Blood Type (30 page)

Thomas’s hand snaked out and his fingers wrapped around Gabe’s
thick
neck. Everyone around us gasped and stood up to get a better look.
Seriously, where was the administration in this school?

“You really don’t want to get on my bad side,” Thomas said.

Gabe’s eyes bulged and he made frantic wind-milling motions with his arms.

“Holy crap, Thomas!
What are you doing?” I hissed, grabbing at his arm.

Thomas released Gabe, who doubled-over and began coughing so hard he vomited.

“Come on,” Thomas said. “Let’s get out of here.”

“But what about—”

“Don’t worry about any of that. I’ll have Margaret clean up the mess.” Thomas grabbed my hand and the two of us made a beeline for the exit.

“Margaret?
But how?”

“Let’s just say my sister can be very persuasive.”

We
ran
for the student parking lot, somehow managing to escape through the front entrance without anyone stopping us and demanding to see our hall passes. I jammed my key in the ignition and peeled out of the parking space, my back tires spinning and squealing on the wet pavement. Five minutes later we sat idling in a gas station parking lot.

I turned in my seat to face Thomas.
“What was that all about back there?” 

Thomas ran his hand through his black hair.
“Sorry. I
have a quick temper
.
It’s just that c
hildren these days have no respect.
”

“
No offense, but
I wouldn’t ever have guessed
you had that in you
.”

Thomas looked me in the eye. “There are a great many things about me you would never guess.”

We sat quietly for a few minutes listening to the rain coming down
,
and the rhythmic sw
oosh-swish
of the windshield wipers. I blasted the heat as high as it would go and held my hands in front of the vents.
My fingers were stiff with cold.

“Thanks for helping me,” I said
at last
. “But isn’t this sort of a conflict of interest?”

Thomas laid his hand on mine.
“I’m helping you because you and John are my friends. And because he loves you.”

Tears stung my eyes
.
“Does he really?”

“I’ve known John for the past fifteen years. He’s always been very focused on what he’s good at. But then we came here
, and
there you were . . .” His voice trailed off.

My head snapped up.
“Wait a minute. John came here with your family?”

He nodded. “Margaret found him
i
n ’97 when we were living in Philadelphia. He was barely keeping himself alive. He was just a year into this new life, but his Maker had abandoned him.”

My head swam
. “Did you know who his Maker was back then?”

Thomas shook his head.
“John wouldn’t ever say. He hardly talked to anyone and never about the person he had once been
or
how he became one of us. June,” he said, smiling as her name rolled off his tongue, “took pity on him. But it was when John demonstrated real talent as a Compeller that Father showed an interest in him. John
became
part of the family.”

“
The Family
,” I said. “You make it sound like the mafia.”

“Not a far cry from it. Josiah Butler and Andrew Larsen are part of the family, too.”

I pulled my coat tighter around me and shook my head, not wanting to hear more. I especially didn’t want to hear the names Andrew Larsen or Josiah Butler. “Have you seen him at all—John, I mean—since
Josiah
brought
him
to your father?”

Thomas nodded and looked at me, a pained expression on his face. “You need to find Ian. John isn’t going to last much longer if he doesn’t get any blood. He’s much too young.”

My heart ached like it was being ripped
out of my chest
. “But I don’t know how.”

“It’s possible that Ian will find
you
. The bond between Maker and Vampire—”

“Is a strong one.
I know.”

Thomas patted my hand.
“
I have no doubt Ian can sense
John’s
distress
.”

“You
really
think
so
?”

Thomas nodded. “That’s why my father is withholding blood. He hopes Ian will reveal himself if he knows John is in danger. But it’s a risk. John is very good at what he does and much too valuable to lose. Right now it’s a waiting game.”

Just then my phone vibrated in my pocket, causing me to jump in my seat. I fumbled for it and it fell to the floor. Thomas scooped it up and handed it over.

“I don’t recognize the number,” I said.

“Maybe it’s Ian. Answer it.”

It was Ian
. “Where are you?”
I said.
 

“What’s going on, Blake? I’ve been tryin
g
to p
hone John but he’s not answering
any of my calls. And then I
went
back to the house and f
ound
your note sayin
g
as how he’s been taken.”

“Where are you now?”

“At the house
still
.
But I can’t stay here. I know the
y’re
lookin
g
for me.”

“Stay where you are. I’ll be there in ten minutes. I’ll explain everything then.”

“Just tell me one thing, Blake. Is John okay?”

“What do you think?” I said, and hung up the phone.

October 30

I used the key under the mat and found Ian
pacing
the living room
. “Who’s he?” he demanded at once, thrusting his chin at Thomas.

“A friend.
”
Ian had the look of a caged animal
, and
I
knew I would lose control of the situation
if I didn’t rein him in, and quickly. “
Y
ou need to come with us.”

“Not until you tell me where John is.”

“
He’s with my father,” said Thomas. “Conrad Abernathy. Maybe you’ve heard of him?”

Ian stopped pacing and took a step toward Thomas, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He turned an accusing glare on me. “And ye call him
friend
?”

I touched Ian’s arm. “Do you care about John?”

He looked at me as if I’d sprouted two heads or spoken in tongues. “How can ye ask such a thing? Of course I care for John. I love him, same as he loves you!”

“Then you have to come with us. Turn yourself in, Ian. It’s the only way they’ll release John and the only way they’ll turn me.”

Ian’s eyes
darted back and forth
as he contemplated the fact
that
he really had no choice in the matter
. 

“You have the chance to save two lives,” Thomas said.

Ian back
ed
into the wall and ran his hands through his hair, making it stand on end as though he’d been zapped by
a surge of electricity
.
“And what about me?
What’ll happen to me?”

I couldn’t answer him
;
I honestly didn’t know
.

“Christ
,
”
he said
at my silence
.

All of a sudden
,
he came to me and cupped my face in his
two
hands. Thomas made a move to intervene
but
Ian rounded on him. “I’m not goin
g
to hurt
her
, so you can just back the hell off
.
”

Thomas put up his hands. “Okay.”

“Will ye forgive me
?
” he asked,
only after
Thomas had moved away. “If I’m to die this day, I need to know
that you
forgive me for what I’ve done.”

I
covered his hands with my own
and searched his eyes, deep and fathomless. “I forgive you.”

He pulled me in a tight hug, and I felt
a
shudder
of relief, or maybe fear,
run through his body. “All right, then. Let’s go.”

The ride to the Abernathy mansion seemed to take
forever
.
I thought Ian would tap a hole into the floor
of the car
just getting there. But as I turned into the long
, winding
driveway, Ian
went suddenly rigid.
I reached over and put my hand on his leg, and his throat move
d
as he swallowed.

“I feel him here,” Ian whispered.

I put the car in park but none of us made an immediate move to get out. “It’ll be okay,” I said, though I d
idn
’t think any of us truly believe
d
it. Ian looked at me but didn’t say a word.

Thomas finally
pushed open his door
and stepped out into the rain
. “Let’s go.”

I squeezed Ian’s hand. “You’re doing the right thing. No
matter what happens.
You do know that, right?
” He nodded, but didn’t speak.

We followed Thomas into the main foyer
where we startled June
emerg
ing
from one of the other rooms. Her hand flew to her chest. “Thomas, what are you doing home
so early
?”

Thomas leaned in and kissed
her
cheek. Then he straightened and whispered in a somber voice
,
“Please tell my father we’ve brought Mr. McAvoy.”

June’s eyes flicked briefly to Ian. Then she raised a hand to Thomas’s face and let her palm rest against his cheek.
“Certainly.”

“You’re in love with her, are
n’t you
?” Ian
said
as we watched June’s retreating form.
He said it with such tenderness my heart ached for him
.

“Yes,” Thomas said. “I have been for the past fifty years.”

“But she’s—”

“The choice was offered,”
Thomas
said, cutting me off mid-sentence. “She made her decision. But it does not matter. She will always be sixteen in my eyes. She will always be beautiful.”

June returned a moment later and curled her fingers, motioning for us to follow. Thomas fell in line beside her and placed a hand on the small of her back. I looked sideways at Ian,
wondering what was going on in his head, but his expression revealed nothing.

“Miss Ehlert,” said Conrad Abernathy, as we arrived in the reception area of his private office.
“So nice to see you again.”
To his son he said, “You should be in school. You know the importance of keeping up appearances.”

“
Take me to John,” Ian demanded.

Mr. Abernathy clasped his hands in front of him and rocked forward slightly on the balls of his feet. The side of his mouth curved into a grin.
“Now, now.
Let’s not be hasty, Mr. McAvoy.”

“If you’ve hurt John at all I’ll—”  

I put a hand on Ian’s arm in an attempt to calm him. “Mr. Abernathy,” I said. “You are friends with my parents, right?”

“I am,” he agreed. “I hope they consider me a good friend
, as well
.”

“Then please consider how they might feel, the pain they would be in, if I die
d
.”

I hadn’t intended to be funny, but
Mr. Abernathy threw
back
his head
and laughed
. Ian tensed beside me and Thomas rolled his eyes
, saying,
“Father, please
.
” 

When Mr. Abernathy finally got a hold of himself, he said,
“My dear
,
I do not intend to let you die.
At least not on my watch.
You have delivered Mr. McAvoy to me. As such, I will keep my end of the bargain. Josiah will see to you shortly.”

Ian’s eyes widened. “Ye mean to have that
Watcher
,” he said
,
a
s though it were a bad word, “turn the lass? I’ll not have it!”

“Father,” Thomas said
more practically
. “You cannot let Josiah turn her.”

Mr. Abernathy’s
trim brows
pushed together.
“
Is that so?
And why can’t I?”

Thomas extended his hands, his mouth working in silent disbelief.
“He cares nothing for her!”

Mr. Abernathy fixed his son with a firm glare.
“I’ve made my decision, Thomas. It will be Josiah or no one at all.”

“At least let me do it!”
Thomas pleaded.

Ian
’s eyes
cut to Thomas
,
but
he
didn’t object.
And neither did
I
.
If it
came down to either
Josiah
or
Thomas, Thomas
got top billing.

Mr. Abernathy
turned
away. “Do not argue, Thomas. The decision has been made.”

“But I would—”

“No!” Mr. Abernathy
pounded
his fist against the table. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “No, Thomas,” he said more calmly. He
turned back and
smiled at his son. “
B
esides, what would your dear June say?”

“She would understand.”

“Then you don’t know
her
,
or any woman,
very well at all.”

The line in Thomas’s brow deepened,
as he was
clearly at a loss for words.

“It’s okay,” I said to Thomas before turning to his father. “Please.
Just t
ell us where John is.”

“He’s right this way, Miss Ehlert.
Exactly where you left him.”

Not wasting any time, I rushed past Mr. Abernathy and
barreled through
the double doors
into his office. I made a general sound of disgust at the sight of Josiah standing guard, but my heart leaped in my throat
at
John lying motionless on the couch. I immediately went to him and knelt by his head.

“Get him a bag,” Mr. Abernathy instructed Josiah. “And be quick about it.”

Ian knelt beside me and took John’s hand. “John. It’s me, brother.” John’s eyes flickered open
but
closed just as quickly. “Someone get him some blood
,
dammit
!”

If I didn’t know it would kill him, I’d have given him my own without question. As it was, Ian snatched the bag of blood from Josiah’s hands
as soon as
he came back. “You stay awa
y
from him.”
Josiah
just snorted.

Ian ripped the corner of the bag with his teeth and held it steady
at
John’s lips. “Come on, brother.
D
rink up.”

The tip of John’s tongue flicked out and found a droplet of blood. Like a fledgling bird, his mouth opened a little wider, and Ian took the opportunity to pour some in.

“Not too fast,” Thomas cautioned from behind.

At last, color began to flood John’s cheeks. He opened his eyes—really opened them—and for the first time realized that we were there. “Ian,”
his voice rasped
.
“Oh, God.
Ian, I’m sorry.”

“Ye have nothin
g
to be sorry for. It’s me
who
should be sayin
g
sorry. And I am, John. I am that sorry.”

My throat tightened
and eyes burned with
unshed tears
. I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was a strangled cry. John reached for me, and I buried my head in his chest.

“Don’t you be cryin
g,” Ian said beside me. “
Y
ou’re
gettin
g
exactly what ye wanted
.
”

I closed my eyes even tighter, shame welling inside me at the harsh tone of Ian’s
words
.

“I don’t think this is exactly what she wanted,” Thomas said.

Josiah cleared his throat from the corner of the room
. “This is all a very touching display of affection, but there are deals to uphold and other business to attend to.”

“I’m afraid Mr. Butler is right,” Mr. Abernathy said. “Shall we proceed then?”

Without warning, Josiah grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me away from John. “Wait!” I cried, flailing my arms and legs in a futile attempt to gain my balance. “Wait a minute! I’m not—”

The suppleness of
Josiah’s
lips
against
my neck
was
a stark contrast to the razor-sharp teeth that pierced my flesh. I
opened my mouth to scream
, but
nothing but a
s
igh escaped my lips
, like
the air from a punctured tire
.
My arms and legs went completely limp as a fresh dose of venom paralyzed my body.

“Josiah, I did not mean here, right this very moment,” I heard Conrad Abernathy say, but not with any sort of reproof. “The girl is our guest. We had a room prepared. At least try not to make a mess of things, would you?
And for God’s sake, don’t kill her!
”

My vision fade
d as I drifted
closer to
death
, only
vaguely aware of John’s and Thomas’s weak protests in the background.
Josiah’s teeth ripped
free
a moment later
, and then
I heard a sickening crunch of skin and felt
something
warm
being pressed to my mouth
. “Swallow,” said Josiah.