Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter (22 page)

“What’s going on?”

“I got kidnapped…by choice anyway. Sort of. I just left
Fairbanks.”

“Are you kidding?”

“Wish I was.”

“How’d you get there?”

“A friend convinced me to skip the whole car rehabilitation
thing and dive in head first…or in this case,
drive
in head first.”

“A friend,” Fane repeated. The words dropped like a frown.
“Who’s this friend?”

“Why? So you can get jealous?”

“It’s a guy then.”

I glanced out the window. Dante belted out, “Forever,
forever,” into the pre-dawn darkness.

“More of an annoying big brother.”

“When will you be back?”

“I don’t know. Noon maybe? I’ll call you when I’m in town.
Could we meet at the video store?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there.”

 17

While the streets of Fairbanks had been dead, Anchorage
was choked with traffic when we returned late morning.

I stifled a yawn.

Dante hadn’t shut up since we left Fairbanks —like he was on
some kind of adrenaline rush. He’d wanted a detailed play by play of what went
down at Ivo’s. Finally I’d relented, it was either that or listen to him sing.

Dante said I did good. I had to admit it went a lot smoother
when I only had to stab my target once.

“Do you mind dropping me off in front of Video City?” I
asked as we neared home.

Dante raised a brow.

 “I want to spend a quiet night watching movies.”

Dante broke out into his trademark grin. “Good idea. Rent
some chick flicks, kick back, and relax. You earned it, Sky.”

I began tapping my fingers over my thigh as we approached
the video store.

I unclicked my seatbelt when Dante parked.

“Thanks for dropping me off. See you around?”

“No, it’s cool,” he replied. “I’ll wait while you pick out
some DVDs, then drive you home. I can help make suggestions if you like. I have
excellent taste in movies.”

I looked at the dashboard. “I’m kind of meeting someone
here.”

Dante clucked his tongue. “Is this someone a boy?”

“None of your business.”

“We’re partners, Sky. You don’t ever have to lie to me. Just
say the word. I’m cool with it.”

I relaxed in my seat. “Yeah, I know. Thanks.”

“No problemo.”

I reached back and scratched Tommy’s head. “Bye for now,
Tommy. Keep Dante out of trouble.”

Dante chuckled. “Stay out of trouble yourself, Sky. Sure I
shouldn’t stick around and meet this boy, make sure he’s up to snuff?”

“I never said it was a boy.”

Dante smiled way too much, but at least it wasn’t creepy
like Melcher. “Of course it’s a boy.”

“Whatever,” I said. “You’re such a man child.”

Dante reached behind my seat for my backpack, laughing as he
did.

“Forever young,” he said with a wink, handing over my pack.

Once on solid ground, I said my last goodbye to Dante.

“Be in touch again soon, Sky. Get your rest!”

The Rubicon sped away.

I opened my phone and called Fane to tell him I was at Video
City. A minute later he pulled in. Either he drove at lightning speed or was
nearby to begin with. I was thinking the latter given he was driving the tank.

The Catalina squealed as he pulled in front of Video City.

“I don’t think she likes the cold,” I said as he stepped
out.

Not even a smile. Crescent shadows rimmed Fane’s eyes. Maybe
I shouldn’t have called him in the middle of the night, hung up, and then
ignored his calls for the next couple hours.

“So you took off for Fairbanks with some guy?” he asked.

Then there was that. “Brother-type guy.”

“Right,” Fane said, sarcastically. “Let’s just get the facts
straight. You left town with a guy who is
not
your brother and spent the
entire night with him.”

Tears swam over my vision—probably because I hadn’t slept in
twenty-seven hours and had rammed a dagger through two hearts earlier.
Regardless of being killer vampires, a heart was a heart. I’d caused two to
stop beating in the last twenty-four hours.

“Are you crying? Hey, come here.”

I loved that Fane’s voice could change in an instant. I
loved his arms around me even more.

I burrowed against him, determined never to leave the
comfort of his chest. The world could go on without me. Fane brushed my hair
back tenderly. His fingers stilled over the bruise at the hairline of my
forehead then touched it gently. He stroked the tender flesh as though he could
rub the wound away. My scalp tingled.

“Want to tell me how you got this bruise?”

I looked up into his eyes. “I just want to be with you.”

Fane frowned. “Why did you leave?”

“Friend emergency. I can’t talk about it. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care what it was. What kind of
friend
expects
you to rush off to Fairbanks in the middle of the night by car? Seems like they’re
asking too much of you.”

“Tell me about it.”

My phone started ringing from inside my coat pocket. Fane
raised a brow as I dug it out. It better not be Dante.

Nope, Mom.

I pressed the phone to my ear. “Hi, Mom. We made it to town.
Be home shortly…I’m fine. Yep. No, he has to get going. Yes, I’m sure…Because I
know. Fine.” I held my phone down. “Dante, want to stay for lunch? Are you
sure? Okay.” I put the phone back to my ear. “He’s busy, but says thanks.
Right, so see you soon. Bye, Mom.”

I closed my phone and rolled my eyes.

Fane stared at me. “What kind of name is Dante?”

“What kind of name is Fane?” I countered.

He chose not to answer, instead asking, “Doesn’t your mother
want to have
me
over for lunch?”

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe I ought to meet your mom and assure her my intentions
are honorable.”

“Oh, are they?” I teased.

Fane grinned. “Well, perhaps not all honorable, but for the
most part.”

“What about dinner tonight? That’ll give me a chance to
rest.” I was fading fast.

“Just tell me when. I already know where.” Fane grinned.
“How about I walk you home for now?”

“That’s really nice, but I’ve gotten over my fear of cars.”

If I could survive fourteen hours in a moving vehicle with
Dante, I could get inside a care with anyone.

“How about for old time’s sake?” Fane asked. He grinned.
“And my own selfish motivation to keep you by my side a little longer.”

My smile reached my ears. “Okay then, for old time’s sake.”

Fane took my pack and put it over his shoulder.

The walk looked different without the snow shower coming
down on us. I stole sideways glances at Fane. I saw him trying not to smile
every time I stared at him. I slipped my hand inside his.

“You’re not smoking?” I asked.

“I quit.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to expose you to secondhand smoke.”

“So you just quit like that? Cold turkey?”

“I haven’t smoked all weekend.”

“Aren’t you having cravings?”

“For nicotine?” Fane paused. “No.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

He stared into the distance before answering. “Some habits
are easier to kick than others.”

I squeezed his hand. For all Fane’s tough talk about being
immune, it wasn’t worth the risk. I didn’t want Fane to get cancer. I didn’t
want anything bad to ever happen to him.

A chill ran down my spine.

“What is it?” Fane asked.

I don’t know how he felt it. My body didn’t visibly shudder.
I pulled my hand out of his.

“What did you mean that day in gym when you said you’d seen
that look on my face before?”

Fane gave me a blank stare. Then something seemed to register
in his eyes. He turned quickly away.

“It just reminded me of something. It’s nothing.”

It wasn’t nothing, but I couldn’t exactly demand an answer
when he’d been so cool about the whole pulling an all nighter in Fairbanks
Operation Fake Friend emergency.

As we topped the hill, I grabbed Fane’s hand again.

“Thank you for walking me home.”

Fane pulled me to a stop. There was a kindness inside his
eyes that took me aback.

“Next time your friend has a crisis that can’t wait call
me,” he said. “I’ll drive you wherever you need to go.”

“In the tank? We’d still be on the road.”

Fane chuckled and kissed me on the head, managing to avoid
the bruise.

Mom woke me gently at six thirty. I showered in under
five minutes, combed my hair, blew it dry, and put on a fresh change of
clothes. I waited to wrap the scarf around my neck until I’d finished getting
ready. My neck ached where I’d been bitten.

I sat on top of the couch’s back in the front parlor, just
staring out the window until I saw two headlights beam into our driveway. I
jumped to my feet and opened the door before Fane had a chance to knock. He
stood outside holding a bouquet of assorted flowers and a bottle of red wine.

“Thank you,” I said as he handed me the flowers. “Please
come in.”