Dark Seeker (26 page)

“You’re leaving. . .does it really matter?” she said under her breath.

“Not right now, Janie!”

Always the same reaction—
not right now.
This infuriated her. “When is it ever a good time to discuss anything? You are continually shutting me out. Maybe you should let me know when you’re ready to talk—”

“Janie—” Kai interrupted. He pulled her into him and kissed her hard, releasing all of his pain, guilt, fear, regret and. . .love. “Please,” he said. “It’s harder for me. You’re the only person I’ve opened up to.” His forehead lowered to hers. He fisted her hair, holding her tightly against him. She didn’t attempt to move. She wanted to grab him and pour every bit of herself into him right there.

She didn’t. He was right. It wasn’t the time. She wondered if the time would ever come.

He breathed heavily on her face. “I want to discuss this, discuss us. I’m trying to focus on what’s about to happen. If we don’t focus, you could get killed. That, I couldn’t live with.” He half-smiled, making her heart melt like warm butter. “Right now I have to get your Imprint.” Kai released her and disappeared through the wall.

He returned within seconds. Matt clung to his arm like a koala bear. “What the hell?” Matt’s eyes bulged. “Did we just go through the wall?”

“What do you think?” Kai shook Matt off his arm.

“I think, but that’s impossible—” Matt stopped speaking halfway through his thought. “I take that back. Nothing’s impossible anymore.”

“Wow, Janie, you got yourself a dim bulb. I guess it’s true what they say about jocks,” Kai quipped.

“I don’t like you.” Matt forced his shoulders back and stepped up to Kai.

Kai didn’t back down. “That makes two of us.”

“Kai—cut it out.” Janie wedged herself between them and threw her hands out, pressing against both of their chests. “Matt—what are you doing here? I told you I had it covered. You’re supposed to be at home.”

“I was worried about you.” His eyes were warm and sincere.

“You—” Kai laughed. “
You
were worried about
her
. You aren’t the brightest. She’s a Seeker. She can take care of herself. She doesn’t need you.” He stepped away from them. “You shouldn’t even be here. There is
nothing
you can do. You’re weak.”

“Why, because she has you?” Matt took hold of Janie’s hand and twisted her into his side.

Awkward
. Janie removed her hand from his. “Seriously, do we have to do this—now? Antony could already be here for all we know.” She directed Kai. “Get ready to fight.” Kai nodded. She turned to face Matt. “Go home.”

“But—”

“I’ll call you later.”

“It’s too late. He stays.” Kai extended his scythe.

“Why—” Janie readied herself in a fighting stance. Then, she felt them through her Seeker sense. “They’re here.”

Antony
rounded the corner with a crew of Daychildren following behind. There were at least ten or twelve of them, many Janie recognized. Others were obviously newbies. The newbies were eager to begin the fight. Drool dripped from their fangs and their black eyes flickered uncontrollably from Janie, to Kai, to Matt and back again. The only impulse they knew was to kill violently, and eat.

“What can I do?” Matt said.

“Stand behind us and shut up,” Kai said.

Janie looked deep into Matt’s hazel eyes, willing him to follow her directions for once. “Go through the locker room and exit at the field. There is a group of five vampires under the bleachers. Find them and tell them Antony’s here. Direct them this way. Make sure you tell them you’re with us.”

“I’d do anything for you.” Matt kissed her cheek and disappeared through the locker room door.

Kai rolled his eyes. “You do realize you’ve just sent your Imprint to confront the head vampire.” A hint of satisfied humor rang through his tone.

“He’ll be fine. Jerome wants Antony, not Matt.” She punched Kai’s arm. “And stop calling him that.”

He winked at her. “You ready?”

“Yup.” She removed her dagger from her boot. As Antony approached she gripped the hilt tighter, preparing to retrieve the other from her waist at any moment.

Antony
let out an annoyed laugh. “I can’t say I’m surprised to see you two. You’ve been a thorn in my side lately.” He stared at Janie. “Seeker, you’ve got balls, coming up in my house like that. Tanya wasn’t your concern. You’ve pushed me too far.” He stopped walking and held up his hand. His followers stopped behind him. Janie recognized the girl with spiky hair at his side. Antony addressed the group, his eyes still planted on Janie. “She’s mine.” He smirked. “Your death won’t be pretty. I’m going to cut out your organs and have them for dinner.”

Janie stepped out from behind Kai. “I’m looking forward to seeing you try.”

“Touch her and I’ll make you beg me to send you to hell.” Kai made a circular motion with his blade.

“I knew it.” Antony fell into a belly laugh. “Wow—I never thought I’d see this day. No wonder Tavares tried to kill you. You’re a pathetic excuse for a Daychild. The first to be created and the first to fall in love with a human. . .and the Seeker at that.” He spat on the floor. “You’re a disgrace to your kind.”

“I think you’re jealous. My girl is right next to me. Yours was sent to hell and you weren’t strong enough to stop it. You’re an inferior leader. You’ve proven that time and time again. Tavares doesn’t care about you. It’s all about his cause.” Kai cracked his knuckles. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Caleb, Michaela, Sera, Jorge. . .get to the field. Start the process,” Antony said.

“I’ve got this—go,” Kai said to Janie. She hesitated, but did as he instructed.

Janie flung the locker room door open. The smell of sweat and testosterone smacked her in the face. She covered her nose and proceeded forward. If she could handle the rotten smell of Daychildren, she could certainly handle a football team—
maybe, BO was a uniquely nasty smell.
Clothes were strewn everywhere, lying over long wooden benches that lined the wall-length rows of metal lockers. Extra helmets and shoulder pads cluttered the lockers. She stumbled over a jock strap.
This sucks.

“Janie?” Scott said as she passed the urinals.
That was embarrassing.

She ignored him and kept her focus on getting to the field. Daychildren were faster than she was. She exited the locker room and sprinted to the track that looped the field. She called Abram on the way. He answered on the first ring. “They’re going to the field.” She spotted the girl with spiky hair, who Antony referred to as Michaela, at the far end of the track and hung up.

Janie didn’t see the others. She slid the dagger back into her boot, not wanting to attract any more attention than she already had. The football players were too wrapped up in practice to notice her, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She circled the track, keeping her eyes peeled for the other three.

She thought of Kai. He was up against at least ten. She knew Kai could fight, but she hoped Matt had been successful in finding Jerome. Kai could use the vampire gang’s help. She scanned the underside of the bleachers and didn’t see Jerome. That was a good sign.

As Janie reached the end of the bleachers, something slid across the track behind her. Blindsided by a punch to her jaw, Janie kicked out in the direction of the punch and made contact with one of them—another girl, Sera. She grabbed Janie’s leg and dragged her under the bleachers, where the other two guys waited.

Janie twisted her leg, freeing herself from Sera’s hold and jumped to a fighting stance with her dagger in hand. The one Antony referred to as Jorge lunged at Janie. She ducked and caught him in the stomach with her fist. He stumbled back, but came at her again. She whirled into a round house kick. Her foot landed on the side of his face. He fell into the last one—Caleb.

The impact didn’t faze Caleb. He steadied himself, protecting the two bottles in his grip. She assumed one bottle held the vampire venom, and the other held the lost souls. If she could destroy both bottles, Antony wouldn’t be able to carry out his plan.

Something hard and flat struck Janie in the back of the head. The object sent her flying forward. She landed on her hands and knees. The loose asphalt dug into her palms. She closed her hands into fists, and her fingers stuck to the thick red liquid. Her knuckles bled from clutching her blade. Pain raked through her head. She tried to touch the wound, but one of them shoved her to the ground with his foot.

“Finish her. She’s down. What are you waiting for?” Sera said. She moved closer to Janie, displaying a large two by four.

“We can’t. You heard Antony. He wants her for himself,” Jorge said.

While they argued, Janie tightened the wet grip she had on her dagger. She took Sera’s legs out from under her with a sweeping kick to her ankles. Sera landed on the concrete next to her. Janie flipped onto her feet and plunged the dagger into Sera’s skull.

Horrified and visibly pissed about Sera’s death, Jorge came at Janie with his arms extended.
Crap, that must have been his girlfriend.
He barreled forward, straight for Janie’s throat. She quickly stepped to the side. Jorge’s forehead smacked the descending bleacher. He bounced back, unfazed. Janie launched her dagger through the air. It struck Jorge between the eyes.
Perfect, right through the skull.

CHAPTER 19

Kai had already taken out three of Antony’s men, with about seven or so to go. He paused to take a breath and assess his injuries. He glanced down at his chest, where his tee had been sliced down the front. His once worn-in jeans were now full of fraying holes. Dried green blood coated his left leg.

He touched a gash just above his forehead. It had already started to heal. A petite girl sprung at him and sliced a silver dagger across his bicep. He cursed and assessed the depth of the incision—only a flesh wound.

The girl’s eyes widened. “Red, why is your blood red? You’re one of us.”

Kai grunted. “Hardly.”

“Wait!” Antony said. The older Daychild stood at attention. The newbies fought to gain their composure. One twitched against the wall. The task of going in for the kill and stopping mid-fight tortured the new ones. Kai took the opportunity to behead the petite girl with his scythe.

“So, it’s true.” Antony glared at Kai. “Tavares was right. You aren’t one of us any more. Your blood runs red like a filthy human, or vampire.”

“Filthy—look who’s talking.” Kai pulled a rag from his back pocket and wiped the blood from his scythe. Antony stiffened. “What’s wrong, big dude? You jealous? Tavares didn’t make you. You’ll never be stronger than me. I was his favorite,” Kai said.

“Maybe then, but now you’re just a disappointment. A child who grew up to be a source of regret.”

Kai laughed. “But you, you’re pure evil. You’ll follow him because that’s all you know. You’re his pawn. Do you really think you can earn his respect? He doesn’t know how to do anything but hate.”

Antony
focused on the crisscross scar over Kai’s heart, exposed from where his shirt had been ripped. “A human heart.” He let out a humored puff of air. “How sweet!” His voice switched back to anger. “You’re weak, part human. Is there even any demon left in you?”

Kai released his fangs.

“Oooh—” Antony shook. “So you’re still part vamp. Big deal. They’ve also proven to be inferior.”

“What’d you say?” Jerome stepped out of the locker room, displaying a hard look of rage. His chains dangled around his neck. He strutted down the hallway toward Antony.

At first Antony didn’t appear surprised to see Jerome. “I should’ve known you’d join the Seeker. You get even more pathetic every day, or should I say—night.” Antony glanced past Jerome, at the four vampires following behind him. “H—How are you here? It’s daytime. You should be a pile of ashes.”

“There are perks to knowing the Seeker.” Jerome smiled, exposing his gold-plated fangs. “Killing you will be the biggest perk. But I’m enjoying the sun.”

“You aren’t going to make it out of here alive.” Antony raised his chin. “We’ve got plans and they don’t include you.”

“Whatever. Let’s kick this off.” Jerome fronted Antony.

Antony
ran his hand through his wiry hair and raised his hand, stopping the vamp’s advancement. “Hold up, Jerome.” He smirked, suggesting superiority. “What does it mean when the king of vamps creates a new kind? Could it be that he’s not happy with his own kind?”