Crossroads (Crossroads Academy #1) (30 page)

I pull back the collar of my jacket and
reveal to him what I know he wants most: my throat. He stares at it
hungrily. My heartbeat roars in my ears. It cries out to him, to
Damian.

He lurches forward then, a greedy smile
playing across his thin lips. He can almost taste my blood. He
reveals his teeth as he draws closer. I watch as his fangs drop,
waiting patiently, although I want desperately for this to be over.
As he leans in for the kill, prepared sink his teeth into my
throat, I pull a knife from my boot. It’s the knife Nik gave me for
Christmas. I’ve worn it every day since. With my other hand I grab
a fistful of Damian’s hair and pull his head back. There’s no
hesitation as I draw the blade across the creatures’ throat
detaching the head from the body.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper as the body drops to
the ground devoid of life. It twitches in a short-lived death
spasm, and then he’s gone. I sit the head on the ground carefully
and sink back into the grass. I contemplate tasting his blood.
There’s a good chance I could learn something valuable from
Damian’s last memories. I stare at the blood pooling in the grass
but can’t bring myself to do it. Damian’s been used enough, and I’m
not sure I could stomach the twisted workings of his deranged
mind.

Instead I wipe the knife’s blade clean on my
jeans and put it back in my boot. My hands are covered in blood.
I’m covered in blood, I realize. I feel it trickle down my face and
try to wipe it away with the sleeve of my jacket. The leather does
little to absorb the sticky fluid. I probably look like just as
much of a monster as Damian had.

I look up to discover that Nik and Blaine
have joined me in the clearing. I wonder how long they’ve been
watching, how much they’ve seen. I was so absorbed with Damian that
I hadn’t been aware of their presence. They stand motionless. I
guess they saw the whole thing.

I rise to my feet, and this seems to be just
the prompt Nik needs. He springs to action, collecting kindling
from the nearby trees. He quickly builds a pyre and prepares to
burn the remains. I stop him before he can light the fire.

“I’ll do it.” He begins to protest, but I cut
him off with a wave of my hand. “I’ll finish it.”

He reluctantly hands me the matches. I crouch
by the pyre with my arms wrapped around my knees and say a silent
prayer for Damian, hoping he’ll find peace in death. Once that is
done, I strike a match and drop it onto the pile. Even as I do
this, a solitary tear escapes from the corner of my eye and slides
down my cheek. I wipe the traitorous tear away with the back of my
hand and growl with fury. No one says a word.

The fire catches quickly and the smell of
burning flesh is upon us. Thick gray smoke funnels into the sky, a
signal of Damian’s death.

“He’ll come now. Somewhere out there Luka is
watching. Waiting.” I pause looking at both Nik and Blaine. “This
is what he wanted. You should go now.”

“And leave you out here alone? Are you out of
your mind?” Nik asks raising his voice. He’s upset at my
suggestion. It’s counter to his protective nature and I know this
is an argument I’ll never win. Not with him anyway. “Forget it,
Katia. It’s not happening. You need us. Your odds are much better
with our help.”

I turn to Blaine. “You’re under no obligation
to stay. You’re free to go. Neither of us will stop you.” I may not
like him, but that doesn’t mean I can condemn him to death. I have
no idea what we’re up against with Luka. If he stays, it has to be
his choice.

“I’m sorry,” he says turning to Nik. “I never
wanted any part of this.” Without another word he disappears into
the forest. I can’t really blame him. In his shoes, I might do the
same thing.

I walk over to where my crossbow lies and
pick it up. “If you insist on staying, at least stay out of sight.
I doubt we’ll have an advantage, but let’s try. I think he’ll be
expecting me to be alone.”

Nik nods his agreement and hands me another
weapon from the duffel bag, a gun, which I tuck into the back of my
jeans. We’re heavily armed, but I’m not sure how much good it will
do us.

“Ready to die?” he asks grimly.

“Every day.”

We
wait for hours. Unlike Damian, Luka does not respond quickly to our
lure. I’m positive he’ll want to confirm the kill personally to
ensure that Damian’s little murder spree has really been stopped,
but still he doesn’t come. I grow restless and begin to pace the
clearing.

I haven’t seen or heard Nik for a while. I
briefly wonder if he’s abandoned me, although in my heart I know he
would never do that. He’s probably playing it safe. It’s better for
both of us if I’m unaware of his location. If I can’t be certain of
his presence then it’s unlikely that Luka will be aware of him
either.

I’m all but ready to call it a night when a
disturbing chill overtakes me and the hair on the back of my neck
stands on end. The hunter is near. Luka is near. Knowing what I
know now about the Nexus, I don’t doubt my instincts for a second.
I focus all of my senses on locating him. I want to know exactly
from which direction he’s approaching. I am determined to be
prepared. I close my eyes and concentrate, straining my ears for
any sign of movement.

He’s coming from the south. He approaches
slowly with caution. As he gets closer to the clearing, he deviates
from his path. He’s hoping for the element of surprise, but it’s
not going to happen. He’s stealthy and makes very little sound, but
it doesn’t matter. I’m locked on him now.

I raise my crossbow and train it on the area
of the tree line where I expect him to appear. My aim is dead on.
He emerges from the forest to find my bow pointed at his chest. My
accuracy gives him pause. It gives me a boost of confidence. I
doubt he expected such precision from me. Obviously he’s unaware
that I’ve spent the last year recreating myself. I am no longer
that silly girl who worried about getting into the best parties and
having the hottest clothes.

His bite left a lasting mark that he’ll never
be able to understand. I promised myself that I’d never be that
soft, weak girl again. I promised myself that I’d always be
prepared for whatever life threw at me. I wouldn’t just be a
survivor; I’d be a fighter.

“Kate.”

“Luka.”

He bows melodramatically and pulls his hood
back revealing his face to me for the first time. I’m floored by
how normal he looks. In a perfect world he’d look every bit the
grotesque monster that he is, but as I know, the world is far from
perfect.

Instead this creature looks like a Grecian
god with his olive skin, broad shoulders, and wavy blonde hair. He
smiles seductively, and I see that he also has a dimple in his
chin. Although muscular, he moves gracefully like a cat. I ignore
all of these deceptive features and focus on his beady red eyes.
They truly are the window to his soul. In them I see the sickness
that warps his brain and pollutes everything it touches.

“I’ve waited so long for this moment!”

“For what? Your death? Happy to oblige,” I
reply derisively, keeping the crossbow pointed at his chest. With
every step he takes, I adjust my aim. I have no interest in
anything he has to say, but I am compelled to let him come closer
in order to improve my odds of a direct hit. If I allow him too
much distance, he’ll have time to dodge my shot.

“Don’t be like that. You’ll ruin my
mood.”

“As if I care,” I explode angrily. “You’re a
deranged psychopath!”

He goes on as though I haven’t even spoken.
His words are silky and far too intimate for my comfort level. He
repulses me.

“From the first time I saw you at the clinic,
I knew that I had to have you.”

I stiffen at his words. The clinic? He sees
the tension in my body, and it pleases him. He revels in it,
squealing with delight. He rubs his hands together excitedly.
Apparently, he’s just getting warmed up.

“I’ve got your attention now, haven’t I?”

He’s taunting me. I should shoot him now
regardless of the distance. I put pressure on the trigger, but I
can’t bring myself to do it. I have to know first.

“Tell me about the clinic.”

“It would be my pleasure.” He’s circling me
now. Probably hoping for a distraction. I hold my aim. “It’s some
of my most imaginative work. You’re really going to like this.”

“Tell. Me. Now.”

“Youth! Always in a hurry.” He shakes his
head in disdain. “Don’t rush me, Darling. I want to savor this
moment.” I abhor his use of endearing terms, but keep my mouth
shut. It’s evident he enjoys the sound of his own voice. Nothing I
say is going to make him pick up the pace.

“I used to go to the clinic occasionally to
get a quick hit. It was an easy way to score blood and sometimes
drugs. It was also a good place to find the kind of prey no one
would miss. Junkies, homeless, runaways.” His twisted smile tells
me that he feels no remorse for any of his actions. “The staff was
so accommodating. There they were, all those volunteers just
wanting to make a difference.”

I swallow my panic. I cannot let him
manipulate me. This is not a dream. Whatever happens here tonight
will have real consequences. I have to be strong.

“There was this one team of doctors, a
husband and wife, who were especially trusting. When they worked I
could always score big. I learned their schedule and then one day,
much to my surprise, they brought their daughter to the clinic.
They probably thought it was a great experience for her. You know
the kind. See how the other half lives? Give back to the
community?”

I don’t want to hear any more of this. I have
a terrible feeling I know how this story ends and it’s going to
break my heart. And yet, I still can’t shoot him. I have to face
this, face him.

“Yes. I think you do know, don’t you Kate? Do
you remember that day? Do you remember me?”

I wrack my brain but come up empty. There
were always so many people at the clinic. How could I possibly
remember them all? I shake my head, not trusting my voice.

“I didn’t have to wait long after that. The
next time the Drs. Osborne worked the closing shift, I knew it was
time. Time to pluck you from your ordinary life and deliver you to
greatness. You are my destiny, Kate.”

“You’re lying,” I stammer. “My parents died
in an electrical fire.”

“After I drained their bodies.”

I don’t want to believe it. My parents died
because of me? Because this lunatic thought I was his destiny? I
don’t want it to be true. I don’t want to feel responsible, but
even as I stare into his unstable eyes, it’s there. The truth is
that he killed my parents. All the pain, all the grief I felt over
their deaths comes flooding back with the force of a tidal wave. My
knees go weak and I feel my grip on the crossbow slip.

“They were just too naive,” he says shaking
his head in mock sorrow. “They had already locked up for the night
and set the alarm, but I convinced them to let me in. Told them I
was in desperate need of medical attention. I was covered in blood.
They couldn’t turn me away. I could tell by the looks on their
faces that they knew something wasn’t right, but still they opened
the door. Killing them was easy. They didn’t put up much of a
fight. When I was finished, I torched the place.” He talks about
their deaths nonchalantly, the way others discuss sports or
politics. It’s almost more than I can stand.

“Enough!” I scream. He’s sadistic. He’s
relishing every minute of this.

“I watched you for days after the funeral.
Did you feel my presence?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer and
rushes on. His excitement is mounting. Luka’s working himself into
a psychotic frenzy. He practically dances in front of me, his body
humming with energy. “I was right outside your window. Your grief
was powerful. It was like a drug. I could hardly wait to take you.
I knew you were special.”

The idea of him watching me, stalking me,
makes my skin crawl. I tighten my grip on the bow. I will not let
him break me.

“Imagine my dismay when I smelled your blood
flowing freely that night! I was so angry with you at first.” He
balls his fists, rage taking over now as he remembers that night.
His body continues to vibrate, but it’s no longer the result of
excitement. “Slashing your wrists and spoiling what should have
been mine. I’d been dreaming about the taste of your blood for
weeks. I had plans for you!” Spittle sprays from his hateful mouth,
as Luka shakes his fist at me.

He’s getting closer. He’s almost in range. I
just have to keep him talking. I am sickened by the filth that
spews from his vile lips, but it’s the only way. I remind myself
that there is nothing I can do to change the past, but I can damn
sure make certain he doesn’t do this again. I will kill Luka if
it’s the last thing I do.

He talks about the most painful days of my
life as if they are inconsequential. It makes me angry and cuts me
to the core, but I have to be strong. I have to lure him
closer.

“Yeah, I can see how my pain was a real
inconvenience for you.”

“No matter, despite those unsightly little
scars, you’re still perfect in my mind. It’s just lucky I was there
to save you.”

This is the first point on which we agree. If
it weren’t for him, I’d likely be dead right now. In retrospect, I
would change everything if I could. I would take back that terrible
act and face my grief like an adult. I never should have allowed it
to overtake me that way. My parents would never have wanted that.
They would have been devastated by my actions.

“You, Kate, are my greatest achievement in
this existence. Your transfiguration was beautiful. Like a
caterpillar who awakens a butterfly. And, what you did when you
woke again! The havoc you wreaked and the panache with which you
killed! That I couldn’t have planned better myself. I do wish you’d
been more selective in choosing your fare though. Criminals? Street
thugs? I’d wanted better for you.” He reaches toward me longingly
but holds his position. “My Kate….”