Tempest (11 page)

My question was
answered when the car jerked back. Luke appeared on my other side,
having, once again, impeccable timing.

“Adriana, don’t,”
I warned as she attempted to shift again. The car stalled and I was
relieved until it started again, just as quickly. The car shot back
again, and Ana slammed on the break, turning the wheel. Luke went
over to the passenger door and tried to open it. I watched Ana as she
shifted one last time before she was speeding away.

“Ana!” I ran after
her, easily catching up to the car at supernatural speed. I followed
her until the main road, where I couldn’t be seen using my
abilities. I watched the direction she turned before running back to
the house.

“I’m taking your
car,” I told my father.

My father nodded.

“Find her,” my
mother gave me a silent plea before I hopped in the SUV.

I heard the passenger
door open as I started the engine. I didn’t bother telling Luke to
get out of the car as I had wasted enough time already.

Ana hadn’t been
speeding since she got on the main road which allowed me to follow
her scent easily.

“A graveyard?
Interesting choice,” my brother smirked as we pulled in.

I was relieved she
didn’t get far. There was still a chance that the Vasquez hadn’t
found her yet. But why would she come here? Did she just need to get
away?

When we came up to the
headstones, I saw the Porsche parked. I slammed the SUV in park and
jumped out.

No!
“It’s
empty.”

“Ana!” Luke called
out in the dark.

I shook my head. “Don’t
bother. She’s not here.”

“What do you mean?”
I have never heard worry in Luke’s voice.

“There are another
set of tire tracks here. The Vasquez.”

“Dammit!” Luke
cursed. “No, impossible.”

“There is no sign of
struggle. She gave herself up.” I went back to the SUV.

“Well, let’s hurry
up, we can track them!”

“Whatever they were
driving had a masking spell on it. They aren’t taking any shortcuts
this time. Get in.” I started the truck.

“What’s your plan?”
Luke closed the car door after jumping in. There was a surprising
lack of mock in his tone.

“I don’t have one,”
I replied honestly. I had never felt emptier, more hopeless, in my
entire existence. I had imagined it was just how Ana had felt before
she stole my car.

“I have to get her
back, Hayden.”

He
had to get
her back? She was mine! “
I
will do anything to get back.
I’ve vowed to protect her. She is
mine
to protect.”

“I already know you
know. Do you really want to have this discussion now?”

I shrugged. “What
better time to do it?” I spoke through closed teeth.

“Where are we going?”
Luke asked as we passed the private road to my parent’s house.

“New Orleans.”
Where else?

“Look, I already know
you know. You’ve had to smell her on me.”

I hadn’t. But now
that he mentioned it, I could smell her on him. Strongly. “Luke, I
am killing mad right now. I’m also older than you and stronger than
you. It’s in your best interest to not piss me off right now. Ana
is mine. The only reason you are coming along right now is because I
can’t waste a second dropping you back off, although tossing you
out of a moving vehicle is sounding more and more appealing…”

“Listen, I didn’t
plan on this. No one chooses who their mates are.”

I scoffed. “Your
mate
? Finding the One isn’t just about attraction. It’s
something you don’t understand. Something I got from the start
while you contemplated killing her.” I added this last part with
disgust. “You’ve been a hunter for like, what, two years? I have
waited over a century for her. I know in some messed up version of
your head you think that this desire you feel toward her means she’s
your mate but she’s not, because she is mine! And Hunters only have
One
.”

“You don’t think I
wish that were true. You don’t think I am ashamed to admit that I
can’t stop thinking about her, that I can’t stay away from her?”

No.

“I know you are angry
but I think she feels it, too. There is an attraction between us. And
as long as she is willing, I am going to keep trying.”

“This is
unbelievable,” I shook my head. “She thinks you hate you her! And
you’ve done a very good job of making her think so thus far.”

“I know, and I hate
myself for that. But she knows how I feel now and when we kissed—“

“You kissed her?” I
roared and slammed on the breaks simultaneously. The car jerked to a
stop in the middle of the lane. Cars honked their horns as they
blazed past us. I clenched the steering wheel. Holding onto my
control with a thread.

“Jeez, Hayden! What
the hell!”

“
You kissed her?”
I repeated.

He sighed. “Yes, yes
I kissed her. I couldn’t help it. I love her.”

I clenched the wheel
harder, not caring if it broke clean off. “Did she kiss you back?”

I knew we should get
moving again but I couldn’t until I knew the truth. Is that why
Luke had smelled so strongly of her?

“Yeah. Well, no.”

“Did she or did she
not?”

“If you must know,
she kinda pushed me off. She thinks she’s in love with you. That’s
why she ran up the boardwalk alone. I wanted to give her some time to
think.”

I started driving
again, despite feeling as if I were dying. I only could concentrate
on one thing; getting Ana back.

“No wonder she gave
herself up so easily!”

“Why would she do
that?”

“If you can’t
answer that, it’s obvious you don’t know her at all.” The phone
buzzed in the cup holder beside me. “Hello,” I answered my
parents call. “We found the car at a cemetery up the road… No, we
don’t have her… Why? Because Ana was being self-sacrificial…No,
they have masking spell on the car; I told you witches were involved.
We’re on our way to New Orleans now… I know.” I hung up the
phone and put it back in the cup holder. I remembered something and
picked up the phone again.

“Troy? Are you still
in New Orleans... good. I need the usual brought to us. Let say the
corner of Barracks and Royal Street in,” I looked at my watch,
“eight hours. Oh, and have the guest room nearest mine set up at
the house. And fill the closet with clothes— for a girl. I’ll
text you the sizes later…anything. Thanks.” I hung up.

“If they hurt her, I
swear I will eliminate their entire clan.” It was hard to remain
angry at Luke when his concerns were so genuine.

I shook my head. “They
won’t. Not until they get what they want from LaLaurie at least.
She’s their insurance policy.” I can only imagine what LaLaurie
would give them in return. Most importantly, why would she want Ana
dead? I never questioned the reasons when a supernatural wanted a
human dead. They were often irrational and complex. But Ana was so
innocent, so far removed from our world.

When we arrived in New
Orleans, I took a mental note of the damage. The hurricane had hit
all of five weeks ago and the place was still a disaster. I knew the
vampires would be rejoicing. It was filthy and the prey was easy.

Downtown was much the
same as before the storm. This was the New Orleans I knew. I could
still navigate the streets based on directions I learned over a
hundred years ago. There was something comforting about that, and I
was glad now that I had bought the house here.

When I turned onto
Royal Street, Troy was waiting just as instructed. Luke rolled down
his window.

“Sir,” Troy slipped
a duffle bag inside and disappeared without another word.

Up ahead, I saw a black
limousine parked outside the LaLaurie Mansion. I identified one
person inside, the driver. The back was empty. Damn. How long had
they been there? I parked in an alley up the block and deserted our
car.

“I’ll take out the
driver, you just find Ana,” I instructed Luke. Luke nodded and
disappeared in a blur.

As I was pulling the
driver's body from the car, I heard Ana’s scream.
No.
I left
him in the street as I vanished inside the house. The house was
steeped with LaLaurie’s presence. My ears were ringing and I
marveled at the irony. LaLaurie would have to be destroyed. But we
would have to take care of that later.

I listened for any
signs of Ana or Luke and located them up a flight of stairs. I
disappeared into the master bedroom. The room was empty; the
balcony’s French doors were open. The wind blew white curtains,
revealing Ana, Luke and one of the Vasquezes outside. Luke was
hovered over the lifeless body of the young Vasquez, an arrow
sticking out of his chest. Ana was crouched on the ground, her face
looking in horror at her blood-covered hands. I appeared at her side,
helping her to a stand. She was alive! And the blood wasn’t hers.
Something in my chest finally felt whole again. Nothing mattered
anymore. I didn’t care about Luke or the kiss; Ana was looking up
at me with relief and happiness, yet she was hesitant, afraid.

“Hayden, I…” her
eyes brimmed with tears.

“Shh…”I pressed a
finger to her lips. They felt incredibly soft under my touch and
there was nothing I could do but kiss her. She responded instantly,
her lips moving against mine. I didn't care where we were, I needed
this. I needed her. I heard the breaking of glass and then felt the
change in temperature. I turned from Ana to see Luke inside, smashing
the lanterns on the floor and lighting anything flammable. Luke
closed the French doors behind him as the fire roared to life.

“What are you doing?”
Ana yelled, her eyes searching for another exit.

“Do you think others
were called?” I asked when I understood what Luke was doing. The
supernatural would be curious and it could get ugly if others showed
up.

Luke went over to the
balcony railing, preparing to jump. “I don’t know, but I am
not
waiting around to find out.”

I agreed. “Let’s
go.” I picked up Ana, cradling her.

“Wait!” She cried
out when I stepped onto the ledge.

I paused, gazing down
into her impossibly blue eyes. “It’s going to be ok,” I willed
her to trust me. I saw an emotion flick over her face before her eyes
slid closed. She nodded slowly and I took one step, dropping stories
to the courtyard below.

I set Ana down but as
soon as she took one step, she limped. I immediately went to scoop
her up again but she declined. I closed my eyes at the rage that was
threatening because she got hurt. How fragile she was. Was it broken?
Would it heal? I should have gotten there earlier. And I felt like I
had failed, even as the house behind me became consumed with flames.

I put Ana’s arm
around me, understanding her need to be self-sufficient. She had been
doing things for herself her whole life. I couldn’t wait to change
that. I couldn’t wait to take care of her.

We had slowed down
because of Ana’s ankle, and Luke turned around to see what was
keeping us. When he saw that Ana was attempting to walk by herself,
he shook his head and ran back to help.

I ignored the fact that
he had my girlfriend’s arm around his neck because we really needed
to get out of there. Sure enough there would be others attracted to
the scene. The burning just seemed to release the evils of the house.
LaLaurie would be present until the burning was complete, plenty
enough time to call someone else after Ana, to entice them.

We finally slowed our
place when we got to the moonwalk by the river. I would have to send
Luke back to get the car eventually, but right now I think Ana just
needed to sit.

“Breakfast?”

She looked up at me,
surprised. She paused and I wasn’t sure if she was going to reply
or not. Maybe she just needed to comprehend all the supernatural
occurrences that she encountered.

“Yeah,” She smiled
dreamily back at me.

That word was never
more welcoming.

“Good, I know the
perfect place.” I led us towards Jackson Square.

Ana was looking around
the city as if taking inventory. Looking at the French Quarter, she
seemed relieved. It had been two months and downtown didn’t sustain
much damage. It was a city that needed to be run, and many of the
residents were already strolling in for work that morning. I was
impressed that the humans had been so resilient in returning and
going back to their normal lives. And as it so happened, it was still
a recovering city so our stunt at the LaLaurie mansion went
undiscovered.

“Wait here,” I told
Ana and Luke as I recognized the white-and-green canopy.

I jogged to the front
of Café Du Monde. There was one worker on the patio setting up
tables.
For whom?
I wondered idly.

“I’m sorry were not
open yet,” She said to me kindly, without looking up from her work.

I took out my wallet.
“We just need a couple of au laits and an order of beignets.” She
turned to me, ready to chastise me but stopped as she saw the bills I
held up in my hand. “Please?”

“How many?”

I gave her a smile.

Ten minutes later, I
had the coffees and bag of beignets in my hand. Ana rewarded me with
an impressed smile when I returned. I was amazed how great she could
make me feel for something so miniscule.

The sun was rising over
the Mississippi and, for a second, with the silence and lack of
artificial light in the city, I couldn’t tell what year it was.

Ana walked a while more
before choosing a bench facing the river. Luke sat on the other side
of her and, once again, Ana was in the middle.

“Do we know anything
new yet?” Luke asked me while I waited in the foyer of our house.
We had brought Ana back that day and given her the guestroom of our
spacious New Orleans property. Since the night of the LaLaurie
incident, Luke had told me what he overhead the young Vasquez telling
Ana before he killed him. The boy had apparently escaped with Ana to
the balcony to trade her to another supernatural.
“LaLaurie is
nothing. She doesn’t want you dead for what you are. I can get more
for you than she has ever offered. I can get immortality.”
Ever
since, I have been pulling all of our contacts to find out what he
meant.