Dead of Night (18 page)

“And what did I make you forget?” he demanded. “That you'd fallen in love with a vampire?”

I gritted my teeth. “Jesse is not a vampire.”

“He's six pints of human blood away from becoming one.” He uttered a bitter sound. “Oh, I know, he only feeds on animal blood, and he's kind, and he's promised he'll never hurt you. But you have no idea how dangerous that boy is. How little it would take for him to lose control, attack a human and turn into one of those monsters.”

“You don't know Jesse, or how strong he is.” I couldn't shout at him anymore, not with all the cats yowling at the back door. I didn't want to, either. I felt sorry for him and the way he saw everything, just in shades of black and white. “You're not God, Patrick. You don't have the right to decide what's okay for me to remember. You can't choose who I love. You aren't going to control me like this anymore, and if you try, I'll leave.”

“You are forgetting something very important now.” He leaned forward. “You're not the only one who can kill vampires, Catlyn.”

“Cut it out, both of you,” Gray said, his voice so stern he sounded like Trick. “We've got twenty-four hours left to find that vampire and those girls. That's what we're going to do. When it's over, then we'll deal with the rest of it.”

I gazed at Trick. “Well, big brother? What's it going to be?”

Trick sat back and ran his hand over his face. “All right. We'll start tracking in the morning.” He eyed me. “The three of us, together.”

Eighteen

C
hristmas morning brought brittle sunshine and a light frost, which perfectly reflected my mood. I got down to the kitchen before anyone else, and decided to throw together a quick ham and egg scramble. I didn't want to feed my idiot brothers as much as I wanted to choke them, but I couldn't stomach another of Trick's half-done or partly burnt meals.

Trick came in to silently set the table, and as soon as Gray returned from the barn I put the food on the table and sat down with them to eat. None of us spoke a word, which was fine with me.

I finished first, and after rinsing my dishes grabbed my jacket and headed outside.

“Cat, wait,” Trick said, halting me in mid-stride. “It's Christmas morning. We have to open gifts.”

I took a deep, calming breath. “I left yours under the tree.”

“What about yours?” Gray asked carefully.

“Thanks, but I've had enough from both of you.” I stalked out.

In the barn I got Sali ready to take a ride in the trailer Trick had borrowed from Dr. Marks. According to my brothers, we could start tracking the vampire from the cemetery; as the family finder, Gray would be able to track him from there. Sali and I would follow Gray and Flash, and once we cornered the vamp I'd summon my cats to hold him at bay while my brothers retrieved the girls. Since Jupe was injured, and none of the other horses had his stamina, Trick would pace us on his Harley.

Trick had also told us how important it was to find the vampire's hideout during daylight hours, when he would be at his weakest. After the sun set, he would be too dangerous to confront, and we'd have to call off the search and go to Plan B.

No one had talked about what Plan B was, but in my version, I went to the park and traded myself for the three girls.

Gray came out to deal with Flash, who hated being put in the trailer. He glanced at me a few times, but I ignored him.

“The silent treatment won't work,” he finally said to me. “We'll have to talk to each other while we're tracking. Trick is bringing walkies for all three of us.”

“Whatever.” I retrieved my saddle from the tack room and carried it out to his truck. I stopped as soon as I saw the little red convertible parked behind it. On the roof was an enormous white ribbon and an oversize tag that read “Merry Christmas Cat from your brothers.”

I blinked a few times, but the car didn't go away. “Tell me I'm hallucinating.”

“You're not.” Gray took the saddle out of my numb hands. “Trick was going to give it to you on your birthday, but the dealer wouldn't hold it that long.”

“He bought me a car.” I watched him nod. “With what? His charm and good looks?”

“He sold some of his computer equipment.”

I stared at the car again, until everything around it started turning red. “No. I'm not falling for this. You tell him to take it back.” I yanked my saddle out of his hands and marched over to the pickup.

Gray wouldn't leave me alone. “I'm not going to tell him that, and neither are you. It would hurt him too much.”

“Were you not listening at all last night?” I tossed my saddle over the side of the truck's bed. “Maybe you missed the part where he admitted to moving us every six months to avoid vampires. Or the eight that I killed. Then there's all the years he spent making me forget that.”

“It was for your own good,” Gray said. “I was there. I saw how you were. Every time it happened, you turned into a zombie. He tried talking to you and explaining what had happened, but you were too little. Making you forget was all he could do to help you.”

“How would I know if that's even true? For that matter, how do you?” I gestured at the house. “He could have made you think you were immune to his ability. Maybe you're not. Maybe he just wants you to think that you are.”

“Now you're being paranoid.”

“At this point, Grayson, I've got a right to be.” I looked over his shoulder at the car and shook my head. “This is insane anyway. We can't afford this. We're almost broke.”

He shrugged. “He got a good deal on it. Anyway, it's the thought that counts.”

“I'll remind you of this when they shut off our power for non-payment,” I warned.

“He did it because he loves you, Cat,” he said. “He loves us both. Like we were his own kids.”

I stiffened. “He's not my father.”

“He knows that. Why do you think he's tried so hard to do what Mom and Dad wanted?” He dragged a hand through his hair. “Look, I don't agree with everything he's done, but at least he tried. Imagine what it would be like for us if he'd handed us over to the Van Helsings.”

“Maybe they would have taught us how to deal with it better,” I snapped. “Did you ever think of that?”

“They couldn't help Mom,” he countered. “You've read her letters. She hated what they made her do. Sometimes she sounded like she was afraid of them.”

“You're not allowed to use Mom to make me forgive him.” But what he'd said loosened the knot in my chest, and the simple outrageousness of the car in the drive did the rest. “How is he expecting me to react to this gift? Scream, cry, jump on the furniture?”

Gray gave me a wry look. “I think he's hoping you won't use it to leave town.”

“I won't need to,” I said sweetly as I went to the front door of the house. “Jesse has his own car.”

Trick was sitting in the chair beside our dead Christmas tree, and staring down at the circle of needles it had shed since the last time I'd swept. “We should get going,” he said to Gray as he got up. “We can do the gifts later.”

“Mine is blocking Gray's truck.” I watched his face, which looked much older than it had last night. “It's the kind of gift every teenage girl wants to find in the driveway on Christmas morning, too. Thank you, Patrick.”

He didn't try to hug me as he normally did on Christmas Day, but a flicker of relief passed over his tired features. “You're welcome, little sister.”

I gave them their gift baskets, and Gray handed out his packages of T-shirts and home movies. By the time we'd unwrapped everything, it almost felt like Christmas again.

“There is something I need to tell you both before we do this,” Trick said. “I've given Sheriff Yamah a copy of my will. If anything happens to me, you can trust him to help.”

I was horrified. “Why are you talking about this?”

“We're about to go hunt a vampire, Cat. Even weakened by daylight, they're the deadliest creatures on the planet.” He looked at Gray. “In my will I've named you as Cat's guardian until she's eighteen. I expect you to look after her.”

“You are not going to die,” I told him. “None of us are.”

“I have no plans to,” he assured me. “Now let's go and get the horses loaded.”

Flash gave us so much trouble while we loaded him into the trailer Gray decided to ride in the back with the horses, and handed me his keys. I glanced at Trick, who nodded to me before he took off on his bike.

“If I get pulled over,” I grumbled as I started the truck, “everyone is going to jail with me.”

I took my time backing out of the drive, which proved to be difficult with the trailer attached, but once we were on the road I felt more confident. With the trailer blocking the rear view I had to rely on the side mirrors, but it was still early, and all the roads remained practically deserted. As we reached town I saw that all the shops were closed and the sidewalks were empty.

Sheriff Yamah was waiting at the cemetery, and while he gave me a slight frown as I climbed out of the truck, he didn't say anything. I left him talking with Trick while I lowered the ramp and helped Gray get Flash out before I led Sali down the ramp. A couple of apple cookies helped settle them down enough for us to saddle them.

Trick walked back to check them both before handing us the walkies. “Keep them on. If we get separated, let me know where you are.” He turned to me. “Gray may zone out while he's tracking. If he does, you lead Flash until his head clears.”

I nodded. “How will I know he's zoned out?”

Trick pointed to his shades. “His eyes turn white.”

Gray mounted first, and followed the sheriff back to the Hargraves tomb. I waited by the gate with Sali and Trick.

I saw Gray stop Flash in front the tomb, but he just sat there in front of it. “How does he do this finding thing?”

“You said you had a blood vision,” Trick said. “Gray has scent vision.”

“He tracks the vampire by smell?” When my brother nodded, I whistled. “That stinks. Literally.”

“Don't worry,” Trick said. “He won't find your boyfriend by mistake.”

“That's because Jesse isn't a vampire.” I felt like a broken record.

After another minute Gray mounted Flash and rode out to us. His eyes weren't white, but he looked upset.

“There's no scent,” he told Trick.

“That's impossible. He had to change here, or he wouldn't have gotten out of the tomb.” He turned to me. “You're sure this Julian Hargraves is the vampire.”

“It can't be anyone else.” I thought for a minute. “He used Jesse's blood. Maybe that makes a difference.” My brothers exchanged an odd look. “What?”

“Gray can't track your boyfriend,” he admitted. “We've already tried.”

“You went hunting for Jesse?” Unbelievable. “Why?”

“It doesn't matter now.” Trick sat back on the Harley. “Without a scent trail for Gray to follow, this is pointless.”

“What if we use logic instead of Van Helsing tricks?” I got down off Sali. “We know he comes into town to take the girls. He's always on foot, too. Even if he has super strength, the girls don't, and he wouldn't want to be spotted with them. He'd have to take them somewhere within walking distance, say a mile or two at the most.”

Sheriff Yamah, who had been listening, shook his head. “We've already searched the empty houses and buildings within a five-mile radius. He's not using those.
”

I took the piece of pink fabric from my pocket. “Then we have to use me.” I saw the way my brothers were looking at me. “Stay out of my way. I'm probably going to hurl afterward.”

I handed Sali's reins to Trick and sat down on the curb. When Gray dropped down next to me, I frowned. “I don't need you to hold my hand.”

“My visions are stronger when you're near me,” he said. “Maybe I can do the same for you.”

“Okay, but I'm not kidding about throwing up.” I did feel better with him sitting next to me, and when I closed my eyes and gripped the fabric I was able to slip into the vision almost at once.

At first I thought I was back in the tunnels under the bookstore, but these were rougher, and there were no lights to guide me. I felt different, bigger, stronger, as if I had traded my body for another.

I moved with confidence now, stepping over pools of water and ducking under clusters of roots until I reached a crude-looking door and lifted a plank of wood holding it shut.

Inside candles flickered, and I smelled spoiled food and human waste. The filth offended me almost as much as the pale faces peering out from under the pallet in the corner
.

A young hand beckoned to one of them.
Come out here, girl.

She crawled from beneath the pallet, motioning to the others to stay back before she stood and faced me.
You said you were going to let us go.

I said when I find her, I might.
The young hand tossed a sack at her, and a sour chuckle grated as she caught it.
You should be grateful I'm feeding you. I don't have to, you know. You should be feeding me.

The girl looked angry now.
Let the other girls go. They should be with their families. You can make them forget they were here.

What about you?

You can keep me until you find the one you want. If you don't find her, then you can kill me.

Such a brave child. I will have to give you to her first.

I retreated, turning only when the girl tried to rush past me. I struck her and knocked her to the ground. As she cried, I reached down and ripped the silly pink jacket she wore from her back.

No.
She tried to pull it away from me.
Please. Don't take it away from me.

Losing it will teach you to behave.

I closed the door on the sounds of the girl weeping. I had tired of her, tired of all of them, and it would be a relief to put them out of their misery.

I walked back through the passage, stopping at the stone stairs that led up to the hatch before I changed direction. I would have to be cautious until the stupid festival the townspeople had planned was over, or I might be seen.

“That would not do,” I muttered, swaying as the fabric fell out of my hand. “Not before I have her.”

“Cat.”

Someone shook me until I opened my eyes and saw Gray's face. “They're underground, locked in a vault,” I said. “He used a tunnel to bring them food and check on them. He took Sunny's jacket from her when she tried to run.” I swallowed against a surge of bile. “When he left he was worried about being seen by people during Sparklefest. He's somewhere right here in town.”

“Look at me.” Gray held my hand in his. “It's okay. Breathe through it.”

I watched his eyes as I took in the cold air, and felt the nausea slowly recede. When I could speak, I asked, “Does this happen to you?”

“Mine aren't this bad.” He glanced at Trick before he lowered his voice. “You said the guy used your boyfriend's blood to change, right?”

“We think he did.”