Breaking Phoenix (Blackjacks Book 1), page 3
She waits until it's just herself and Ethan in the room before she speaks again. 'What's your gut feeling on this?'
He sits back and loosens his tie. 'Honestly, I've got a really bad feeling, Nix. They kill us – not kidnap us. I'm not saying one is preferable to the other but taking us alive... it worries me.'
She couldn't agree more.
4
'You should ask her out.'
Court glances up from the portable cooker. They are dining in style tonight - beans on toast, just like last night and probably tomorrow too. 'I should what?'
Thea places two plates on the table at the side of the kitchenette, each one with a slice of toast on it. 'Don't give me that innocent look. You know what I mean.'
Court dishes out the beans and hands a plate and some cutlery to Thea. He sits down and shovels a forkful of beans in his mouth. He takes longer than necessary to chew them, hoping Thea will drop the subject. One look at her tells him that's not going to happen. She's staring at him, the plate of food untouched in front of her as she gives him one of her trademark looks. 'What?'
'The woman at the till in the supermarket. You should ask her out.'
'Change the fucking record, Thea. Eat before it goes cold.'
She takes a mouthful, chews then pushes the plate away. 'I mean seriously - all the eyelash fluttering and hair curling. I thought she was going to faint on the loaf of bread. You must have noticed that.' She fans herself with her hand as she flutters her eyelashes. 'Do you need me to help you pack your bags?'
Court glares at her. 'You finished?'
'Are you going to ask her out?'
'Thea, leave it.'
'No, I will not leave it. You're becoming a hermit. What am I saying? You are a hermit. You spend most of your time locked up in here. The only time you go out is to feed and I practically have to twist your arm to do that. You need a life, Court. Go to the shop tomorrow and ask her out.'
He slides half his dinner onto her plate, his appetite suddenly gone. 'You seem to have forgotten one tiny detail.'
She finally goes back to her dinner, chewing thoughtfully as he rinses his plate. 'You don't have to bring her here. You could take her to a fancy restaurant.'
He throws the dishtowel at her. 'Nice try but you know that's not what I mean.'
'Oh, the vampire thing,' she says as she smirks at him.
Court can't help but laugh. 'Yeah, the vampire thing.' He sits down opposite her and pulls on his boots. 'Not exactly something you can just bring up in conversation. Anyway, things are fine the way they are. I'm fine, okay. Stop worrying.' He gets up and pulls on his jacket.
She stands up and brushes off her pyjamas. 'Where are you going?'
'I just need to pop out for a bit. Keep the doors locked and your phone with you.' He leans down and kisses her on the forehead. 'Do you need anything?'
She shakes her head and sits back down. 'Glad you're going out to feed without me having to twist your arm.'
'Yeah, well maybe I didn't fancy another lecture.'
'Whatever the reason, it's good.' She smiles at him, but it's not her usual cheery one.
'You okay?'
'Yeah. I don't mean to lecture you about it, Court. I really don't. I just...' She lowers her head and closes her eyes. He sits beside her and wraps his arm around her shoulder.
'I was joking, Thea. I know you're watching out for me.'
She lies against his chest and blows out a long breath. 'I'm sorry. I just hate seeing you like that.'
'Like what?'
'Don't do the whole innocent look thing, Court. We don't live in a mansion with dozens of rooms. I hear you moaning in pain when the cramps hit. I've seen you barely able to move because you're too weak.'
'Shit. Sorry, Thea.'
'I'm not looking for an apology, you idiot. I know you hate feeding and I know I'm a pain in the ass by going on about it, but I'm terrified if you keep starving yourself you'll take it too far.'
'Hey, nothing is going to happen to me. I'm being a stubborn fucker, I know. I'm done with the cramps too. Why do you think I'm trying to get a head start on it tonight?'
She wipes her eyes and sniffs. He hugs her close, hating that she's crying because of him. Again. He's failing miserably at this big brother thing. All he seems to do is worry her or make her cry.
'I'm so sorry, Thea.'
'You've nothing to apologise for.' She pushes away from his embrace and wipes her face. 'Now go before you're left with drunken louts again.'
'I love you.'
'I know. Love you too.'
He manages to force a small on his face before he leaves her in a shitty apartment to spend the next few hours worrying about him. Yeah, what a great brother he is.
5
Ten minutes later Court's in the worst part of town wandering the streets. This late on a weekday means the streets are practically empty – just a few staggering drunks and him. He should have taken more from the guy last night but couldn't stomach the taste of his blood. He needs to find someone, but feeding is the last thing on his mind.
He knows Thea is trying to make him feel better by showing she accepts what he is, but in truth it's making him feel worse. She's twenty-eight years old – she shouldn't be dealing with this sort of shit. At her age she should be in her own place, with a good job and someone to share her life with, not living in a run-down building with her vampire brother.
The only thing he can do for her right now is to feed before the hunger takes hold. Facing up to the inevitable he targets the first person he sees. He wants to get it over and done with so he can get back to Thea. It didn't feel right leaving her alone like that.
Homing in on a lone man staggering towards him, he picks up his pace. He waits until the man has just passed him before turning and dragging him down the alley. The twenty-something year old reeks of beer and cigarette smoke which makes Court's stomach lurch. He focuses on breathing through his mouth which is helped by the two large canines that push out of his gum.
The man struggles against him, but Court holds him firmly against the wall. In his drunken state the man wouldn't be putting up much of a fight against him anyway – even without his superior strength.
Wanting to get the whole thing over with Court pulls down the man's shirt collar and pushes his head to the side. Without allowing his body to touch his prey, he leans over him and bites the man's neck. Court's stomach instantly objects to the alcohol and nicotine-laced blood. He ignores his stomach and concentrates on getting what he needs as quickly as possible.
Feeling dirtier and more disgusted at himself than ever, he pushes off the unconscious man and leans back against the opposite wall. For a brief moment he wishes he could trade places with the man. At least when he woke up he'd have no memory of what happened – just a bit of a headache and a bite mark on his neck. He'd probably assume he'd just gotten lucky. He'd never guess he'd been the main course for a vampire.
Court stops in the alley that leads back home. Maybe Thea was on to something with this feeding early idea. Instead of cramps and jelly legs, Court feels strong and a hell of a lot better than he's felt for a long time. She's right. By starving himself of blood, he's been denying his body what it needs. As much as he hates being a vampire, he can't deny being a fed vampire is preferable to being a starving one.
He's about to continue back home when he hears something above him. He jumps to the side as someone drops down from the building beside him, landing where he was a second ago. Another four guys appear out of thin air and surround him.
'You need to come with us.'
Court doesn't know how, but he knows he's facing vampires. Whatever shock he has at discovering more like him instantly disappears as the first one steps closer to him. 'Did you hear me? You're coming with us.'
'I'm good, thanks.' Court savagely kicks the nearest vampire in the side of his leg, crippling him. As the others approach, Court sees how he's going to take down each one. Like a film playing in his head, he plans every single move he's going to make, the order the vampires will fall and if they'll get up again or not. He has no idea where it comes from, but a quiet calm takes over him. Five against one isn't the best odds for walking away from a fight, but he's not worried.
The four vampires still on their feet come towards him at the same time. Court pulls the knife from the fallen vampire's belt and braces himself for the attack. Just like it played out in his head, the next goes down when Court swipes the knife across his neck. He spins and plants his boot in a chest, driving back his attacker as the knife finds its way into the heart of the next.
Once they're all on the ground, he stabs each one in the heart to make sure they're not getting up again, then slips the blade back in the belt of the first guy he dropped.
Court stares down at the men he's killed, not believing what just happened. He fought five men... five vampires. And he won. He fought them and didn't even get a scratch. How the hell did he do that? How did he know what to do? He's never fought anyone before. At least, not that he can remember. He holds his bloody hand out in front of him. No trembling. No twitching. He's calm even though it's far from how he should feel.
Whatever is going on, he knows one thing. He needs to get away from here before the police arrive. But he can't just leave five bodies lying on the street. One by one he drags them over to the overflowing skip behind the neighbouring take away. Court quickly pulls half the bags out of the bin before lifting each of the bodies in. He covers them with the rubbish, closing the lid once he's done.
It's hardly a fool-proof hiding place, but it will have to do. His priority is getting out of here. With one last look at the bodies, he walks away, picking up the pace when he turns the corner.
6
Thea wakes up to a loud crash followed by the sound of glass breaking. She quietly reaches under her bed for the metal pipe she keeps hidden before creeping out of her bedroom. The rough wooden floor scratches at her bare feet as she tiptoes down the corridor towards Court’s room. The door is open, and his bed is untouched. She curses quietly to herself and continues to the living room.
Making her way to the alcove housing their small kitchen, she moves as quietly as she can. She pauses when she hears glass crunching under someone’s feet. She calms her breathing and takes a firmer grip of the cool steel pipe, then lifts it over her head and charges. She swings the bar down hard narrowly missing her brother’s head, his lightening quick reflexes saving him from a serious concussion.
He growls and shields his eyes when she turns the light on. ‘Court! You scared the hell out of me.’ Her eyes open wide when she sees the blood on his hands. ‘What happened?’
He clenches his fists and paces the small kitchen area. ‘I was attacked.’
Thea stares down at his blood covered hands. ‘Attacked? By who?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘What happened? Are you okay?’
He nods as he continues to pace back and forth in the kitchen. He’s seriously worked up and that worries her. ‘It’s their blood.’
That does nothing to put her at ease. ‘Where are they? Do we need to call the police?’
‘And say what exactly? I killed five men like me. That’s not going to be easy to explain.’
‘Killed? You killed them?’
‘They weren’t going to walk away. Thea, they were like me.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘I just know, okay!’ He pretty much growls at her then goes back to his pacing. She hasn’t seen him this agitated before. And that’s not a good sign.
‘You need to calm down, Court.’
He launches at the counter, slamming both hands against the surface. ‘Calm down? I’ve just been attacked by five... vampires and I killed them all.' He raps his fist against the side of his head. 'Something clicked in here. I saw every single move before I made it.'
'What do you mean?'
'I mean I planned out the whole fucking attack before I took them down. I was facing five vampires and I didn't give a damn. I knew I'd be able to take them. What the hell does that say about me?'
'I don't know, Court. All I know is that you're getting worked up. Just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. You don't look so good.'
'I don't feel so good.' He holds his head before wobbling and crashing to the ground startling Thea.
'Court, you're freaking me out. What's wrong?' She crouches down in front of him holding on to his leather jacket to keep him upright. 'Court?'
He holds his head in his hands. 'My head is fucking killing me.'
'Can you open your eyes?' Thea winces as his glowing eyes leave spots in her vision. 'Okay, that's not right. Maybe keep your eyes closed.'
He arches his back and cracks his head against the cupboard door. Thea tries to pull his hands from his hair, but he won't let go. He growls at her and pushes her away. 'Get off me!' He slumps forward and clenches his fists on the wooden floorboards as he roars in pain.
Thea scurries away from him. He's had episodes like this before when his memories tried to break through, but never this bad. She's never been scared before. He lifts his head, but she doesn't turn away in time. His glowing eyes lock on to her and she feels him in her head, in her thoughts. She tries to close her eyes, tries to move away, but she's paralysed in his gaze and he isn't letting go.
Memories she had moved on from come back to her like they'd just happened. Court digs deep, pulling the painful memories back from where she had buried them. She feels tears on her face as he continues to invade her thoughts, forcing her to relive them again.
Memories of waiting for the phone to ring after Court disappeared. Of standing alone at the window hoping he’d walk down her street, alive and well. Memories of having to accept that he was gone from her life again without a word or an explanation. Of worrying that something had happened to him or, worse still, he was dead. The tears are flowing freely now as the pressure in her head builds to an unbearable level.
Then she’s at the graveyard standing over her parents’ graves. Well-wishers pass on their condolences as she numbly stares at the open graves.
Then he breaks eye contact and drops his head. 'I'm sorry.'
Thea wipes her faces on her sleeve and slowly approaches him. 'It's okay.'
He buries his head under his arms. His body trembles as he pulls at his hair again. She cautiously takes one of his hands in hers. He squeezes it gently thenRagner hisses in pain again. 'I'm sorry.'
'C'mon. I need to get you off the floor.' He pulls himself upright and leans heavily on the counter, keeping his eyes firmly closed. She takes his hand again and guides him to his bedroom. The twenty or so steps take a ridiculous amount of time to cross thanks to Court barely being able to hold himself upright. He crashes onto his bed and with his head turned away from her, opens his eyes. His eyes are still glowing, but he's getting it under control. 'Did I hurt you?'
Thea attempts a genuine smile. 'Of course not.'
'I'm the wrong person to lie to. How bad?'
She shrugs, trying not to make a big deal out of what happened. 'Not too bad.' His mind trick scares the hell out of her. For some reason it didn't always work. Most of the time he didn't get inside her head. It's only when he's having one of these moments that he can force his way in. It's impossible to pull away from his eyes when they lock on hers. It's like they take a physical hold and nothing can break the link except Court himself.
'I'm so sorry you had to deal with me disappearing like I did.'
'I know you would have been there if you could. Don't beat yourself up over it.' He smiles weakly but she knows he blames himself for not being there for her. Not knowing where he was or why he left like he did isn't just driving him crazy. It's not doing her any favours either. What if he left because he realised finding his sister was a mistake? That they had nothing in common and he didn't want to see her again. They're both assuming he couldn't get back to her. But what if he didn't want to? 'Hey, I don't suppose you remembered anything else about where you were?'
He shakes his head. 'Nothing I could hang on to. I honestly didn't mean to hurt you. You have to believe me. I dropped my guard. What happened with the other vampires... it threw me. And the blood I had was fucking rotten. Again.' He laughs to himself. 'Think the alcohol is getting to me. I feel like I've been on the beer for a few hours.'
'You should get some sleep. No offence but you look terrible.'
'That's a lot better than I feel. Are you sure you're okay?'
'Yes. Now shut up and get some rest.'
He squeezes her hand, then closes his eyes. Thea stays with him until he falls asleep less than five minutes later. With no choice but to leave him fully dressed, she pulls his duvet over him and goes back to the kitchen. Once she's cleared away all signs of the event, she takes a couple of pain killers, not that they'll touch the pain. Her head aches intensely. It always did after he'd been digging around in there.
Thea checks the doors and windows are locked then goes back to Court's room. His colour has improved slightly turning from grey to just pale. Even in a deep sleep he's frowning and his breathing hitches like he's in pain. There's no way she's going to be able to sleep while he's still like this. Resigned to another long night watching over him, she snuggles in beside him, throwing his blanket over the two of them.
She runs her hand over his hair, listening to him breathe as she lies awake in the dark. The contact seems to calm him. After a few minutes his breathing steadies and some of the tension in his body eases.
They can't keep going like this. The thought of spending even one more week in this place, let alone a few years terrifies her. She's putting on an award-winning performance, pretending everything is fine, but it's far from it.
She had bigger plans for her life. Working in a local legal firm was helping to pay for this place and her night classes. Studying to be a lawyer seems unrealistic right now, but Court wouldn't let her walk away from it. He wants her to make something of herself.
