Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter (18 page)

“I’m not ready. I have senior year to finish.” And a
boyfriend who deserved all my free time.

“This won’t get in the way of school. I was just explaining
to your mother that we’ve assigned you a mentor. I’ve chosen Dante for you. I
think the two of you will find you have a lot in common.”

“So he’s a vampire hunter?”

“That’s right.”

 “Fine. Whatever.” I stood up. “Thanks for stopping by.”

Agent Melcher got up. “Don’t mention it. You can expect
Dante tomorrow afternoon.”

Maybe if Melcher had given us a time to expect Dante,
we wouldn’t have wasted the better part of Saturday afternoon peering out the
window any time we heard a car on the road. Regardless of the wait, it would be
nice to meet someone like me.

Finally, shortly after four thirty, the doorbell rang. When
Mom opened the door, one of the cutest guys I’d ever seen stood outside. He
grinned from ear to ear, his thick brown hair framing a tanned face. His
muscular build was tight in all the right places. It didn’t matter that his
veins were filled with toxic blood—he had a smile that could kill.

“Sky residence, I presume? I’m Dante.”

“Come in. Come in,” Mom gushed. “Please, have a seat.”

My mom wiggled her brows at me the moment Dante’s back was
turned. He looked around the parlor and settled in the armchair Melcher had
occupied the day before, but unlike Melcher, Dante slouched all the way back
into the cushions.

“I made cookies. Would you like one?” Mom asked him.

Dante’s eyes lit up. “Cookies? You’ve discovered my
weakness, Mrs. Sky.”

Mom returned from the kitchen in a matter of seconds,
holding out a plate of home-baked chocolate chip cookies to Dante. He grabbed
not one, but four.

“I’ll get you a paper towel,” Mom said.

I sat on the edge of the couch on the end closest to our
good looking guest. “So you’re my mentor.”

Dante stuffed down half a cookie and talked with his mouth
full. “
Mentor
is one of Melcher’s terms. I prefer to think of us as a team.”

“Have you always lived in Alaska?” Mom asked, handing Dante
a napkin.

“Thanks, Mrs. Sky. These cookies are fantastic. I grew up in
Fairbanks. Now I’m working on my degree at the University of Alaska Anchorage.”

“How do you like UAA?” Mom asked.

“Small classes, top of the line professors, and in-state
tuition—paid for courtesy of the government. You can’t beat that.”

Mom smiled.

Dante had the build of a jock and face of a Hollywood
heartthrob. I couldn’t imagine him in one of Melcher’s messy white rooms.

“So, how did you die?” I asked.

Mom clicked her tongue. “Aurora…”

Dante sat up and grinned. “No really, that’s my favorite
question. It happened last winter. Maybe you heard about it on the news. Some
friends and I were flown to the top of the Chugach Mountains to snowboard. Man,
the powder rocked that day. So I got on my board and headed down—not my first
time up there, mind you. I’m boarding, surfing the white wave,” Dante said,
swishing side to side in the armchair. “Then I go over a small cliff, like I’ve
done a hundred times before, and land not on my board, but my shoulder. Next
thing I know I’m somersaulting down the mountain, crashing through brush and
trees, gathering speed like a human avalanche. There’s cloud coverage
everywhere. I’m tumbling and I can’t tell the snow from the sky. Then I’m
tossed over the next cliff side and land a hundred feet down into a pile of
fucking rocks. Excuse my language, Mrs. Sky.”

Mom was too busy holding a hand to her heart.

I grinned. “And next thing you know you wake up in a white
room?”

“Good as new,” Dante said and winked.

“I’m sure you haven’t gotten on a snowboard since,” Mom
said.

Dante leaned back. “
Au contraire
.
The
moment I was patched up I ran straight up to Alyeska and did a double-black
diamond. Well, I shouldn’t say right after—there was that little sabbatical I
took first.”

My face hurt from smiling. I liked this guy in a big brother
kind of way. Melcher had finally done something useful.

“Can you stay for dinner?” Mom asked.

“I’d love to.”

Mom radiated with pleasure every time Dante helped
himself to more chicken tenderloins and mashed potatoes. Dante hummed with
pleasure at each bite.

“Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a home-cooked
meal?” he asked.

“You should come over for dinner again soon,” Mom said.

“I won’t turn down an invitation.”

While Dante scooped another heap of potatoes onto his plate,
Mom shot me another one of the ‘he’s a keeper’ looks.

I returned it with a narrow eyed ‘leave me alone.’

I cleared my throat. “Would you like something besides water
to drink? Soda or juice?”

“Water’s good, thanks.” Dante chewed heavily and looked up
suddenly. “Sky, how can you not eat with all this delicious food in front of
you?”

Oh, he was winning points with Mom, all right. I glared at
him.

If he noticed, he ignored me and continued. “You should eat
up. We have a long drive ahead of us.”

I gaped at Dante. I must have heard wrong because I swear he
just said
‘drive.’

“Training,” Dante said between mouthfuls. “Got a mission
planned in Fairbanks.”

“Fairbanks!” I don’t know which had me more flabbergasted.

“Sorry to spring this on you, Mrs. Sky—agents’ orders.”

Mom shifted in her seat. “Did Agent Melcher not tell you
that Aurora was in a car accident?”

Dante stopped chewing. “I know it’s difficult, but Aurora
has to get over her phobia if she’s going to get the job done. Unless, Aurora
doesn’t feel up to the task.” Dante squinted at me. “Well, Sky, are you game?”

Oh, he was good, goading me like that. The last time I did
something for the agents I ended up with a bloody neck. At least Dante wanted
to take me out on field work. I could do without the locked rooms.

I grumbled under my breath. “And you want to leave
now
?”

“No time like the present.” Dante leaned back and smiled.
“We’ll be back by bedtime tomorrow night. Promise.”

I hesitated.

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions, and we’ll have a long
drive on which to answer them.”

I scooted back and stood. “Fine. I’ll go pack a few things.”

Dante grinned. “That a girl.”

“You will take your cell phone with you?” my mom called
after me.

“Yeah, Mom.”

I ran up to my bedroom and threw an extra pair of pants and
a heavy sweatshirt inside a backpack. Who knew if this thing would be as messy
as my orientation?

I ducked into the hallway and trotted back down the stairs.
“Ready.”

As I came into the kitchen, Dante stood and nodded to Mom.
“Mrs. Sky, sorry to eat and split. This was fabulous. Don’t worry. I’ll see to
it your daughter stays safe and sound.”

My mom nodded slowly. “Please do, Dante.”

I gave my mom a quick peck on the cheek and headed outside
with Dante. A white Jeep Rubicon was parked in the drive. I stopped in front of
it. “Let me guess. Government issued?”

“Even better, government paid. I’ll even let you drive her.”
Dante tossed me the keys. I caught them instinctively and stared into my palm.
“Come on, Sky, it’s all about getting back in the saddle.”

I threw the keys back. “I can’t.”

“Then buckle up, baby, ’cause I’m driving.”

I glanced over my shoulder, knowing full well I’d look like
a sissy if I ran back inside my house. Training couldn’t be any worse than
orientation. Nothing could.

A golden retriever stared at me from the backseat when I
climbed inside the Jeep. My anxiety dissipated at once.

“Who’s this?”

“Sky, meet my best bud, Tommy. I named him after Tommy Moe.”

I raised a brow.

“Olympic Gold medalist in men’s alpine skiing,” Dante said
as though I was daft. “Ninety-four, first American male skier to win two metals
in a single Winter Olympics, and he was an Alaskan resident at the time.”