Enemy Within (Vampire Born Trilogy, #2) (17 page)

“I feel my only option is to withdrawal my vote.”

Zladislov lowers his head. “I appreciate it.”

I guess that’s as good as we’ll get.

Which isn’t much at all for Brooke.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Brooke

Mirko meets me at the hospital following the meeting with Orell. He glances up and down the small hall outside of Kaitlynn’s room before backing me up against the wall, kissing me hard.

I kiss him hard right back until his tongue coaxes away all my fears.

I sigh into the kiss and melt my body against his. I was free-falling into despair until he showed up. I stroke my hand up the back of his head. The sharp prickles of the short hairs comfort me further.

He pulls away and rests his forehead against mine. “I couldn’t stay away any longer.” His breath is hot on my lips.

“I don’t want you to stay away.”

He gives me one more quick kiss before stepping away and looking down the hall again.

“How’d it go?” I ask. My father meets with the Commission tomorrow, and unless he can get me out of it, I meet with them next week.

I hope he gets me out of it because I have no clue what to expect. I only know it’s bad.

Mirko frowns. “The Commission called you about Jelena, but what they really want is to get a good look at you to decide if they should vote on removing your father from his position as Head of the Commission.”

“What?” I drop into one of the chairs against the wall.

Mirko sits as well. “Zladislov should be the one to decide if you have to answer for what happened to Jelena, but the Commission is using Dikan’s complaint as an excuse to get a vote on your father’s position. As far as we know, there are only three definite Commissioners voting him out. Emerik was able to get his father to forfeit his vote, but that leaves three more Commissioners to account for. Zladislov is almost certain he can get two of them to vote for him, but that still leaves one. And that one will most likely be the deciding vote as things are split evenly at this point. Zladislov is unsettled by that, so his plan is to try to focus the meeting tomorrow on getting you dismissed.”

I don’t know what it all means, but if the strongest Pijawika in the world is nervous, then we’re in more trouble than I suspected. “Why didn’t Emerik convince his dad to vote for my father?”

Mirko closes his eyes for a second, and when he opens them, they’re filled with regret. “If it weren’t for Emerik, Orell would’ve voted against your father. It was the best we could get.”

“Oh.” My chest aches like I’ve been punched in the sternum.

It’s because of me.

It’s bad enough my life is on the line, but now my father’s and possibly countless others.

My heart beats in my throat, but somehow I manage to talk. “And what if he doesn’t get me dismissed? What does that mean for me, Mirko? Are they really going to sentence me to death for defending myself against Jelena?” I have so many more questions, but my whisper-yell is already too loud, so I swallow them with my rising panic.

Mirko looks around before he angles toward me in his chair. “Slatki, I don’t know. I have never been to one of these meetings, nor have I known anyone who has. We will have to discuss this with your father, but I won’t let anyone hurt you.” His tone is calm, but thick, like his voice alone will ground me.

And it almost is.

My hands are still clammy when I wrap them around his. “How can they do this?”

He studies me. It feels that if he were to stare at me hard or long enough, he could tell me what I want—need—to hear. “Because they can overpower everyone and everything.” He squeezes my hand. “But I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re as prepared as you can be. And I won’t let anyone hurt you. I’ll die before I let anyone touch you.”

That doesn’t make me feel any better because that might actually happen.

I drop my cheek against his. I need more contact with him to calm me down. I always feel safer when I’m with Mirko, but I need to feel even more of him right now.

His free hand comes up and rests on the back of my neck. He tightens his grip and I tilt my head to reach my lips to his.

He opens his mouth slightly, and I inhale the part of him he offers with the open-mouthed kiss. His breath is distinct and sweet, calming, a balm to my wracked soul.

It’s unfair everyone hates me, and anyone who has anything to do with me, simply because I was born this way. If I could change it, I would. I’d give up my Pijawikan side, the powers, the blood buzz, all of it, to not have to deal with it anymore and to spare those around me from it.

Mirko pulls away and rests his forehead back against mine.

I sigh. “How do you deal with it?”

“Which part?” Mirko asks and adjusts against the back of the chair.

“The prejudice. I saw how you responded at dinner with the Tomics. You accepted it. How do you put up with it?”

“I hate it. I wish I had the power to change it, but I don’t. The harder I fight it, the worse it gets. That’s why I’ve worked as hard as I have to get where I am. I lead my own men, men who trust me and look up to me, and I offer them the same respect in return. Sure, we take on the dirty jobs, the jobs no one else wants and some of the more dangerous jobs, but it has become our sanctuary in this cruel world.” He peers up at me with a slight curve to the side of his lip. “Did you know that none of the Zao Duhs who came here wanted to take any of my money?”

“They didn’t?” My insides melt for every one of them. They really care about him. But how could they not love him? He’s willing to do for others what no one else is, and that’s earned him their respect and loyalty. If he has to go away here and there to lead those guys on different missions, I can deal with that. “I love you so much.”

He beams at me, and I laugh. He hardly ever gives me a toothy smile. It’s always a crooked smirk or a sexy grin. “I love you too, Slatki.”

We look at each other, lost in the moment. Mirko must remember where we are because he pulls his gaze away and rests his head against the wall.

“You tempt me, Slatki, you really do. But I’m too strong for your ploys. You’re just going to have to want me from over there.”

I laugh. No matter what, he can always get me to laugh.

But I’ll see how strong he is later. “Are you ever gonna tell me what ‘Slatki’ means?”

He arches an eyebrow, as if considering it. “Someday, Slatki, but today is not that day.”

I roll my eyes. Mirko’s a great distraction, but he never is able to take away all the terrible in my life permanently. “So, where did my father and Emerik go?” It’s starting to feel weird calling my dad “father.” It’s too formal and distanced, which was fine when I thought he wanted to kill me, but he doesn’t. He actually wants to be a part of my life. He cares about me.

“They went to Garwin’s to get a plan together so you won’t have to testify. They’re also going to ask Garwin about staying there. Now that Zladislov knows the Commission is after him, he wants to have more protection, but bringing in his own people might bring in whoever tried to kill you. I suggested he stay at Garwin’s so my men can watch out for him.”

“Still no leads on who it was, huh?”

“Not yet.” He frowns. “I’m not sure if it’s because Emerik is distracted with all of this Commission mess, or because he really is having a hard time trying to figure out who she is.”

I look back at the door to Kaitlynn’s room. “I get it. It’s all so overwhelming.”

“How is she?”

“Not good.” The unrelenting tension spikes. “They keep taking blood and pumping her full of antibiotics, but any improvement doesn’t last long.” I stand, stretch, then open the hospital room door and lead Mirko inside. I move past Kaitlynn’s parents and Jaren on the sofa as I make my way back over to the chair next to the window. David has the one next to Kaitlynn’s bed.

“Steve, Rhonda, this is Mirko. He’s a good friend of ours. Mirko, this is Kaitlynn’s mom and dad.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Mirko says, shaking their hands. “Although, I wish it were under different circumstances.”

“Hey, you made it,” Kaitlynn says to Mirko. Even her voice is weak.

It scares the hell out of me.

Mirko leans against the wall. “How you feeling?”

“Terrible.”

“Well, you need to kick this thing. Bring out that feisty side you used on me.”

Kaitlynn laughs softly.

We visit until it’s dark outside. Kaitlynn sleeps in restless fits until the sun rises. Somehow Mirko was able to manage to get the nurse to allow us to stay all night.

“It really hurts,” Kaitlynn says, holding onto her stomach.

Kaitlynn’s dad gets up to grab the nurse.

They return and the nurse puts a needle in the tube connected to Kaitlynn’s arm. “This will make you drowsy, but it should help with the cramping.”

It must work fast because Kaitlynn relaxes her legs and her hold over her stomach eases.

“Thank you,” Rhonda says to the nurse.

Kaitlynn isn’t getting better. If anything, she’s getting worse. But she’s still Kaitlynn enough to tell David what to do. “You should go home. Shower and get some food.”

“I’m okay,” David argues.

“No, you haven’t eaten anything since yesterday, and you’re smelly.”

The room breaks out in laughter. Even fighting meningitis, Kaitlynn has a sense of humor.

David lifts his arm and sniffs. He comes up with a puckered face. “Yeah, that could use a shower,” he says, pointing to his armpit, “but I’m not gonna leave you.”

“Go.” Kaitlynn gives him a weak nudge. “I’ll be here when you get back. And you better not stink.”

David chuckles as he stands. “All right, but I’ll only be gone for an hour at the most.” He kisses her on the cheek. “Love you.”

“You too,” Kaitlynn says with a smile.

When he steps away, I get up and run to his chair. “You so didn’t call spot back.”

He grins. “Oh, yeah. Spot back.”

“What are you guys? Five?” Kaitlynn asks, laughing weakly. I may not always be able to make her smile, but David can. He’s a keeper.

Kaitlynn seems to struggle with keeping her eyes open after David leaves. She finally gives into the pain medicine and falls asleep.

Rhonda and Steve look worn and miserable. I’m pretty sure I look the same way. “Come on,” Steve says as he stands and grabs Rhonda’s hand. “Let’s go get something from the cafeteria. By the time we get back, Kaitlynn might be awake.”

Rhonda rises and moves on autopilot next to her husband. Kaitlynn’s their only child, and their world revolves around her.

I have plenty to think about. About how my life will crumble if Kaitlynn doesn’t pull through. How I’ll give anything to trade places with her, and where she’ll go if she doesn’t make it.

Death is too close, smothering me from all sides.

I turn to Mirko. “How long am I going to live? I mean, if no one kills me and I just keep living and living. How old will I get before I die?”

Mirko’s eyes widen. “I really have no idea. I’ve never heard of a melez dying from old age.” He shakes his head. “But you’ll most likely live longer than a human. I’d guess you’ll live for a very long time. A couple generations, maybe.”

I’m stunned. I’m not prepared to hear this.

“Whoa,” Jaren says from the couch.

I look down at Kaitlynn lying in bed so peacefully. Strange because her body is ravaged by infection. If she can’t fight it off, will I really have to live generations without her? Even the rest of this one is too painful to think about. I force the thought away, not willing to go there.