Alliances (Guardians of White Light, #1) (6 page)

“No. Just two of us.“

“Good,” Mathias hissed. He looked at Jenna and nodded at her.

She understood his meaning and approached the vampire.

“Jenna,” the vampire said.

Before the vampire could get in another word, she drew her stake from her holster and plunged it into his heart. She stepped back and shielded her face from the ashes that quickly spewed.

“How did he know your name?” Mathias asked.

“What?” she said, turning back to him as she holstered her stake.

“How did he know you?” Mathias pressed.
What is she hiding?

She shrugged her shoulders. “My job is to hunt vampires; we must have crossed paths at some point, I guess.”

Mathias scrutinized her. She was lying. He’d felt her pulse quicken as soon as he’d asked the question. She looked away before he could catch her eye.

“Let’s get these damn weapons and leave,” she insisted.

Fine
,
but we’ll talk later, slayer.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Mathias eased the car to a stop in the parking lot of
Cain’s Tavern.
The tavern doubled as a cheap motel which took up the two floors above ground level. It was just off the highway, but its dilapidated appearance deflected any desire passersby might have to make a pit stop there, and that was the intention. All the windows were boarded up. Stray fragments of tiles tumbled from the worn roof, pulled loose by the ravaging wind.

“An old friend of mine owns this place,” Mathias said, as he killed the engine and eyed the familiar sanctuary.

Jenna scrutinized the building. It didn’t take her long to realize what it really was. “This is a vamp safe house.”

Mathias nodded. He saw the hesitation in her eyes. “They won’t touch you.”

Jenna scoffed. “I disagree.”

“You’re with me. Trust me, they won’t lay a hand on you,” he insisted as he opened his door and climbed out of the car. He slammed it behind him and called over the hood to her. “Besides, this is the only place for miles. Daylight’s almost upon us.”

“Then I’ll drive. Just give me the directions to this supernatural scientist friend of yours.”

“No. We’ve been driving for eight hours straight. We need to rest.”

With that, he led the way towards the tavern and she followed.

“I swear, if I so much as
smell
trouble—”

Mathias stopped abruptly. The last thing he needed was her going into a vamp safe house all riled up and ready for a fight. They would sense it on her the moment she planted her feet on the rotting floorboards.

“You’re young. You’re a woman. I get it, okay?”

“What does that mean?” she demanded.

“You’re a recipe for overreaction. And you don’t have the age old wisdom to summon a level head.”

“Because I’m a
woman
?” she asked, incredulously.

“
And
, young. What are you, twenty?”

“Add on another decade and you’re there,” she said, stepping towards him angrily. “Watch your sexist comments around me, vampire,” she seethed.

To her surprise, she watched a smile creep across his lips. “Good. Your fear has dissipated,” he said, holding out his hand. “Ready?”

She batted his hand away. “Let’s get this over with,” she mumbled as she followed him into the tavern. She thought she heard a brief laugh but couldn’t be sure as the sudden cacophony of abrasive sounds from inside the tavern assaulted her senses.

She glanced around the bar. Immediately, all eyes were on her, leering at her, studying her curiously,
hungrily
. More than two dozen vampires, all wearing their demon faces, sat in booths and tables drinking strange-looking concoctions. Blood fused with alcohol, no doubt. She’d heard the stories of vampire safe houses, but she’d never ventured inside one, for obvious reasons. Seconds after noticing her, all conversation had halted. Everything froze. She stood her ground and narrowed her eyes in a warning as she waited for Mathias to say or do something.

“Old friend,” Mathias greeted a middle-aged vampire with a protruding beer gut behind the bar.

The man started at the sound of his voice. His eyes lit up as he saw Mathias. “Long time.”

He glanced at Jenna and shook his head.

“I need a favor, Cain. You owe me,” Mathias said off his look.

Cain leaned closer and lowered his voice to a sound only audible to those with supernatural hearing so that Jenna couldn’t hear, “You bring a human here?”

“Daylight is coming. There’s nowhere else for miles.”

“Let her drive.”

“We’re both tired.”

Cain looked Jenna over. He noted the stakes protruding from the pockets of her cargo pants, the dagger strapped to her leg.

“Please tell me you’re kidding. She’s a frigging slayer.”

“She only kills Immortalia soldiers. I’m sure you’re on board with that.”

“Like a lot of slayers these days. You’re going after them?”

Mathias nodded.

“Good. Those sons of bitches think they can embezzle me and try to take away my inn? They’re like leeches. Cockroaches.”

“No disagreement here.”

Cain owed him for blocking Immortalia’s path to him and his tavern. He’d used his personal connections with a certain witch to conjure a powerful Threshold Barrier spell around the establishment to keep Immortalia out. Now, they could not cross the threshold.

“Fine. But
you
need to keep her alive while she’s here. I won’t be able to keep them out. The scent of human is overpowering. A lot of the younger ones have yet to master self-control.”

“Thanks,” Mathias said and moved away from the bar.

“So, we’re even now?” Cain called.

Mathias smiled. “Almost.”

He approached Jenna and wrapped his arm tightly around her. She tensed at his sudden contact. “Just trust me,” he whispered in her ear as they walked down the gangway towards the stairs at the back of the bar. All eyes were on them. On
her
. Mathias saw the hunger in those eyes.

They made their way up the stairs and Mathias led them into the first open room. He shut the door behind them and glanced around the dark dingy space. A boarded up window protected those inside the room from the sun’s smoldering rays. A double bed was situated in the center of the room. Off to the far side, adjacent to a small bathroom, was a tattered beige couch pointed at a television. It was luxury compared to some of the places that he’d slept in. He was sure the same could be said for Jenna. The life of a slayer and a vampire. It wasn’t like the movies made it out to be.

“We should lock the door,” Jenna said.

“It won’t make a difference.”

“I’ll just make sure I sleep with one eye open then.
And
a stake in my hand.”

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

She couldn’t help but smile at his joke. She scanned the room briefly and nodded to herself with satisfaction after a few seconds. Then, abruptly, she headed into the bathroom, her duffel bag still slung over her shoulder. She shut the door and locked it behind her.

Mathias eyed the door with amusement. She’d gone in there to change out of her street clothes, away from his prying eyes. It was odd given the tough demeanor she projected. He certainly hadn’t expected to see this side of her. She was shy? It didn’t make sense.

He crossed to the couch and shed his leather jacket, draping it carefully on the seat, mindful of the drug samples that were tucked away in the inside pocket. He stripped off his shirt and jeans and laid them neatly beside the jacket.

He was about to climb into the bed when he heard the sharp clank of the bathroom door lock, followed by the creak of the door. He stopped short as she emerged.

Wearing purple sweat pants and a matching strappy tank that somehow managed to hide the nakedness of her now unsupported breasts beneath it, it was a stark contrast to her other look. Soft and sweet. He sensed a vulnerability from her that he hadn’t before. He caught her checking him out. Her eyes lingered on his chiseled abs, his satin boxers. He watched her bite her lip and abruptly look away. He decided to let it slide and climbed onto the bed.

“You can’t sleep there,” he called as he watched her drop her bag and approach the couch.

“Why?”

“You need to sleep with me. They won’t hesitate to bite you otherwise.”

She hesitated. He didn’t know the full extent of her abilities, of her power. Part of her wanted to tell him so he’d realize that she didn’t need protection from anyone. But she wasn’t sure how he would react if he knew the truth. It could jeopardize their partnership and their mission against Immortalia. Instead, she just nodded.

“There’s too many of them. Even for a slayer.”

She forced herself to swallow her ego and utter, “All right.” She eyed him lying in the bed, wearing just boxers. “This is strictly business, okay?”

“Of course,” he assured her.

Her anxiety over sharing a bed with him was intriguing. He couldn’t help teasing her a little. “Besides, you don’t do vampires, right?” he said, echoing her words earlier in the parking lot.

“That’s right,” she said with a laugh.

He laid his head on his pillow and relaxed into the bed. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She climbed onto the bed. She was so cautious about it, so uneasy. She lay down and edged as far away from him as the width of the bed would allow. She fumbled with the blankets in an effort to cover herself up as quickly as possible.

“Here,” he said, giving her more.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, pulling the covers up over her chest.

“I’m not going to bite you,” he told her, gesturing to the choker that she still wore around her neck.

“It’s not…I know…”

Mathias’ brow furrowed with curiosity. She touched her guarded neck protectively. And that was when he realized why she wore it.

“Let me see.”

He rolled onto his side. She pressed her hand to his arm defensively, preventing him from coming any closer.

“See what?”

Her warm hand on his cold skin was like freezer burn. It was so intense. He could feel her pulse racing. Once again the same overpowering sensation he had felt earlier returned.
Damn, what is it?
He couldn’t place it. This time, he let himself feel it, scrutinize it. He had to figure out what it meant. It was unnerving as it compromised his normal unwavering self-control over his demon side. When he was close to her, for some reason, his vampiric instincts rose to the surface.

And then he had it!

Her blood was pure. She was innocent, a virgin.

No wonder being close to her was so intoxicating. The blood of a virgin was the most coveted, the richest and most tempting of all human blood. It all made sense now. His reactions to her. Her nervousness. Her anxiety and reluctance to lie beside him, to let him see her stripped down. Luke had been right; he really had been apart from the world. A few years back he would have made the connection in mere moments.

“What?” she demanded.

He realized he had been staring at her for a good many seconds. She started to move away but his hand stopped her, gripping her arm. “Show me.”

She met his imploring gaze and then her expression softened. She removed the choker and placed it on the bedside table beside her. And then she nodded her permission. He moved closer until their bodies were touching. His fingers gently brushed her hair aside. She flinched from his icy fingers against the side of her neck. She felt him trace his index finger over the scar there.

“I thought you didn’t fuck vampires, my dear?”

“I don’t,” she snapped, incensed by the accusation.

“This scar says otherwise. Someone has clearly had their fill of you.”

“It wasn’t by choice. I was attacked.”

“What?” he asked, incredulous.

“I was
attacked
by one of your kind,” she said again. “I’m a slayer. Why are you so surprised?”

He drew back, shocked at what she was claiming. “
Because
, it’s unheard of. There are only two scenarios where a vampire will only graze and draw a limited amount of blood without killing the human in question: feeding and sex. When a vampire is biting to
kill
, it is impossible to stop—to withdraw fangs. The action is too intense. As soon as the bite is made, the victim is already as good as dead. What you are telling me is not possible...I have never heard of this before.”

“Well there’s a first time for everything, I guess. Because here I am. Alive.”

“When a vampire is about to feed he's at his strongest. His strength exceeds a human’s tenfold, Jenna.”

“I'm a slayer. It’s my job to kill
them
, not the other way around.”