Hunting Season (Aurora Sky (12 page)

“We're done here,” Jared said. He tapped his foot on the floor.

“I'm sorry,” I said one last time before pivoting on the ball of my foot.

Melcher left the front door open. I walked out, followed closely by Selene and Jared. Melcher had already seated himself in the passenger's seat of the car.

Jared opened the door for Selene and shut it after she got inside. As we walked around the SUV to the other side I said, “You were awfully nice to Selene.”

Jared ran his fingers over the stubble on his chin. “I recognize talent when I see it. Besides, I know her type—responds better to flattery than threats.”

Lucky Selene
, I thought sarcastically. I didn't want Jared's flattery, but I didn't care for his threats, either.

The ride to the Jeep was short, but not short enough to avoid one last question from Selene. She stared at me pointedly.

“Did you kill Randal?”

“I'm sorry,” I said.

For several seconds she looked at me, not blinking. Her eyes were on mine, but she looked miles away, as though she didn't see me at all. Finally, she nodded once and turned to face forward. Silent.

Melcher's driver pulled up alongside the Jeep. I'd done what they asked. I could go home.

Meanwhile, Melcher and Jared still walked free, stronger than ever.

“I want Tommy,” I reminded Melcher.

“Like I said, you'll have him by the end of the day,” Melcher said.

Jared jumped down from the SUV to let me out. He lifted his chin as I stepped out. “Run along, Raven.”

When he turned his back to me, I flipped him the bird.

Noel wasn't home when I walked in. She wouldn't be home for another few hours. Nope, she was just wasting her time planning a party Jared had no intention of attending.

I tossed my purse onto the dining table and slumped into a chair.

Damage control. Where to begin?

Jared had offered his assistance with Giselle. Fane wouldn't like it, but what other choice did we have?

Fane, Noel, and I needed to meet, but I couldn't leave until Levi came by with Tommy, and I wasn't about to put Fane at risk by asking him over before then. If I called him, it would be too hard not to mention my latest killing assignment and everything else that had gone wrong that day.

I brought Fane's number up on my phone. I'd never texted him until now.

Me: Dog safe

Fane: Good

I chewed on my lower lip and stared at my phone, grateful Fane had replied instantly.

Me: Windows fixed?

Fane: Yes. What happened at the meeting?

Me: Can we talk later?

Fane: You in the middle of something?

Me: Got something I have to do

Fane: OK

The phone felt heavy in my hand. I stared at it, not sure what to type next.

Me: Do you think V would try to hurt you?

Fane: Don't worry about me

Of course I'm worried about you!
I thought. Valerie had threatened Fane, smashed up his windshield, and broken every window in his house. I'd seen her cut down vampires before. She was merciless.

Before I could type anything else, there was a knock on the door.

I set my phone on the table and went to answer it.

Levi stood outside, leash in hand, Tommy attached to it, sitting on the concrete. The moment Tommy saw me he stood up, his golden tail wagging like crazy.

That seemed quick. How close did Levi live? Maybe the agency owned every house on the block. I shuttered to think it. Now wasn't the time, not with my heart bursting with relief.

“Tommy!” I cried, falling to my knees. I wrapped my arms around the big fur ball, tears of happiness gathering in the corners of my eyes.

“Score one for Aurora Sky,” Levi said.

His blond hair was lighter at the roots rather than the ends, curling slightly an inch below his ears. He had the whole grunge look down from his frayed jeans to his flannel shirt.

I gave Tommy several pats on the head before standing. Levi had a big smile on his face as if nothing gave him more pleasure than delivering Tommy to me. I knew better.

Still holding onto the leash, Levi asked, “What did you have to do to get Melcher to change his mind?”

“I negotiated with him,” I said.

Levi raised both eyebrows. “I'm impressed. But don't let it go to your head. Melcher will make you pay for it later down the road. He's not the kind of man you bargain with.”

I grabbed the leash from Levi and gave it a gentle tug. Tommy stepped into the foyer.

Good boy, you're safe now.

Levi glanced down briefly. “All I'm saying is be prepared for this to come around and bite you in the ass when you least expect it.”

Not if I got to Melcher first.

Levi craned his head around me.

“Nice ass, by the way,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “I wouldn't mind being the one to bite it,” he added.

I folded my arms over my chest. “We aren't the ones who do the biting.”

Levi smirked. “Says who?”

I narrowed my eyes, watching him suspiciously. Did Levi know we were undead? If I asked, he'd know I knew, and I didn't want to show him any of my cards. He was probably just making a sexual innuendo. Funny how it came across cute and annoying when Dante did it, as opposed to sick and sleazy coming from Levi.

Melcher sure knew how to round up the cream of the crop.

I reached for the door handle. Before I could grab it, Levi pulled it open wider and stepped into the open space. Because he was down one step, his eyes were about level with my breasts.

“What about some kind of reward for bringing you the dog?”

“Not a chance,” I said. “Now get off my property.”

I stepped down to reach the door handle, pushing Levi aside so I could close it. He gripped the edge, engaging in a tug-of-war with the door. My heart sped up. I was strong, but Levi was stronger.

“Let go!”

Tommy growled.

I loosened my grip on the door, suddenly calm.

“You know who else likes to bite?” I asked, looking down at Tommy.

Levi's smile faltered. He didn't look so sure of himself anymore. He also glanced at the security camera aimed directly at him. He smiled again. “Never was fond of dogs, except for bitches. Pick you up Friday. Wear something sexy.”

“Screw you,” I said, lips curling back.

Levi lifted his hands in the air. “Melcher's orders.”

We'd see about that.

Now that Levi was no longer blocking the door, I yanked it toward me, slamming it on him. Once shut, I dead bolted the lock and turned to Tommy.

“Oh, Tommy. Tommy, Tommy. I am so happy to see you!”

Tommy's ears perked up. He resumed wagging his tail as I crouched beside him and ran my hands through his golden fur.

I was so happy to see him. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to have a dog in the house. I'd sleep a heck of a lot better.

I unclasped the leash from Tommy's collar and straightened out. “Are you thirsty, boy?”

Tommy turned his head sideways when I asked.

“Come on.”

I led him into the kitchen, filled a bowl with water, and set it on the floor. Tommy began drinking immediately. Damn, Levi! Had he given Tommy anything to eat or drink?

Once the bowl was emptied, Tommy set about exploring the downstairs. His nails clicked against the kitchen's linoleum floor, the noise stopping when he reached the carpet inside the living room.

I followed Tommy, watching him sniff around.

I needed dog food.

“Hey, Tommy,” I said.

He stopped, looked at me, and wagged his tail.

“Want to go for a ride?”

He wagged his tail harder.

I put Tommy back on the leash before unbolting the door and locking it behind us. As we approached the Jeep, Tommy pulled at the leash, tail going crazy.

“That's right, boy,” I said. “Got two back, one left to go.”

When I saw how happy Tommy was inside the Jeep, it boosted my courage about driving on my own. I started the vehicle up, put it into first gear and headed to the pet supply store where I purchased dog food and treats.

After I paid for the food, I called Fane, followed by Noel, telling them we needed to talk right away.

9

Noel arrived home first.

As soon as she entered the kitchen, Tommy hurried toward her, tail wagging.

“Dante's dog!” Noel exclaimed.

“I convinced Melcher to turn him over.”

“Thank goodness.” Noel gave Tommy a pat on the head. “This is great news.”

My shoulders slumped forward. “If only I had more of it.”

Noel's eyebrows furrowed. “What is it? You sounded pretty serious over the phone.”

I sighed. “Melcher's gone and messed up all our plans. Jared's going to the tasting instead of the palace. I'd rather talk about it when Fane arrives.”

“Is having Fane over such a good idea?” Noel asked.

Fane and I had already thought about that.

“He's going to park around the block.”

Noel nodded. “Good, because if Valerie smashes my windshield, she's dead.” She opened the fridge. “Sounds like we're going to need some drinks.” She pulled out a wine cooler. “Want one?” she asked, holding the bottle toward me.

Blood sounded better, but if Noel wasn't having any, I didn't want to be the one giving into cravings.

“No thanks.”

Noel twisted the cap off and tossed it on the countertop. The bottle lifted into the air as she tilted it back and took a big swig. Once she'd swallowed, Noel smacked her lips. “These don't do much in the way of a buzz, but damn, they taste good.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Better than blood?”

“Depends on the source. Blood from a bag…” Noel shuddered. “Gross. Blood from a boy…” She grinned big, eyes lighting up like twin monitors. “Delicious.”

I snorted.

Noel lifted her head. “I like to bite, and I like to be bitten, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.” She took another swig of her drink.

“Which do you like better? You know, now that you know you're a vamp?”

Noel pursed her lips. “Hmm. Good question. I really liked being bitten, but once I learned I was a vampire it made me really want to bite people.” She took another sip from her wine cooler.

I leaned forward. “You know, I think I will try one of those. I could use a drink.”

“Sounds like you could use more than one,” Noel said, setting her bottle down to grab me one from the fridge.

As she handed it to me, I said, “Thanks.”

Cap off, I took my first drink. I'd tried champagne, wine, vodka and beer, but this was my first wine cooler. It tasted cool and fruity. I remembered Noel telling me one of her favorite perks of working for the agency was a fake ID. It was weird to think we'd never reach the official legal drinking age no matter how long we lived. The agency could have at least had the decency to let us reach twenty-one.

I lowered the bottle and nodded. “This isn't bad.”

“What did I tell you?” Noel asked. “Tasty.” She pointed her bottle at me. “While we're waiting, why don't you spill? How did it feel sinking your teeth into Daren?”

The sound of Daren's moan when I bit into him filled my head. It had both encouraged and repelled me. Hunger had fueled that bite. Exhaustion. Desperation. Followed by disgust in myself. But it beat thinking about how I'd killed Randal earlier and stood by while Melcher and Jared threatened Selene.

I grimaced. “I wasn't thinking straight when I bit him.”

“No kidding,” Noel said. “You were acting on instinct.”

Tommy's wet nose nudged my free hand. I glanced down as I ran my fingers over his silky head.

What would Dante have thought if he'd seen me acting on instinct? Out of everyone in the agency, I pictured him taking the undead thing hardest.

He saw himself as a superhero— a Van Helsing, not Dracula.

When we got him back, what would I tell Dante first? That he was undead or that I had feelings for another vampire? Talk about cold.

“What's the matter?” Noel asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You have a funny look on your face.”

I met Noel's eyes. “I'm just thinking about Dante. How's he going to handle all this?”

“Dante's a big boy,” Noel said. “He can deal.” She sucked down the remainder of her wine cooler and set the bottle with a hollow
clink
on top of the counter.

I'd always wondered how Noel ended up at the agency—what tragic event had claimed her life, but her sensitivity on the subject had always deterred me from prying. That was until she admitted the reason herself.

Noel had attempted to commit suicide.

In the craze of Dante's abduction and my undead discovery, I'd had no time to ask her about it further.

Now here we were, standing face to face, a rare private moment without hostile vampires bursting in or rocks shattering windows… at least not yet.

I hesitated to ask, but in the end, curiosity won. “Why did you try to kill yourself?”

Noel frowned. “It doesn't matter anymore.”

“Then why not tell me?”

Noel's voice turned to ash. “I was abused by my father, okay? I let him smack me around for years until one day I couldn't take it anymore, so I climbed into the bathtub and slit my wrists. When I regained consciousness, I was on base. Melcher took me in, trained me, and gave me a second chance to make something of my life. He helped emancipate me from my parents. He found me a place to live.”

“And you haven't seen your family since?” I asked.

Noel slumped against the counter, reminding me of the vulnerable side I noticed when we first met, even when she talked tough.

“My father found me last February.”

“While I was still in town?” I asked.

Noel nodded solemnly. “He showed up at my apartment. At first he stayed in his car, watching from outside.”

I shivered. “That's creepy.”

“Then he got one of my roommates to let him inside.”

“What the hell?”

Noel shook her head slightly. “He didn't hurt me, but he wasn't going to leave me alone, either, so I left, only I didn't know where to go. Whitney was grounded and Hope had just been kicked out.”

I had a sense of where this was headed. “Why didn't you stay with Daren or Reece?”

“That was before I bonded with those guys.”

“Before you knew you were undead?” I asked.

Noel nodded. “I didn't know who to call, so I called Fane.”

“I wish you would have told me what was going on,” I said. To think of all the turmoil we could have all been spared if only Noel had opened up to me in the first place.

I stared at Noel, waiting for an explanation.

Tears suddenly swarmed her eyes. She blinked rapidly and looked down at the floor.

“I don't like telling people,” she said. “It's humiliating.”

“But—”

“I don't want to be a victim.” Noel squeezed her fingers into fists.

“You're not,” I said. “You're an undercover vampire agent.”

“What about if we succeed in taking out Melcher?” she asked. “Then I'm just another predator feeding on innocent victims.”

I snorted. “I wouldn't call Daren and Reece innocent victims. They want to be bitten. You make them feel special, as messed up as that is. We can't help what we are.”

Noel cocked her head to the side when she looked at me. “You feeling all right? You don't sound like yourself.”

I shrugged. “A lot's changed in the last week. We're assassins and informants, and we're vampires. Melcher's stuck us smack dab in the middle of no man's land. I don't know whose side I'm supposed to be on any longer.”

“I don't think we have to choose a side. We just have to do the right thing.”

I gripped the wine cooler by the bottle's neck.

“We need to stop Melcher and Jared from endangering peoples' lives. That's the right thing to do. That's our mission.”

Noel sighed. “We need reinforcements.”

“We need Dante.”

Noel lifted her chin. “And Gavin.”

When it came to taking down bad guys, Dante didn't hesitate for a second. The more inner agency help we could get, the better. I couldn't see Gavin offering much in the way of assistance. He'd be a liability more than anything else. We had enough trouble brewing between Valerie, Fane, and me without adding Noel and Gavin into the mix.

Why did Valerie have to go manic? We needed her on our side.

Too bad that ship had sailed—right on into the Dead Sea.

A knock at the door sent Tommy barreling down the hall barking.

Security cams and a guard dog—I felt better already.

“Good, boy,” I said to Tommy, placing a hand on his fury head as I peered through the door's peephole.

My heart gave a lurch that was quickly followed by flutters when I saw Fane on the porch, one hand in his pocket, jaw tight, arm flexed.

Joss stood beside him, eyes darting around the porch.

I turned to Tommy. “Okay, boy. These are my friends. Can you sit?”

Tommy's ears perked up. His tail swished from side to side.

“Sit,” I commanded.

Tommy's tail stopped wagging. He sat and looked up at me.