please,” she begged, holding her hands up. “Please.”

“What’s your name?”

The girl looked surprised by the question. “Harper.”

“Were you … were you killing people here, Harper?”

“No,” she said, blood-red tears rolling down her face. “We were just trying to hide. I promise.”

I believed her.

“Go out the back,” I ordered. “Don’t stop. Don’t look back. Leave this place.”

The woman’s face was twisted with uncertainty.

I strode over to her, grabbing her arms and shaking her. “I’m not joking. Go now!”

Harper snapped to attention. “Why are you letting me go?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do.”

The sounds were dying in the next room.

“Go now!”

“What about them?”

“You can’t help them,” I said. “I can’t either. Just go.”

Harper cast one more look over her shoulder and then she disappeared into the night. I glanced around the kitchen. Instinct took over, and I wasn’t sure what propelled me to do it, but I threw a chair across the kitchen and then tumbled to the ground.

Two figures rushed into the room almost immediately. One of them was Blake. The other was Nick. Blake’s eyes met mine. “What happened?”

“There was another one,” I said. “She took me by surprise.”

“Where is she?”

“She ran out the back door.”

Nick was rushing through the archway before the words completely escaped from my mouth, his back nothing but a blur.

Blake crouched down next to me. “Why didn’t you shoot her?”

“I told you,” I said. “She surprised me.”

“She didn’t bite you?”

“She didn’t even try,” I said. “She just wanted out.”

“What did she look like?” Blake pressed.

“She was blonde,” I said.

“Tall? Short?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “It happened really fast.”

“You must know something,” Blake said, his face serious.

“She was taller than me,” I said. “I think.”

Blake’s face was hard to read but, for a second, I thought I saw mistrust reflected there. It was gone before I could be sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. “Well, at least you’re all right. That’s all that matters.”

He was lying. Something else was going on here. This was all so … wrong.

“So, you just let her go?”

I was back at the house – and none too happy to find a party raging when I returned. Paris and Kelsey were sitting in the living room, and there were more people present than I was comfortable with.

The three of us were standing in the tiny area where the dining room table rested. Four people could fit in it – if they were all sitting. There wasn’t room for anyone else, which was why I was telling my story there.

“She hadn’t done anything,” I said. “I couldn’t be sure.”

“But she was a vampire,” Kelsey said, glancing over her shoulder to make sure we were still alone. “Doesn’t she kill people for a living?”

“I don’t think she gets money for it,” I said.

“You know what I mean,” Kelsey scoffed. “They kill people to live.”

“I think they just need to drink blood to live,” I said. “I don’t think most of them kill people.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because, if they did, there would be a lot more dead bodies around here,” I said.

“Maybe they turn them all?”

“Then there would be a lot more people disappearing,” I replied. “I think that most of them are just drinking and running.”

“Why don’t people report it?”

“They glamour them,” I said.

“What’s that?”

“It’s like hypnotism,” I explained. “They just make people think the drinking didn’t happen.”

“How do you know that?” Kelsey asked.

“Rafael told me.”

“Has he ever … you know … drank from you?” Kelsey’s face was a mask of resignation and repulsion.

“No.”

“How can you be sure? I mean, if that whole glamouring thing is true, then how could you know?”

“He says I can’t be glamoured,” I replied. “It must be the mage in me.”

“And we still don’t know what a mage is, right?” Kelsey said.

“We know in the broadest sense of the word,” Paris said. “Zoe is magical. We still don’t know how or what the limits of her powers are.”

“She incinerated Laura,” Kelsey said, lowering her voice. “I’m guessing she’s pretty powerful.”

“Or something inside of her is,” Paris agreed. “Zoe didn’t purposely kill Laura. Whatever is inside of her bubbled up and protected her. There’s a difference.”

“Hey, I’m not calling her a murderer,” Kelsey said. “I’m just … well, I’m just confused.”

She wasn’t the only one.

“What did Blake say?” Paris asked. “Did he know you let her go?”

“I lied and said she pushed me down and escaped.”

“Did he believe you?”

My memory flashed to his face. “No.”

“How can you be sure?” Paris asked.

“It’s just a feeling,” I said. “He doesn’t trust me anymore than I trust him.”

“So, why are you staying at the Academy?”

“Because … something tells me I need to right now,” I said.

“You’re a spy,” Kelsey said, her face nonplussed as she sipped from her plastic cup.

“I’m not a spy,” I protested. “I’m an … information gatherer.”

“That’s a spy, dude,” she replied. “What are you going to do with the information once you’ve gathered it? Are you going to tell Aric?”

“No.” I hadn’t told anyone about my run-in with Aric. It hurt too much, and I didn’t want any touchy-feely exploration of my feelings after the fact. For now, it was my secret to bear.

“What about Rafael?” Paris asked.

“I don’t know.”

Kelsey pursed her lips, raising her eyebrows speculatively. “Do you know anything?”

I nodded. “I need a beer.”

“CLUBS.”

Euchre is the only card game – besides solitaire – I like playing. There’s something magical about four people sitting on the floor in the shape of a cross. You can’t play alone – okay, technically you can, but it’s a rarity – and you’re completely reliant on someone else to help you.

I like the game. My partner this evening was a guy I’d just met. His name was Scott. His hair was long, brushing the top of his shoulders, and the waves in it were kinky and fun. He was a good-looking guy, his smile ready and flirtatious. His sense of humor was engaging and, for some reason, we played the game like tournament champs together.

“Good call,” Scott said, smiling at me.

He’d flirted with me a couple of times, but it wasn’t overt – or oppressive. He was just a friendly guy, I realized. If I offered to take him to bed, he wouldn’t say no. He also wasn’t pressing me. I liked him. He made me feel … relaxed. I hadn’t felt this relaxed in months.

After the hand was over, and Scott and I had claimed four of the five tricks, the guy to my left balked. “I think you guys are cheating.”

“How are we cheating?” I asked. “You’re sitting right here.”

“You’ve got signs or something,” the guy replied.

“We just met,” I said. “Grow up.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“Then leave,” I suggested. “Other people will play.”

“I want to play,” he said. “I just want you two to stop cheating.”

“We’re not cheating,” Scott said. “Have some more beer.” He winked at me.

The sound of heavy banging on the door jolted everyone. I glanced around, looking for one of my roommates to handle the task. Tally was sitting on the stairs, her legs spread, and some guy was exploring her mouth with his tongue while leaning between them.

Kristy was standing in the kitchen talking to another guy. She was twirling a strand of her unruly hair in her hand. I think she was flirting, although I couldn’t be sure. It was genuinely hard to tell. The guy talking to her was clearly drunk. He kept losing his balance and falling into the refrigerator behind him.

Paris was standing in the back vestibule, a balloon situated between her lips. Someone had brought a nitrous tank to the party and, while it wasn’t my thing, it seemed to be a big moneymaker. Some guy had set it up in the basement next to the keg.

Paris was clearly having a good time as she sucked away.

I pushed the cards into a pile and shot Scott a look. “I have to get the door.”

He nodded, not moving from his spot. “I’ll wait for you.” His smile was nice, I realized, trying to push the thought from my mind as I ambled toward the front door. The last thing I needed was another romantic entanglement.

Someone pounded on the door again. Hard.

“All right,” I grumbled, twisting the knob. “I hear you.”

The two figures standing on the other side of the door surprised me. They were cops.

“Did someone call and complain about the noise?” I asked. “We’re not being very loud. The music is pretty low.”

“We’re looking for Zoe Lake,” one of the officers said.

My heart clenched. “Why?”

“Does Zoe Lake live here?”

“She does,” I said.

“Is she here now?”

“What do you want her for?”

I felt someone move in behind me. When I glanced over my shoulder, I found Scott standing there. “Is something wrong, officers?”

“We need to speak to Zoe Lake.”

I tilted my head, considering. There really was no sense lying. They would just line everyone up and check their licenses. I was only delaying the inevitable. “I’m Zoe Lake.”

One of the officers, the younger one, looked me up and down. “Why didn’t you say that when we first asked?”

“I’m untrustworthy of law enforcement,” I replied. “Sue me.”

The cop’s face was cynical. “Or maybe you’re hiding something.”

“What do you want?”

“We have a few questions,” the other police officer said. He was older, in his forties if I had to guess, and he seemed almost embarrassed by his younger partner’s zeal and accusatory manner.

“About?”

“About the body you discovered on campus,” the older officer replied.

I nodded, moving through the door. “Let’s talk out here.”

“And why is that?” I swear, the younger officer wanted me to smack him across the face.

“Because everyone is having fun inside,” I replied. “You guys look like you could suck the fun out of a close-ended straw.”

The older officer smiled, moving off the porch and positioning himself farther down the sidewalk. “We can do this outside.”

“Great.”

I tried to shut the door, but Scott was squeezing out behind me. I frowned.
Why would he possibly want to join this clusterfuck?

Once the door was shut, and Scott and I were on the lawn facing the police officers, I was suddenly nervous. “What do you want to know?”

“What does he have to do with anything?”

“I’m a friend,” Scott said. “I just want to make sure nothing happens to Zoe.”

“We’re not here to hurt her,” the older cop said. “We’re not even here to take her into custody. We’re just here to ask her a few questions.”

“Maybe she needs a lawyer,” Scott countered.

“She’s not under arrest.”

“What do you want to know?” I asked. “It’s been almost two months. If you had additional questions, why haven’t you come before this?”

“Some new information has come to light,” he said. “Some new questions have become imperative.”

He seemed serious. “Hit me.”

“When you discovered the body, was anyone else in the area besides the individual with you?”

“You mean Mark? No, it was just the two of us,” I said.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m pretty sure,” I replied. “I remember thinking how dead the campus was that night. Why do you ask?”

“We’ve received some new information,” the older man said. “We’re trying to get … clarification.”

“Talking in circles isn’t good for me,” I said. “Why don’t you just tell me what this new information is, and I’ll tell you if it’s true or not.”

“Well, that would be convenient, wouldn’t it?” I really didn’t like the younger officer. He was all puffed-out chest and big words.

“You’re a douche,” I said, the words out of my mouth before I could think better of them.

“And I think you’re hiding something,” he replied.

“What do you think I’m hiding?”

“I think you know something,” he said.

“If she knew something, why would she have called the police after discovering the body?” Scott challenged. “Wouldn’t she just have left and never said anything about it?”

“And what is your relationship with Ms. Lake?”

“She’s a great euchre partner,” Scott replied, not even remotely nervous despite the police presence.

“I’m not hiding anything,” I said, placing my hand on Scott’s arm to calm him. “I’ve told you what I know.”

The older officer nodded. “Thank you for your time.”

“What? We’re just going?” The younger cop looked disappointed.

“We have no reason to stay.” The older officer may have been more complacent, but he was the one I was worried about as they left.

Once they were gone, I turned to Scott. I hated being suspicious of him – especially given the circumstances – but my inner misgivings were on display. “Why did you do that?”

Scott shrugged. “I hate cops.”

“I hate them, too,” I said. “That doesn’t mean that you had to stand up for me.”

“I like you,” he said, smiling so his dimple could come out to play. “I think you’re funny. It’s not a big deal.”

He was halfway to the door before I started to follow. This night was like a maelstrom of mixed signals. I didn’t like it.