Dark Seeker (17 page)

“I can’t. Please let me go,” she whispered.

“Is that really what you want?” For the first time she felt his breath on her face. He was breathing.

She exhaled. “What do you want from me? A week ago I didn’t even know you existed. Now you’re always around and when you’re not, you’re all I think about. I wasn’t supposed to meet you. I wanted to be alone.” His strong arms anchored her to him.

“I don’t get you.” He lowered her back to arm’s length. “You’re so damn reckless, yet when it comes to me you proceed with caution. If it’s not because of what I am, then what is it that makes you so careful with me? You don’t react this way with Matt.”

“I’ve really got to go. I have to study and get back in time to prepare for tonight. This isn’t what I need right now. Please let me focus on tonight.”

“If you still intend to go through with this, then at least let me help you prepare. Don’t be so stubborn.” He looked deep into her eyes. She felt as if they could pierce her soul.

“I’m not stubborn,” she said.

“You’re stubborn.” He dipped his forehead into hers.

“Okay, maybe a little. I’ll be back in a few hours. Why don’t we prepare at your house? I don’t need my mom finding out about
any
of this. She’s already going to be unhappy when I tell her I’m going downtown after Abram suggested I lay low.”

“I’ll meet you here. We’ll take your car to my house,” he said. Janie slid her hand up his chest until her palm rested over his heart. He tightened at her touch. His words were sincere. “If it makes you more comfortable, I’ll be satisfied just to have you as a friend, but don’t walk away from me.”

Janie drew invisible spirals on his chest. She couldn’t imagine how lonely his life had been. What it would be like to have nobody to confide in or laugh with. She always had her mother and Abram, even though Abram hadn’t been acting like himself lately. Something was bothering him about Kai; something more than what Kai was.

As hard as she tried, she couldn’t be cruel to him. “I’m here,” she said. He cupped her cheeks. A droplet of rain splashed on her face. She glanced up to the sky. Was it a sign from her father? In that moment, she surrendered.
Dad, I’ll try. But your death broke Mom. I’m afraid.

“Are you still with me?” Kai’s white teeth sparkled through his smile.

Janie blinked, bringing herself back to the moment. “How will you know when I’m home?”

“I’ll be around.” He kissed the tip of her nose and removed his hands from her face. He walked away and disappeared around the side of her house.

CHAPTER 11

Janie drove up to her house. Kai appeared around the side of the garage. His hair and T-shirt were wet from the rain. Janie swallowed. The rain had molded the cotton to his chest. Janie quickly refocused her attention on a large oak tree in her front yard. Rain and Kai went well together. She didn’t need the temptation.

Kai slid into the passenger seat. “Is something wrong?” he said. “Did you change your mind about letting me help you?”
 
 

Janie shook her head, still focusing on the thick wet bark of the old oak. No wonder her study session went so horribly. She and Ava had talked about everything but her exam. Unable to think about anything but Kai, Ava had acted as more of a therapist than a tutor.

“Then why won’t you look at me?” He placed his hand on her thigh.

“I’m fine.” She quivered. “Are you ready to prepare?”

He removed his hand. “I still think you should let me come with you tonight. You’re being ridiculous.”

“If Jerome found out, he might refuse to help us,” she said.

“And you’re sure we need the vamps to defeat Antony?” He ran his fingers through his wet hair, combing it out of his face. He looked down at his heavy jeans and T-shirt and grumbled, “I’m soaked.”

“You can run through walls. You should have waited inside.”

“Thanks for the tip.” He stretched his T-shirt away from his skin. It made a popping sound and adhered to his chest again. His wet clothing only distracted him for a moment. He let out a sigh. “Will you please consider revising the plan?”

“You heard Jerome. Even if we decide not to accept his help and refuse to get Tanya back for him, he’ll take Antony’s side. We don’t need the vamps readily handing their venom over to Antony.”

“I still don’t like it.”
 

“This isn’t your decision. It’s mine, so deal with it.” Janie threw the car in reverse. He moaned. “So help me, Kai,” she warned, “if you even attempt to go near that lair.”

“You’ll what?” He laughed. He grabbed the dashboard. “Cut the turn. You almost took out your mailbox.”

“I did not.” She placed the gear in drive. “No back seat driving. I don’t tell you how to drive your motorcycle.”

“Do you even know anything about motorcycles?”

Janie ignored him. She headed toward the main road and took the interstate exit. “I think it’s time for you to tell me how you turn a disk into a Harley.”

Kai retrieved the disk from his waist and flipped it between his fingers. “There’s not much to tell. It was a present from Albania.” He paused for Janie’s reaction, but she sat silently with her eyes on the road. “I needed transportation, and she thought stealing a bike wasn’t the greatest idea since I was newly ‘reformed,’ so she conjured up some spell and made me my own. I like my bike; it’s compact.”

“What about the helmet?” Janie changed lanes on the interstate. Kai sucked in a not-so-subtle breath. “I’m fine. That car wasn’t even near me.”

“Yeah,” Kai said. “Anyway, Albania has this strange obsession with safety. She made me promise if anyone mortal rode with me, I’d have to make them wear a helmet. She originally created the one with flames.” He tapped her leg. “You know, the one you left in the city?”

Janie had a flash memory of dropping the helmet after her head battered into a wooden door frame. “Yeah, I remember.”

“I acquired the pink and the black one using my ability. It’s easy to get things when you can run through walls.” He smiled guiltily. “Albania wouldn’t be too happy with me.”

“So, Albania wants you to stay on the straight path and keep the mortals you ride with safe.” Janie hesitated. “And how many mortals have you ridden with exactly?” He didn’t answer, making her regret her question.

“One,” he finally said.

“I take it that’s me?”

Kai rolled his eyes and stared out the window, not playing along with Janie’s attempt to elicit information.

“Well, Albania sounds like a good friend,” she said.

“She is a good friend for some things. I don’t feel as comfortable with her as I used to. We’ve been through a lot together, but she has her own life. It’s not like it is with—” He pointed. “Take this exit. My street’s a block away. I thought we’d park your car in front of my house and head to the park across the street. It’s usually private, and we’ll have space to move around. Besides, if we practice technique, my house is too cramped—I’ve seen you fight.”

Janie smiled.

He hesitated and said, “I went back to the lair after I left your house this morning.” He refused to look at her. Instead he watched a woman walk her dog along the sidewalk. “No one saw me, and I was able to get a good look at the layout.”

Janie stopped scowling and focused back on the road. He turned to explain. “There is an alley that leads around back. If you go in through the back, you might be able to slip in easier. The key is to go unnoticed for as long as you can.”
 
 
 

“Do you have any idea where they’re holding Tanya?” She figured getting mad at him would be pointless. He only wanted her to make it out alive.

“My guess is the basement. She can’t be near the light during the day. When you get inside, look for a set of steps that lead down to the basement. Make sure to tell Tanya that Jerome sent you, or you may end up having to stake her.”

“Yeah, that would totally mess everything up.” Kai shot her an agreeing look. “So, I’ll go through the back alley, enter the home from the rear, find a set of basement steps and make sure to tell Tanya that Jerome sent me when I find her.”

“Good. That’s part of the plan.”

“How do you suppose I get out once I find her? They aren’t just going to let me take her willingly.”

“That’s the next part of the plan. . .you come out the same way you went in, kind of.” Kai signaled for her to park. “As for getting back out quickly, we’re going to work on that right now.”

She parallel parked, noticing the park entrance across the street.

He smirked. “I’m going to teach you how to fight dirty.”

Janie followed Kai to a large grassy area lined by trees. A few squirrels ran along the back of a park bench. A folded wet newspaper lay on the wooden seat next to a Styrofoam coffee cup filled with rain water.

“What’s lesson one?” Janie unzipped her hoodie and threw it over the bench.

“Nice T-shirt.” Kai laughed. “Buffy.”

“I thought it was fitting. Ava got it for me as a joke.”

Kai interlaced his fingers through hers. “Lessons one through ten are all the same—don’t get killed.” Kai stared past Janie into a row of thick trees lining the park. “She’s going to help you with that.”

Albania
stepped between two trees. Janie stared at her for a few seconds and tightened her grip on Kai’s hand. Albania always made her feel self-conscious.
No one, witch or not, should have such striking red hair and green eyes. Kai’s eyes are beautiful, but Albania’s green isn’t even found on this planet.

Janie knew Kai and Albania were just friends, but she moved close enough to Kai so their arms touched anyway. “I thought you were going to teach me how to play dirty,” she whispered.

Kai squeezed her hand. “I am—we’re going to give you an ability.”

Her eyes shot up to his. “What kind of ability?”

“The only one I have to give.” He acted entirely too composed. Janie, on the other hand, didn’t feel as certain of the plan.

“I’m going to be able to run through walls!”

“Hopefully,” Albania said, approaching. Her ankle-length skirt flowed around her feet in the breeze.

Janie turned to Albania. “I don’t understand. That’s Kai’s ability. How can I get it?”

“I’m going to loan it to you.” He brushed his fingers across her cheek with his free hand.

She shot him another annoyed look. “I understand that part. How?”

Albania
greeted Kai with a kiss on both cheeks. “I’ve created a special concoction, and since Kai is willing, it should work.”

“For how long?”

“I’m hoping you will keep it until you get safely back to your house with Tanya, where I’ll be waiting for you,” Kai said.

“But there’s no way to know for sure,” Albania interjected.

“My ability is an alternative for helping you find a way out, if needed. Make sure you can get back upstairs and then run through the wall. You’ll be able to take Tanya with you if she’s touching you.”

“Like you do with me?” An elderly couple passed on a nearby walking path. Janie lowered her voice. “What if she’s not in the basement? It won’t be light outside. They won’t need to keep her down there.”

“They won’t move her around. Tanya’s too strong. They will want to keep her in one place, somewhere where no light can get in. They aren’t going to keep her where she could escape.” Kai shook his head. “The basement is just an educated guess. It’s where I’d keep her.”

“Are you both ready?” Albania removed Janie’s hand from Kai’s and held it, palm up. She traced the lines on Janie’s palm with her finger. “Hmmm.”

“Is something wrong?” Kai peered into Janie’s open palm.

Albania
ran her fingers over Janie’s fingertips and gently closed her hand into a fist. “Janie’s lines are strong. I don’t know how long her body will accept your ability.”

“All we can do is try.” He noticed Albania’s cautious expression and stepped closer to her. “Al, tell me what that means.”

Albania
offered a hesitant smile. “If it wears off while she’s within a solid object, she could become trapped.”

“Like in a wall?” Janie jerked her hand from Albania’s grasp. Kai placed his arm around her waist.

She didn’t have to ask her next question. Albania answered, “Yes, you will die.”

Kai’s arm tightened around Janie’s waist. “We’ll think of another plan. I can’t risk your death.”

Janie knocked his arm off her. “My death isn’t yours to risk. If using your ability will help me get out of the lair, I’m going to use it.”

“Stubborn—”

“Stubborn or not, it’s me against a lair—I have a greater chance of being killed by them than getting stuck in a wall.”

Kai turned his back on her to talk with Albania in private. Janie spoke loud enough for both of them to hear. “Albania, I would appreciate it if we could do this sooner than later. I’d like to practice, um, running through things.”