Drake Chronicles: 03 Out for Blood (18 page)

Sunrise trembled on the horizon.

Solange was stil snarling, the whites of her eyes now completely red.

She didn’t look right.

“Solange,” I said, trying to catch her attention. “Solange, focus.” She hissed. The dark sky lightened to a pale gray, glimmering like a pearl. I felt the weariness of the dawn start to tug at my bones. Nicholas’s jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscles spasms from here.

“She’s stil bleeding,” he ground out.

Solange licked her lips, stumbled back a step, howled. We both flinched.

“Get Lucy help,” I told him. “She can’t spend the night in one of the safe houses and you can’t wait for me to talk Solange down.” The safe houses were actual y more like underground bomb shelters hidden throughout the forest in case any of us got caught far from home at sunrise. Some linked to the tunnels connecting our farmhouse to various parts of the area; others locked up tight, impenetrable. We had no way of knowing if Lucy could wait until sunset for medical attention. Nicholas hesitated, glancing at Solange, who was growling low in her throat.

“Just go,” I said, approaching Solange as if she were a wild beast. It wasn’t far off from the truth. Her internal tethers were new, untested. Fragile. She was strong, already stronger than anyone else so newly turned. But she might not be strong enough to completely control her inner vampire. It wasn’t an exact science. I just had to stop her from giving in entirely, and sunlight would do the rest. Assuming I could get her to safety before it dropped her like a stone in a deep pond. We were nothing if not susceptible.

Nicholas looked wrecked, cradling Lucy against his chest. Her arm dropped limply. She’d never done anything limp in her life. Fear for her nibbled at me.

Nicholas broke into a run so sudden, the air displaced al around him. Fal en leaves whirled at my feet. Solange took a step, fol owing the scent of blood.

“Stop me,” she pleaded, even as she pul ed a dagger from her boot. She suddenly looked so much like Mom, I felt disoriented.

“I’m trying,” I whispered, holding up one hand. “Solange, you’re okay.” She laughed but there was no humor in it. “Quinn, we both know I’m not okay.” She swal owed, as if it was the hardest thing she’d ever done. She squinted at the sky.

“God, it’s burning inside me. Did this happen to you? I don’t remember you guys being like this.” Her hair was damp. It took a lot to make a vampire sweat. We didn’t exactly run hot, temperature-wise.

“You’l be okay,” I said soothingly.

“I can stil smel the blood,” she said softly, as if she was talking about chocolate cake. She inhaled, nostrils flaring. “I have to fol ow it.”

“Wait.” I blocked her way. “Just wait a minute.”

“No.”

She shoved me and then vaulted over my flailing limbs, taking off between the pine trees.

Damn it, I was
not
going to be outdone by my baby sister.

We raced through the forest, the sun burning at our heels. I didn’t even know if she was racing to Lucy’s blood, to the safety of the farm, or just away from me. I only knew I had to stop her.

There’s one sure way to stop a vampire.

Blood.

I had to make myself an easier target than a wounded human.

I reached into my pocket, leaping over a fal en moss-draped tree trunk. I stil had the test tubes of blood Hunter had given me. It wasn’t much but it might be enough to stop Solange, to give her the strength to find her control again.

I stopped running, acorns and needles crunching under my feet. I popped the lid off one of the glass tubes and flicked a few drops out. Hunter’s friend’s name was on the label: Chloe.

“Solange,” I cal ed out. “Can you smel that? I’ve got fresh blood here for you.”

“What is that?” she asked. I couldn’t see her but at least she’d stopped running.

“It’s human blood, Sol,” I said tauntingly. “It’s better than animal blood. Don’t you want a sip?” I felt like a freaking drug dealer. This night was not exactly going according to plan. I waved the tube, trying not to react to the scent myself. My fangs elongated a little and saliva fil ed my mouth. We avoided human blood. It was so easy to become addicted. “Just imagine how it tastes.” She came around an oak, the leaves hanging over her head like a crown. She was as pale and slender as a shaft of moonlight. She moved slowly toward me, feral and predatory.

I waggled the tube. “Come on, Sol. I know you want it.” The sun steadily pushed its way over the horizon. I could see it in the fatigue in Solange’s face, under the hunger. And I could feel it in my bones, turning them to water. I struggled against it. This was definitely the worst part of being a young vampire. If we got caught out here we’d be vulnerable. If the sunlight didn’t weaken us to the point of death, something else would come along and finish the job. A wel -

meaning hiker who’d take us to the hospital where lab tests would prove disconcerting, or else an anti-treaty Helios-Ra hunter who knew exactly how to dispatch us. Or even a human loyal to a vampire family who didn’t particularly care for the Drakes.

I had to hurry.

I circled around so that I was in the lead and then headed toward the farmhouse.

“Come and get it,” I told her grimly.

We were on Drake land when she caught up to me.

“Give it to me!” Her nails scraped into my hand. She grabbed the tube and licked the glass rim, tilting it for a greedy mouthful. There wasn’t much in there but she gulped at it like it was water and she’d been lost in the desert for a year.

Then she spat the whole mouthful out without swal owing.

“Gross. What the hel ’s in there? Tastes like medicine.” She grimaced, throwing the tube at my head. I caught it and slipped it back into my pocket. There was just enough blood left to smear the inside of the tube, like stained glass. One thing was for sure—Chloe’s vitamins were definitely not vitamins.

“There’s blood at the house,” I told her. “We’re nearly there.” I grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the squares of lamplight. We reached the house just as the light sent spears of fire between the branches. Solange was asleep on her feet, sliding onto the porch floor like a silk scarf. The lethargy was so sudden, so deep that I was limping when I fel , dragging her through the door.

Chapter 19

•

Hunter

Sunday afternoon

The next day came entirely too soon. Wil was stil dead, we didn’t know if Spencer would get better, and now my head felt like I’d landed on it repeatedly during the night even though I hadn’t gotten drunk.

Al in al , not exactly an improvement.

Chloe made a weird sound, like a grunt, as she pul ed her pil ow over her head. “I hate my life,” she added.

“I hate your schnapps,” I said, squinting at the alarm clock’s digital numbers: 2:03

P.M. It felt way earlier. “It makes you snore like a horse.”

“Karma,” Chloe maintained from the depths of her covers. “That’s what you get for stealing.”

I snorted. “You steal chocolate from me al the time.” She poked one eye out from her pil ow. “You know about that?”

“Wel , duh,” I said. I shuffled from the hal to the bathroom. It felt as if I hadn’t gotten any sleep at al . There were way too many students running around, unpacking and reconnecting with friends they hadn’t seen al summer. Someone squealed.

“Can we stake her?” Jenna begged, coming out of one the stal s and wiping her mouth. She stood at the mirror looking miserable. Even her freckles looked miserable. Then she winced at her choice of words. “Sorry.” She fil ed the sink with cold water.

“Any word from Spencer?” I asked.

“None.” Jenna shook her head, then moaned at the movement. “But as soon as I’m sure my head won’t crack right open, let’s go see Theo.”

“Okay.” I final y caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. “Gack!” Never mind the haggard combination of my too-pale complexion and dark smudges of fatigue; there was also a mottled bruise under my cheekbone from last night’s fight. I poked it gingerly, hissed out a breath. Jenna toweled her face, final y looked at me, and winced.

“That looks painful.”

“I guess I should learn to duck faster.” I poked at it again and sighed. “At least he didn’t give me a black eye.”

“How’s Chloe?”

“Same. Seen Jason yet?” Someone let one of the bathroom stal doors slam shut and Jenna clutched her head and whimpered. “Ow! That’s it,” she said, shuffling down the hal like an old lady—or an asylum patient. “I’m cal ing Jason. I hope the phone rings right in his ear. He’s so not escaping this hangover.” Simon walked past us, eating a sandwich. I didn’t know him personal y but Jenna had been crushing on him from afar for two ful years. She tried to smile at him.

Instead she threw up on his shoes.

“What the hel , man?” He leaped back, crashing into the wal . “Gross.” Jenna turned bright red and ran al the way back to her room.

I felt sure she was never going to drink again. Simon just stood in the hal . “What is wrong with the girls at this school?” he muttered.

I eventual y wove my way around suitcases and went back to my room. Chloe was stil a lump of disgruntled blankets.

“Are you dead?” I asked.

“Zombie,” she answered. “Don’t tel my Supernatural Creatures prof. She’l try to decapitate me.” She pul ed her blanket over her face. “On second thought, decapitation sounds soothing. Hook me up.”

“Try aspirin first,” I suggested, handing her the bottle after shaking two out for myself. I downed an entire bottle of water and felt marginal y more human. Stil , I didn’t want to do anything but lie there and feel pathetic.

I definitely didn’t want to answer the door.

“If that’s another one of your Niners …” Chloe’s threat trailed off menacingly, as if she couldn’t think of anything bad enough to inflict on whoever dared knock on our door.

The second knock had us both snarling. I swung the door open, scowling. “What already?”

Ms. Dailey stood on the other side, eyebrow raised drily.

“Oh, um, Ms. Dailey.” I flushed. Chloe smothered a snort of laughter.

“Hunter.” Ms. Dailey smiled knowingly. “May I come in?” I stepped aside to let her pass. “Is Spencer okay?” I couldn’t think of another reason why she’d be here in our dorm room. My heart fel into stomach.

“Spencer’s condition is unchanged,” she assured me. “And he is receiving the best care possible. His parents are on their way here to the school today.”

“Oh.” So he was sick enough that his parents had been cal ed. We’d known that already, of course, but this just made it feel more awful. More final. “Can we see him?”

“You know that’s not possible,” she told us gently and glanced at Chloe, who final y sat up, her curly hair looking like a bird’s nest squashed on one side of her head.

“He’s in quarantine.” She pursed her lips. “Which is why I won’t be commenting on your obvious hangover, Chloe. After last night, I suppose you al deserve a break.” She speared her with a stern glare that had Chloe squirming. “I won’t tel the headmistress about this, but you’re on kitchen duty until Christmas break. And if anything like this ever happens again, you’l be expel ed. Understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Chloe murmured. It was pretty cool of Dailey not to bust her.

“Good.” She turned to me. “Now, Hunter, there is something I’d like to discuss with you.”

I tried to make my brain work. “Yes?”

“I am starting my own student group. The Guild wil recruit the best of the best to help take out the new
Hel-Blar
and other threats. I’d like to formal y extend an invitation for you to join us. You’ve exhibited leadership, team spirit, courage, loyalty, and resourcefulness time and time again and you ought to be rewarded for it. And I’m very proud of you for resisting whatever party was going on here last night. We could use you.”

“Thank you!” I final y exclaimed after a stunned silence. This was way better than floor monitor duties. And Grandpa would puff up his chest with pride and brag to al his friends. I grinned.

“We’l expect you every Sunday afternoon for training and Tuesday evenings after supper for weekly orientation.” She shook her head at Chloe. “Drink lots of water” was her parting advice before letting the door shut behind her. Loudly.

I tuned to Chloe, beaming. “Can you believe it? Cool.” She did
not
look happy for me.

She swung out of bed, glowering. “Figures.”

I narrowed my eyes, some of my happiness congealing in my chest. “And by that you mean, congratulations?”

“I mean, I’m tired of the elitist nepotism of this school.” My mouth dropped open. “What the hel , Chloe? I work my ass off.”

“And I don’t?”

I was real y sick of this argument.

“Wel , it’s not actual y about you for one second,” I told her. “It’s about me.”

“It’s
always
about you.”

I rol ed my eyes. “I’m so over your pity party. Green’s not a good color on you.”

“Shut up.” She stalked toward me, her hands clenched into fists. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I stood my ground. “I know exactly what I’m talking about so back off, Chloe. I mean it.” I couldn’t believe one of my best friends was al up in my face like that. It was total y surreal. “I real y hope that this is a side effect from your dumb-ass vitamins,” I told her grimly. “Even so, it’s getting tired.”

“God, get off my case, already,” Chloe shouted, and shoved me. I stumbled back a step, shocked.

“You did not just do that.” I shoved her back before I could stop myself.

“So what if I did? Going to tattle on me to your new Guild friends?” She shoved me again, or would have if I hadn’t jerked my shoulder back. The momentum tripped her up, which infuriated her al the more. Frankly, I was past caring.

Especial y when she hauled off and punched me.

The ensuing silence was cold and sudden, like a bucket of water. I’d managed to duck enough that her fist glanced my chin and shoulder but didn’t do too much damage. Stil , I felt the throb on my jaw. She stared at me, eyes watering, cheeks red with fury.

I real y wanted to punch her back.

Before I could give in to some idiot catfight, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room.