Immortal Blood (1) (4 page)

‘W-what –,’ he stuttered, clutching his chest as if he was suffocating, ‘where am – what happened?’

‘We’re not sure ourselves
,’ I informed him, as my sister laid him down.

‘Freaking hell, you scared the guts out of me,’ Birna exhaled, rushing to his aid with patent affection in her eyes. ‘
Are you okay? How do you feel?’

‘I’
m fine,’ he said, shooting up, then added, with wounded pride, ‘It was that genie. He pounced on me out of nowhere. It was a trap. They caught me off guard.’

That’s when Asvi appeared, completely out of the blue. ‘Everything all right here?’ she asked, eyeing
the four of us with suspicion. ‘I’ve been searching for you. Where have you been?’

‘We wanted to go clubbing, but then changed our m
inds once we hit the road and came back,’ I lied, always the quick one on my feet.

The others nodded, thus confirming my story.

‘Very well, then. Stay home tonight. We just received a report of a club skirmish.’

My sisters and I exchanged nervous looks. Only I had the audacity to ask, ‘What club?
’

‘Smoke.’

I felt my flesh crawl at these words. ‘Any casualties?’ I asked, pretending to be oblivious of what had happened.

‘No – not that I know of, anyway.’ She turned on her heel and added, before disappearing behind a corner, ‘Stay out of trouble, guys.’

‘The Rolls Royce,’ Brigida breathed, the moment she was gone. ‘We have to get it back before she notices it’s gone.’

‘Didn’t you hear her? W
e were just ordered to stay home,’ Birna reminded her.

‘So what?’ I stepped in. ‘You be a good girl
and stay, then. I’m gonna fetch the car.’

‘You do that,’ Brigida agreed. ‘We’ll stay behind and make sure no one notices you’re absence.’

‘I’ll accompany you,’ Corey suddenly announced, taking a kind of shy step toward me.

‘You’re not going anywhere with me,’ I protested. ‘You’re the one who
got us into this mess in the first place.’

‘Exactly
. So I should help make it right.’

‘I said you’re not coming.’

‘I don’t care what you say. I’m not asking anyone.’

I came fac
e-to-face with him; my eyes, which were turning purple from irritation, an inch away from his. ‘I’m not asking anyone, either.’ A playful smile lit up his face. I developed a sudden yearning to wipe it off his face, but we’d already caused enough trouble for one night. So, I said instead, ‘Have it your way, then. But you’ll be hoofing it back. I won’t give you a ride in my car.’

‘
How hospitable of you, Ranka.’

‘Trust me, Corey, I’m being exceptionally hospitable. Because if I
wasn’t, I’d shove my shoe down your throat.’

‘You know what? I’m glad this happened.’

‘Glad that what happened?’ I said with contempt. ‘That you got your ass kicked by a girl?’

‘Like I said, it was a genie,’ he corrected me, seething with anger. He swept his eyes up and down my body with a disgusted frown. ‘And no, I’m glad it happened because I got to find out what a rare pain in the rear you can be. I can’t believe my mother even considered you for marriage. What was she thinking?’

‘Go cry to her then, why don’t you?’

He bared his canines. ‘Boy am I glad you won’t be my wife!’

‘Relax, dude, I wouldn’t be your wife even if someone paid me and you were the last man on earth.’

‘Is that a fact?’ he said, leaning in and whispering the following in my ear, ‘then why are you casting those glances my way?’

‘Oh,’ I replied, stepping back, arms folded, ‘you mean the looks of pity and dislike?’

‘Cut the bull, Ranka, you know exactly what I mean. You want me.’

His claim was so absurd; I couldn’t help breaking out in ridiculing laughter. ‘
Want
you?’ My snickering came to an abrupt end. ‘The only thing I
want
is to strangle you, rat-face.’

‘That’s too bad, because I’m gonna tell my mother we had a wonderful time together and can’t wait to get engaged.’

‘Why would you do that?’ I asked, my brow bunching up into a frown. ‘You won’t get anything out of it. I’ll just tell my mom otherwise. So you won’t get to spoil my day.’

‘Who said I want to spoil it?’ He
took another step toward me, leaning in so close I could feel his warm breath on my ear. ‘Maybe I want to make it better.’

‘Dude,’ I blurted out, fighting the urge to smack him, ‘you don’t stand a chance. Besides…N
o, actually, never mind.’

‘Besides what?’

‘I said forget it.’

‘Chicken,’ he insulted with a manipulative smirk.

‘Besides I though you hated me. That’s what.’

Birna and Brigida kept exchanging uncomfortable looks.
In addition to that, the former of the two seemed to have a glint of jealousy in her eyes.

‘Why would you think that?’

I lifted a hand. ‘It doesn’t matter anyway. Whether or not you like me, I mean…’

‘Why is that?’

‘Because I can’t freaking stand you.’

And with those words, I shot off into the darkness, headed for the big city. As the autumn wind howled in my face, I cou
ldn’t help admitting to myself that my dislike for Corey was slowly dwindling away. Was it being replaced by something close to interest? No! Of course not! The thought angered me, which only contributed to my speed.

N
ot before long, I realized Corey, true to his word, was right behind me. Narrowing my eyes, I ordered my feet to reach their maximum speed, before dislodging a heap of dead leaves into his face.

‘What did you do that for?’ he demanded, once he was by my side.

I was about to reply when I caught his gaze. ‘Are you staring at my ass?’

He looked away immediately. ‘No,’ he lied, on the defensive, ‘of course not.’

‘Well, it definitely didn’t look like you were checking out my back.’

‘I-I was looking at your shoes.’

‘My shoes?’

He nodded and began to fall back. I didn’t for one second honestly believe that I was that much faster than him. He was obviously trying to avoid another falling-out. To my anger and frustrati
on, I found that I was pleased – almost flattered, really.

About thirty minutes later, we were in the underground parking of
the luxury hotel where we’d left the automobile. Much to my surprise, Calvin was leaning against the shiny bumper, arms folded, chewing a red apple.

‘I figured you’d come to get the car sooner or later.’

The words had barely parted his lips, when Corey, having picked up his magic scent, reacted by attacking him. Upon which there was a puff of blue smoke and Sigurd appeared thrusting him backward without having to even touch him physically.

‘Stop,’ I commanded at once, before things got worse, my glare fixed on Corey, ‘he’s a –’

‘What?’ Corey demanded, getting into an upright position and dusting off his jacket. ‘A friend?’

I did not miss the malice in his voice. ‘No, but neither is he our enemy.’ Calvin couldn’t help smiling to himself
. ‘I take it Sigurd and you had something to do with the teleportation to our house,’ I said to him. ‘Am I right?’

‘Uh-huh.’ His kind eyes brushed against mine, and I suddenly felt my iron guard melt a little. I hoped it didn’t show. ‘You’re welcome,’ he said, once I ignored him and moved toward the driver’s door.

‘Out of my way.’

‘Hey, ‘he said with palpable disappointment and dissatisfaction, ‘this is the thanks I get for saving your life twice in the same week?’

‘I never asked for your help, did I?’ With that I shut the door and brought the engine to life. He knocked on the window and motioned for me to roll it down. ‘What do you want?’

He stared at me for a second, before saying, ‘I just wanted to get a good look at your face. You’re so beautiful when you’re angry.’

‘Are you done?’ was my reply, as I pretended to be completely insensitive to his compliment. Then a question popped up in my head, so I asked, ‘Know what? Why do you help me? You kill other vampires don’t you? Probably on a daily basis, too.’

‘Let’s get going already,’ Corey intervened, eyeing Calvin with something close to rage.

‘It’s my car. Don’t like something, get out,’ I delivered, before refocusing my attention on Calvin. ‘So?’

‘I already told you. I don’t wanna spoil negotiations between our people.’

‘Okay, but what about tonight? You just happened to be close by?’

‘Pretty much.’

‘In that case, goodbye.’ Without awaiting a response, I stamped the pedal and raced out of the underground parking and into the cold night. Barely a second had passed when he appeared in the rear passenger seat with Sigurd by his side. ‘Ah, excuse me, but you weren’t invited.’

‘
All right, I helped you for an entirely different reason.’

I felt a jolt of happiness at these words. ‘Being?’

‘I-I think you know why, Ranka. I think I’ve made it clear enough already.’

‘I have no idea what you mean
by that,’ I teased mercilessly, wanting him to speak the words.

‘You see, the thing is…’

‘Yes?’ I prodded him on.

‘It’s just that.’

Sigurd rolled his eyes, chiming in, ‘He’ll never find it in himself to say it.’

‘Oh shut up,’ Calvin snapped, looking betrayed. His eyes abruptly bore into mine, and that solid determination of his returned. ‘I like you.’

‘What?’ I said, pretending not to have heard him.

‘I said – I like you.’

‘Well, that’s too bad, friend,’ Corey once again felt the need to speak up. ‘She’s taken.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘He’s just being silly,’ I explained, not even deigning to his way. ‘Don’t listen to him.’

It was Corey’s turn to ignore me. ‘We’re engaged, Ranka and I.’

Sigurd whistled, but then corrected himself by saying, ‘Congratulations.’

‘Shut up,’ Cal
vin and I said in unison, then he continued in a panicky tone, ‘How come?’

‘Look,’ I replied, ‘we’re not engaged. Not even close to it. Our mothers had this foolish idea to bring us together, but it’s been a real nightmare so far. Besides,’ I added, glimpsing in the rearview mirror, ‘what do you care what I do wi
th my life. You’re a sorcerer.’ He just held my gaze, knowing all too well that I was enjoying myself with all the needling.

‘It’s my fault, now, is it? Just like you, I was born this way.’

‘That doesn’t change the fact that if your seniors find about what you’ve done for me, your license to perform magic would be revoked. Nor does it change the fact that you and I are practically sworn enemies.’

‘I agree, but it also doesn’t change the fact that I like you
.’

‘Hey,’ Corey stepped in, ‘watch it, man. She’s mine. Go find yourself a sorceress or something. You don’t stand a chance with her.’

‘Why don’t you zip it, bloody?’

‘Why don’t you make me?’ he countered, turning around.

‘All right, all right, tough guys,’ was my reaction, ‘easy with the testosterone levels in here. If you must know, neither of you two stand a chance. I’m not interested –’

‘In guys?’ Corey demanded, appearing afraid of what the answer
might be.

‘In having a relationship, you idiot,’ I finished my sentence. ‘Corey, no offense, but you’re not my type. Although, I’ll admit you are good-looking and I at times bask in your attention. I mean, what girl doesn’t like a bit of attention? Calvin,’ I paused, before picking the right words, ‘we’re just not meant to be.’

‘Why?’ he said, leaning toward me. ‘Because you’re scared?’

‘Scared of what?’

‘You’re feelings for me. You’re afraid of the challenges and obstacles that’ll come our way, if you give in to your desires.’

‘Wow
, dude. Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun a little? You could say we’ve only just met and we know nothing, and I mean nothing about each other.’

‘Yet you feel what I feel, don’t you?’

‘Look, man, I told you to lay off her,’ Corey warned, looking extremely cross. Then to me, ‘And what’s the matter with you? Why are you even talking to him? He’s a magician, for Odin’s sake!’

‘I know who he is, Corey. I’ve got eyes, in case you haven’t noticed.’

‘You think this is a joke?’ he said, looking really upset now. ‘If this becomes a friendship or, gods forbid, something more than that, then your mother could have you executed. Do you understand that?’

‘Awww,’ I said mockingly, ‘little mommy’s boy is concerned he’ll get caught misbehaving.’

‘Can you be serious for at least one second?’

‘You be serious, if you like. I’ll be fun.’