Helpless (Blue Fire Saga) (17 page)

Aunt Janet’s face lit up with happy surprise when she saw Leesa at her door. Max quickly raced over to greet her as well.

“Come in, come in,” Aunt Janet said. “Honey,” she called to her husband. “Look who’s here.”

Leesa greeted Max with a vigorous chest rub. She wished she could give him the message for Rave right now, but that was impossible with her aunt hovering so close. She figured she’d have a chance later.

“How did you get here, dear?” Aunt Janet asked after they had all exchanged hugs. “I didn’t see a car.”

“A friend dropped me off,” Leesa said. “She was going up to Newington, so I asked her for a ride. I’m hoping one of you will drive me back.”

“Of course we will,” Aunt Janet said. “This is a wonderful surprise. Would you like something to drink?”

“Or to eat?” Uncle Ralph added. “I’ve got mince pie in the kitchen.”

Leesa smiled. “Well, maybe just a teeny piece. And just a glass of water to drink.”

“Would you like some ice cream on your pie?”

Leesa shivered. She hadn’t quite warmed up from Stefan’s ride yet.

“No ice cream, thanks,” she said. “It’s too cold out for ice cream.”

“Coming right up,” Uncle Roger said. He pivoted and disappeared into the kitchen.

Leesa and Aunt Janet sat down on the couch. Max took up his position right by Leesa’s feet and she stroked his furry head.

Uncle Roger reappeared a moment later with her pie. The “teeny” piece she had asked for was at least three inches wide.

Leesa ate slowly, chatting with her aunt and uncle about school, her friends and Rave. The pie was delicious, as usual. When she finished, she rubbed her stomach contentedly.

“That was great, Uncle Roger. But now I’m feeling a little stuffed. How about I take Max for a short walk so I can burn off a few calories?”

“Sure, go ahead, dear,” Aunt Janet said. “You won’t get any complaints from Max, that’s for sure.”

Max bounded behind Leesa as soon as he realized she was heading to the door, his bushy tail wagging furiously back and forth. She donned her parka and grabbed Max’s leash from the peg beside the door.

Outside, the night didn’t feel as cold as it had when she was in Stefan’s arms, but it was still chilly. She walked Max half way down the block, building up some body heat, before she stopped and knelt at his side.

“Rave, I need to see you as soon as I can,” she whispered into Max’s ear, feeling a little bit foolish despite her past successes sending Rave messages through Max. “Tonight, if you can. I think it’s important, but it’s not urgent,” she added, not wanting Rave to think she was in trouble of any kind. “Come to my room.”

She kissed Max on the snout and then grinned, wondering if Rave would feel the kiss. She didn’t think it worked that way, but she didn’t fully understand the whole thing anyway, so maybe he would.

After walking Max for another five minutes, she turned and took him back to the house. Inside, she visited with her aunt and uncle for a few more minutes, then got a ride back to her dorm with her uncle.

When Uncle Roger dropped her in front of her dorm, she scanned the darkness, wondering where Stefan might be hiding. She didn’t see him anywhere, but she was sure he was there somewhere. Now she would just have to wait to see if Rave showed up. Then the fun would really begin.

25. STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

R
ave arrived at Leesa’s room shortly before eleven o’clock. Leesa had decided she would give him until midnight, so she was wide awake and fully dressed when he walked in through her open door. She bounded up from her desk and gave him a big hug.

“You made it,” she said happily. “I’m so glad you got my message.”

“I told you Max would come in handy one of these days,” Rave said.

“I think it was plenty handy I could use him to tell you I love you,” Leesa said. She stepped back from his embrace. “But this is even better.”

“I’m glad you added it wasn’t urgent.” Rave took Leesa’s hands in his and kissed the top of her head. “Otherwise, I would have been worried. So, what is it? I’m more than just a little curious.”

Leesa sat down on her bed and pulled Rave down next to her. “It’s a little bit strange and a little bit complicated. Promise me you won’t get mad when I start to tell you.”

Rave looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face.

“This is sounding strange already. Go ahead, I promise not to get angry.”

“Stefan came by to see me earlier.”

Leesa could see Rave’s features tighten at the mention of Stefan, which was exactly why she had made him promise not to get mad.

“What did he want?” Rave asked evenly.

“That’s the strange part. He said he needs to talk to you.”

The surprise on Rave’s face made it clear this was the last thing he had expected to hear.

“He wants to talk to me?”

“That’s what he said. The only way he knew to reach you was through me. He even went to Cali when I wasn’t here so she could leave me a note.”

“Do you know what it’s about?”

Leesa shook her head. “I don’t have clue. He wouldn’t tell me.”

She stood up and Rave did likewise.

“Stefan is outside now, waiting,” Leesa said.

Rave frowned. “I didn’t sense any vampires when I came in.”

“I told him to stay far enough away so that you wouldn’t,” Leesa explained, “but to pick a place where he could watch the dorm. He knows you’re here.”

Rave walked to window and looked out. He did not really expect to see Stefan, of course, but he needed a moment to think.

“I don’t like this,” he said, turning around to face Leesa. “It goes against my nature…it should go against Stefan’s as well.”

“I know. That’s why I thought it must be important.”

“All right. I’ll go down and talk to him.”

Leesa grabbed her parka. “I’m coming, too.”

Rave put his hand on Leesa’s forearm. “I think it’s better if you stay here.”

“No way.” Leesa slipped her arm from his grasp and slid it into her parka. “I’m the only thing that kept you two from trying to kill one another the last time you saw each other. I’m going to make sure you both behave yourselves.”

Rave smiled. “For a human, you have an awfully big opinion of your influence.”

Leesa smiled back. “I’m not just a human. I’m a fledgling wizard, remember?”

Rave chuckled. “Oh, yes, now I remember. But no wizardry tonight, okay?”

“Okay, sure.” Leesa winked. “No magic—unless absolutely necessary.” She knew the only wizardry she would need was that neither Rave nor Stefan would want any harm to come to her.

As soon as they stepped outside, Rave moved toward the big oak tree on the front lawn, using its thick trunk to protect his back. He tried to keep Leesa a step behind him, but she was having none of that. She stood directly at his side. The only concession she made to the possibility of danger was that she did not take his hand or his arm, leaving him completely free to defend himself, just in case.

She watched as Rave carefully scanned the night, certain he was using his special volkaane senses as well as his eyes and his ears. When his eyes locked onto a spot a bit to their right, she knew he had located Stefan. She followed his eyes, but saw nothing but darkness and shadows.

A moment later, Stefan emerged from one of the shadows and walked slowly toward them. As he drew nearer, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, a gesture meant to show he had no intention of attacking. Rave kept his hands ready—he was protecting more than his own life here.

Stefan stopped ten feet away from them, near the sidewalk. Leesa wondered if either Rave or Stefan realized they were in the exact same positions, only reversed, as they were on the night Rave had come upon her and Stefan talking under the oak. At least it’s not raining tonight, she thought.

“Thank you for coming,” Stefan said to Rave. He glanced at Leesa. “I see you could not keep her away.”

Rave allowed himself a small smile. “Not without a lock and chain.”

“She does tend to be a bit strong-willed,” Stefan replied.

“
She
is right here,” Leesa said, a bit testily. “And I’m not going anywhere, so you may as well get started. What did you want to talk to Rave about?”

Stefan smiled at Leesa then turned to Rave. “I need your help.”

If that wasn’t the last thing Rave expected to hear, it was certainly close. Vampires did not turn to volkaanes for help, not in the long history of both their races.

“I don’t understand,” he said.

“I do not blame you,” Stefan said. “I would be just as confused if our positions were reversed. You will understand better when I tell you what happened last night.”

Stefan recounted his encounter with Jarubu and his female companion, leaving out no details, even though it pained him to admit he had been bested. He knew that to obtain Rave’s help, there could be no secrets.

Halfway through Stefan’s story, Leesa realized he was describing her recent dream. She was about to say something but held her tongue. She had no new information to impart and there was no reason for Stefan to know anything about her powers.

“Jarubu should not be more powerful than me, not by any measure I could sense, but yet somehow he was,” Stefan said when he reached the end of his story.

“I’m still not sure what you want from me,” Rave said.

“It’s simple. I want you to help me destroy Jarubu.”

Rave’s brow furrowed. He wondered if there was some kind of trick here. For a vampire to seek the help of a volkaane to kill a fellow vampire was beyond his comprehension.

“You want me to help you destroy another vampire?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Because he is more powerful than you? Surely you don’t expect my help every time you run into a vampire who is stronger than you.”

Leesa saw Stefan’s muscles tense and his hands come halfway out of his pockets. Rave saw it too, of course, and he bent his knees slightly, ready for action. Leesa knew that if she didn’t do something, things could go off track fast.

She stepped between them. “Let’s all relax, boys. I don’t really think anything negative was meant by anything that’s been said so far.” She smiled what she hoped was her most disarming smile. “You two just aren’t used to talking to one of your sworn enemies, that’s all.”

Stefan’s body relaxed and he pushed his hands back into his pockets. When Leesa looked behind her, she saw that Rave had lowered his guard as well.

“I’m sorry,” Stefan said. “But this is not about me, as much as I would like to destroy Jarubu myself.”

“Why do you want him dead?” Rave asked.

“He and his partner are hunting indiscriminately…and often. They have killed eight humans in the area already. They will kill more if they’re not stopped. You volkaanes protect humans from my kind—that is your incentive here, Rave. Mine is that my people do not want to risk the attention these newcomers are drawing.”

Leesa thought about the killings Caitlin had told her about. She had suspected they might be the work of vampires,  and now she knew for sure. The deaths were certainly garnering growing attention.

“He’s right, Rave. The killings have been all over the news.”

She could see the wheels turning in Rave’s head as he considered what Stefan had said.

“All right,” he said to Stefan. “If you come up with a suitable plan, I will help you.”

Stefan nodded. “Here is what I propose….”