The Vampire SEAL Collection, page 52
Ben’s voice trailed off, supplanted with Sam’s.
“So, what happened to Jack?” Sam asked.
“We’re not sure. He was on the bus when we got back from our last road game. His girlfriend was waiting for him. He said goodbye to the team and left with her,” Ben explained.
“Wait. Jack has a girlfriend? I thought he swore off girls during baseball season?” Sam asked.
“I know. He met her at one of the games or something. She’s hot, dude—long brown hair, deep blue eyes and legs to die for,” Ben said. “She kind of reminds me of Webb’s sister.”
Whoa! I wasn’t ready to hear Ben describe a girl right down to how great her legs were. I rubbed my arms, trying to rid my body of the tiny thorns coating my skin.
Dad cleared his throat. “Why don’t you get ready for bed? Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
I narrowed my eyes at Dad as a sharp pain skated across my brain.
This is exactly why I don’t want you around the Jackson boy. Your thoughts are not making me comfortable about you being around humans. Is every human boy going to be like this?
I dropped my head on the counter. Leave me alone. I just wanted to know what happened to Jack. Besides, I haven’t violated any of your rules.
I know that. The question is, will you? I told you having feelings for a human is not healthy and can be downright dangerous.
Are you serious? Mom was human, wasn’t she? You married her and had children with her. What’s the difference?
When I met your mom, I was a very old and mature vampire. I learned how to control myself around humans a long time ago. Your willpower will be tested many times during the next few years, but you will never be more dangerous to humans than right now.
So why are you letting Sam talk with Ben?
Your brother is vulnerable too, but he doesn’t have feelings for Ben like you do. Those feelings just add another layer of danger that would cause you to lose focus. We have a deal. I expect you to honor it. If I find out you’ve seen Ben at any time while you’re off this base, I will take action you won’t like. Is that understood, young lady?
Dad waited for my answer as he stood between Sam and me.
The phone clicked.
“What’re you two doing?” Sam asked, walking back to his seat at the counter.
“Nothing. I was just leaving,” I replied.
“Young lady?”
“Yes. Okay. Is that good enough for you?” I stormed out of the kitchen.
Stupid vampire life.
I slammed my bedroom door, then plopped down on the bed. I had done so well during the past few weeks not thinking about Ben, and in one minute all my resolve shattered. Maybe Dad was right. Maybe it wasn’t good for me to be around Ben.
The next morning, the first day of school, I jumped into the backseat of a black sedan. My adrenaline was all over the place. After hearing Ben’s voice last night, I still had trouble settling my mind enough just trying to get to sleep. When I finally did, the darkness whisked me away into a freakish nightmare about creatures that roamed the halls of the vampire school. I prayed Dad wasn’t right about vampire’s dreams seeing into the future. If so, I was screwed.
I took in a deep breath, adjusting my skirt that was itching the hell out of my backside. I scratched the back of my leg, thinking about the day ahead. Sure, I was super stoked to finally get off this military base, but I was also paranoid about meeting other vampires. I didn’t want my first day at St. Anne’s Academy to be like my first day at Durfee. I kept my fingers crossed there were no vampire bullies roaming the halls. I shivered at the thought.
As I waited for Sam to get into the car, my mind drifted. Ben’s voice filled my head. Before my thoughts could wander, Dad slid into the front passenger seat.
“What did I tell you about human boys?” he asked as he closed his door.
Oh yeah. I was so looking forward to not having him around me. My thoughts would be my own for an entire day.
“Jo, stop it. You would think by now you’d be used to the mind reading,” Dad said, capturing every word in my head.
“You’re kidding, right?” I asked, my mouth agape. “How would you feel if someone could read every thought you had?”
“Frankly, I’m tired of your whining. If you want to find a way to block me then find a way. Otherwise, I don’t want to hear another word about how you hate me reading your mind. Understood?” He turned. Fire flickered in his eyes.
Well, two can play this game. I narrowed my eyes in return.
Sam climbed in and froze. “What’s going on already? The emotions floating around this car are suffocating, and I haven’t even sat down.”
“Nothing. You look like a geek,” I said to Sam, trying to change the subject. “I just love the plaid jacket. Where’s your bowtie?” I giggled, but it came out as a grunt.
He punched me on the arm when he finally sat down and strapped himself in.
I was thankful for the interruption. I didn’t want to go a few more rounds with dear-old Dad this morning. I wanted to be in a good mood for my first day of school. If I was going to be meeting people, I didn’t want to come off as a lunatic or a bitch.
“I looked through the paper this morning,” Sam replied. “Three more human teenagers have gone missing in the last couple of weeks. Jack isn’t the only one.”
“The police are looking into it,” Dad added.
“Don’t you find it odd that three more are missing?” I asked.
I thought back to the picture of the body bags Dr. Vieira had shown in the war room a few months ago. He’d mentioned then that humans were disappearing. Maybe the news was just now hitting the newspapers.
“Dad? Do you think the Plutariums have something to do with it?” Sam asked.
“Highly unlikely. Edmund wants soldiers, men who can fight. It wouldn’t do him any good to enlist teenagers into his plan.”
“Why, Pops? The vampire SEAL program likes them young. You even said so.”
“Sure. But I’ve had time to train and mold the Sentinels. Edmund is a very impatient vampire. He wants immediate results. That means men who can physically fight and who have experience with using weapons.”
Dad might be right. Still, a sense of foreboding was gnawing at me for some reason.
“I don’t want you two to worry about Edmund or the Plutariums. I want you to concentrate on school,” Dad stated.
Webb climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Everything okay, Lieutenant?” Dad asked.
Sam mumbled something under his breath that I couldn’t quite make out. I ignored him, stealing a glance in the rearview mirror. Webb met my gaze. His eyes were shifting from blue to black. Something was wrong.
After a second he tore away his gaze and answered Dad. “Yes, sir. Things are fine.”
The tone of his voice told me otherwise. He was hiding something.
“Let’s get moving and stay alert,” Dad commanded.
Yeah, I didn’t like Dad’s tone either. I imagined he and Webb were communicating telepathically.
I relaxed as the car began to move. I hadn’t seen Webb in over a week. He’d only returned last night from a brief scouting mission with the Sentinels. It had something to do with the Plutariums. When I’d asked Dad about it, he said the mission was classified. In any case, it was good to see Webb.
I snuck a peek into the rearview mirror. One by one each tingle zinged through me, each butterfly fluttered inside me, and every glance from him infused me with warmth that made my pulse speed up.
I had to clear my mind, especially with Dad so close. But how?
We drove past three military men who were preparing for morning colors. One of the men had the flag resting between the palms of his hands while the other two fiddled with the rope on the flagpole. I checked to see if Dad had the pole repaired from when I accidently bent it in one of my telekinesis tirades. Yep. The pole was now straight with a shiny new gold ball at the top.
I had yet to witness the ceremony for morning colors. I’d always enjoyed listening to the national anthem. To me, it was a very emotional song. Without thinking, I began humming it in my head. Halfway through the song, I stopped. My damn plaid skirt was itchy, and my legs kept sticking to the leather seat. I grabbed the hem of my uniform, wiggling, trying to pry my legs loose.
Once I was comfortable, I started the song from the beginning again, glancing out the window. Branches on the trees swayed from one side to the other. Fallen flower blossoms littered the edges of the road, and every now and again something hard hit the roof of the car.
By the time we turned out of the base, I had hummed the national anthem three times. It was then that I realized I hadn’t thought about one thing since singing the tune. My pulse wasn’t racing, my head seemed clear and the tingles and goosebumps were no longer taking control of my body. Excitement stirred. Could I use this tactic to clear my thoughts? I made a mental note to try it again.
I cracked the window, letting in some fresh air. The closed space was a bit stifling, especially since Dad’s temper was still lingering.
I sniffed, taking in the first scents of the city. The human world buzzed with all sorts of smells and sounds. Engines roared to life as we passed other cars in the street. The smell of grease wafted in from someone cooking, but was quickly replaced with the fumes from the exhaust of a vehicle. Sometimes I hated that I could smell everything right down to the molecule.
As we approached an intersection, a variety of scents took a backseat to the fresh, sweet scent of honey, of human. I flared my nostrils as if I were an animal seeking out my first meal of the day. Oh yeah. This was heaven. My fangs descended, and I licked my lips. I waffled in my seat. I wanted to tear this skirt from my body and jump out of the car.
I glanced out through the windshield. Bingo! A group of humans stood in line, waiting to board the bus that was stopped in front of us. All thoughts faded from my mind, except one—sinking my fangs into the soft flesh of any or all of those humans, a busload no less. I’d definitely hit the lottery. It was like a buffet line for a vampire.
Sam took hold of my hand, severing all my mouthwatering excitement. I shot him an evil glance. He shook his head ever so slowly. He was trying to tell me something, but my mind was concentrated on the bus. Suddenly, my throat burned. I squeezed my eyes shut. I tried humming the national anthem. That didn’t work. The scent was too strong to think about anything except blood— sweet, sweet blood.
My resolve for the very thing that I needed as a vampire was being tested. Boy, I was failing miserably at self-control. So, I closed the window.
Sam clamped down on my hand. His eyes were obsidian black. He seemed to be fighting the same demons that were plaguing me.
I suspected Dad was in my head. I didn’t know for sure. I didn’t care. I wanted one thing, and if Webb didn’t get this car moving soon…
“Do you honestly think I’m not in tune with your thoughts?” Dad asked, breaking the silence.
“It doesn’t matter. Just get me out of here,” I replied.
“This is just what you need to test your willpower,” Dad added.
“You’re loving every minute of this. Aren’t you?” I asked.
“Both of you need to learn restraint from your weaknesses. Today will not be the only time your self-control will be tested. Now, lock it down.” Dad’s tone was resolute.
How the…do I lock it down? Yeah, I knew of one way, and that was jumping out of this car.
“I said, lock it down, young lady.”
“Pops, lay off her,” Sam said. “I don’t know what you’re reading in her mind, but this is hard for her and for me. We’re young vampires with a lust for blood. We’re on our way to a new school, and...Well, just remember your training, sis. If any one picks on you today, you’re trained now to protect yourself.”
I could always count on my brother for his support. He’d always fought my battles, and while I wasn’t thinking about school, he was right. I had a few protective moves under my belt.
“You two better not fight anyone in school,” Dad said.
“We do what we have to, to survive,” Sam said.
Dad whipped around.
“Young man, if I find out about a fight or I get a call from the school, you and I will be in that training room tonight.” His bristling temper flared.
“Looking forward to it, Pops,” Sam chided.
Dad’s eyes flashed silver; the vein in his neck strained against his skin.
Now whose resolve was being tested?
“I will not—” Dad’s cell phone rang. He grabbed it, pushing the button while he glowered at Sam. “Go,” he barked into the phone.
Sam and I both leaned back as Dad turned, facing forward.
As he talked, I realized we were no longer stopped behind the human buffet line anymore. The sweet scent lingered, but it wasn’t as strong.
Webb drove, zipping from one side street to the other.
The burn in the back of my throat had eased, so I relaxed, staring out at the houses and buildings whizzing by.
After a few more turns, Dad said, “We’re almost at the school. A few instructions before we arrive. Jo, I don’t want you getting upset. I don’t want anyone to know about your telekinesis. Sam, control your anger. Webb will return for you this afternoon. I have to head to a meeting at the Navy base in Newport, Rhode Island, today, so I won’t be available. I don’t want to get any calls from the headmistress or the security office onsite. Son, I want you to take care of your sister. Is that understood?”
“Pops, I always take care of my sister—long before you ever came along too—so don’t worry about that.” Sam’s voice was even and calm.
Dad turned in his seat. I thought he was going to reprimand Sam for his comment. Instead he looked at me. “Young lady?”
“What?”
His emerald green eyes began to shift. “An answer. Do you understand?”
“Yes. I get it, Dad. I’ll behave.”
What did he think I was going to do? Sure, I had been called into the principal’s office a few times, but I wasn’t the one he needed to worry about.
Before long we were traveling along the edge of Mt. Hope Bay. The water glistened under the morning sunlight. A few sailboats drifted and swayed while two large yachts powered down the waterway. After a few twists and turns on the winding road, we came to a dead end. To our left was the bay and to our right was a pair of large, black, wrought iron gates. Aside from the two men inside the guardhouse, there was no other sign that life existed beyond the gates, not even a plaque displaying the name of the property.
Sam and I bent our heads at the same time, trying to look out the windshield. In the distance, sitting atop the hill, sat a large six-story building that looked liked one of the mansions in Newport, Rhode Island.
The car rolled to the gate and Webb let down the window.
“Mason,” was all he said to the man who had walked out of the shingle and glass building, wearing a black cargo uniform, military boots and fingerless gloves.
The guard looked down at his clipboard, flipping through the sheets of paper. After a few seconds he scribbled something on it, before placing the clipboard behind his back. He dipped down and peered into the car. His chocolate brown eyes became black.
“Wait one,” the guard said then went into the guardhouse.
“Vampire,” Sam muttered.
“He is,” Dad confirmed. “He’s also a Guardian.”
“Is that like a Sentinel?” I asked.
“In the human world he’d be equivalent to the local police,” Webb piped up.
We sat at the gate, waiting. I guess the Guardian needed to get approval for us to enter.
Webb poked out his head slightly. “We clear?” he asked.
A different Guardian stepped out this time. He twirled his forefinger in the air as he approached. The vampire was massive. He stood well over six feet and had to weigh a lot. His chest was sculpted in all the right places. His long wavy blond hair was tied behind his head. But his good-looking features weren’t what had me in awe. The beast was a walking tattoo shop. Both his arms were covered in colorful designs.
“Commander, Lieutenant, Ms. Lawrence will meet you in her office. There’s visitor parking in front of the building,” he said, pointing toward the main entrance. “Head up the stairs, through the main doors and two Guardians will be inside to meet you.”
Webb nodded and the gates in front of us opened.
“Have a good day,” the Guardian said, backing away from the car.
I glanced behind me, still in awe of him, and noticed one tattoo I did recognize. The Jupiter Sentinel symbol was tattooed on the back of his neck.
“Is that guy…a …Sentinel?” I asked, my gaze still peeled behind me.
Sam turned to look again.
“He is,” Webb replied. “He’s one of my team members.”
“How come I haven’t seen him on base?” I asked.
“We have a few Sentinels working for the Guardians,” Dad said. “That’s all you need to know.”
Sam and I faced forward. The road from the gate to the main entrance was fairly steep and winding. It was kind of like how my life felt these days.
13
A carpet of pristine groomed grass spanned the grounds, spilling out to the edge where a large fence bordered the property. In the distance, across the bay, homes dotted the hillside. The boats I saw earlier were mere dots from where we parked high atop the hill.
Dad slid out first. He seemed to be in a hurry this morning, taking the stone steps two at a time. Webb followed behind Dad.
Sam waited for me at the bottom of the steps, fidgeting with his tie.
I hesitated for a moment, inhaling the salt air drifting up from the bay, and feeling the warm sunshine against my skin. It was nice to be somewhere else other than the base.
“Jo?” Dad shouted. “We need to go.”
When I walked up to Sam, he was still messing with his tie. He looked uncomfortable as hell. It was the first time I’d ever seen my brother in a sports jacket and dress pants. Heck, I’d never worn a skirt, for that matter. While in foster care we had to take what we could get, which meant hand-me-downs. Jeans and T-shirts, sometimes new and sometimes well worn, were all we had to choose from.
