The Hunted (56 page)

Yuck.

I immediately shut down the rolling film in my head, trying to stop the gagging and the burning at the back of my throat.

A short knock on the door announced the determined entry of my brother, as he stepped in, plonked himself down on the bed next to me and smiled.

‘Morning. Geez, you look nasty. Are you sick or something? You’re all white.’

I shook my head and smoothed the bed hair away from my eyes. ‘I think I just unearthed the best form of teenage contraception ever.’

‘Hey?’ he said, sounding confused.

‘It’s nothing,’ I said, shaking my head at the vivid images I was trying to dispel. ‘Did you want something?’

‘I just came to give you the good news.’

‘What good news?’

Hopefully it’s a confirmed appointment for my lobotomy.

‘The IMI is closing down until the adults figure out how to capture and kill the alpha. They don’t have time to train us while they have vânâtors to kill.’

‘We don’t have school for the rest of the week?’

‘Ah-huh. Malcolm, mum and dad are driving to Townsville this morning to survey the area. Vincent’s staying behind to run the law firm, while Kim joins Sarah and Peter in Mackay just to ensure that the alpha has left the area.’

‘What about the kids and Martha?’ I asked.

‘Karina and Lisa are staying home too. Martha’s going to be watching over them. Mum was hoping that we could stay with her too so she wouldn’t have to leave us alone, but …’

‘But Martha’s too freaked out by me to let me stay in her own house.’

He grinned. ‘Bingo. So you and I get to stay home alone.’

‘I hope our house insurance is up to date.’

Lucas cackled. ‘Planning on burning it down while they’re gone were you?’

‘Nope, but with you and I left to our own devices, anything’s possible.’

He laughed in short quick bursts, stopped and then looked back at the door. ‘You know, I was thinking—after mum and dad leave, we could try and contact the vampires again.’

I shook my head. ‘Lucas, they’re too busy trying to hunt to stop and play with us.’

‘How would you know? Talked to them recently?’

I looked at him guiltily and tried to conceal my grin.

He shoved me hard in the shoulder, at least I think it was meant to be hard. He could have been dusting fairy kisses across my skin for all the pressure I felt from him. ‘How could you!’ he growled. ‘You know I wanted to come along if you saw the vamps again! What did you do? Where did you go? When? Was it last night? Did he come through your window again? Did he—’

‘Lucas, calm down,’ I said laughing. ‘He came for me late last night after everyone went off to bed. I didn’t want to come and wake you up because, to be honest, there was only room for one with his method of transport.’

‘Where did you go?’ he said, eyes wide with curiosity.

‘Into the city. You won’t believe this but we sat on top of the National Mutual tower for hours and hours just talking.’

And kissing.

He blinked. ‘Did you just say on
top
of the tower?’

I nodded and grinned. ‘I can laugh about it now, but at the time I seriously thought I was going to need a change of underwear. He threw me on his back and just climbed up the side of the building like King Kong.’

‘What did you talk about?’

‘Everything and anything. Did you know that he was witness to the signing of the alliance between the Vampires and Protectors?’

‘Really?’

I nodded again. ‘Yep, he didn’t really want to talk too much about his old life, but he said that he was a legionnaire in the Roman Guard.’

Lucas frowned. ‘What’s the Roman Guard?’

‘Apparently they’re a military contingent formed by the Vampires. Their purpose was to uphold their laws and sort out any major issues between the covens. William’s not sure if they still exist or not, but how cool is that? They have their own laws too. There’s a head vampire who dictates all matter of crime and punishment amongst the Vampires, but he didn’t tell me who. He also told me about the Vânâtors, how they were made, and how turned vampires are created.’

He scowled at me and crossed his arms in front of his chest. ‘This is the kind of thing I would really like to have heard in person. Is there anything else you two did that I wasn’t a part of?’

My face went red and I was suddenly awash with that goofy style grin again.

Lucas surveyed my reaction for a moment, noted my change in colour and no doubt the look on my face—he burst into hysterics. ‘I don’t believe it!’ he chortled, as he gripped his stomach and I once again I buried my face into the pillow in embarrassment. ‘Elena Manory finally got hot and heavy with a guy!’

I grabbed the pillow and beat him over the head with it. It sent him flying off the edge of the mattress, but he kept on laughing anyway. ‘What’s so funny about me liking someone?’

He gasped for air in between bursts of laughter and laid his head back on the bedroom floor, trying to calm himself. ‘It’s funny because for the first time in your entire life you took an emotional enema and fell, not for just the closest horny teenage boy, but for a four hundred year old dead guy. You’re severely unhinged, I hope you realise this?’ He burst into laughter again. I threw the pillow at him.

‘He’s still … fresh.’

That just sent him into another fit of hysterics and I couldn’t help but join in.

‘Kids? Will you come downstairs please?’

Lucas and I abruptly stopped laughing and I helped him back to his feet. All serious now, we padded quickly down the stairs and into the living room where Susan and George were. They had gathered together a few weapons, as well as two overflowing overnight bags that were sprawled across the sofa.

‘Now, just a few quick rules before we leave,’ Susan said, waving her finger at both Lucas and I. ‘We are going to be gone for probably the entire week and you’re going to have to fend for yourselves. Your father and I have only two simple rules for you to follow while we are away. Elena, the first rule is for you—no leaving the house. Lucas, the second is for you. Make sure Elena doesn’t leave the house.’

Lucas frowned. ‘Am I that predictable that my only rule revolves around enforcing Elena’s punishment?’ His hands went his hips. ‘I can be a badass too, you know.’

Susan patted the top of his head. ‘You’re always such a good boy. We don’t have to worry about you the same way that we have to worry about your sister.’

Lucas shot me a filthy look and I grinned.

‘Now, remember, don’t open the door to strangers. I’ve stocked the fridge full of food so you shouldn’t have to order any takeaway, but if you do, there’s money in the tin above the microwave. We’ll call you every night for an update and make sure that you are both okay. I still expect your assignments to be completed by the end of the week, whether you’re going to the IMI or not, and seeing how you will be home all day every day it shouldn’t be a problem.’

Susan swung her gaze pointedly at Lucas, her lips pursing momentarily before she continued. ‘Lucas we are also going to leave you the keys to the Forester in case there is an emergency. We’ll be travelling with Malcolm while we are away. This isn’t an excuse for you to go practicing your driving skills. It’s only to be used in an emergency. Any questions?’

Lucas and I both shook our heads.

George gave us both a pat on the shoulder and started to lug the weapons and the overnight bags outside to Malcolm’s white Pajero, parked in the driveway. Susan embraced both of us together, patted our cheeks, kissed the top of our heads, flashed me a warning look that said
Elena, do as your told
, and then promptly left the house.

We both watched from the living room window as Malcolm and our parents backed down the driveway and then disappeared down the street. ‘Well,’ Lucas said slyly, ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking I might have been suffering some temporary deafness, because I didn’t hear one single thing that mum just said.’

I nodded and grinned. ‘I think she said, “Blah, blah, blah Elena and Lucas can do whatever they want”.’

‘Yeah,’ Lucas said, grinning in return, ‘that sounds about right.’

We glanced out the window again when a shiny black and chrome car pulled up into the drive way. Surprisingly, it was the latest model Audi TT, with twin exhausts that thrummed lightly under the power of its three-point-two litre engine. That baby could go from zero to one hundred in under five seconds.

‘That’s a pretty car,’ Lucas said, staring out the window in interest.

‘A pretty car?’ I answered, glancing at him in disbelief. ‘That pretty car is the latest Audi TT. Looks to have the sports package upgrade too. It retails for almost ninety grand, Lucas.’

His eyes looked like they were about to pop right out of his head. ‘How do you even
know
that?’

I gazed at the car adoringly. ‘Look at it. It’s a masterpiece of engineering, how could you not know that?’ I nudged him with my elbow. ‘Besides, what is it you think I do with all those copies of ‘Wheels’ magazine?’

Lucas shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Don’t you just look at the pictures like I do with my magazines?’

I rolled my eyes. ‘You read Penthouse and Playboy. How is that even remotely close to being the same thing?’

‘Who do you think is in the car?’ he said, glancing back out the window again, changing the subject.

‘I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out without some kind of protection.’

I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife from the top drawer. When I reappeared next to Lucas, he looked down and frowned. ‘A butter knife? Are you serious?’

‘Shut up. It’s your fault Susan locked away all the good knives.’

‘Oh my God, I scratch the benchtop once and—’

‘Shut up Lucas.’

The front door of the Audi opened and out popped a long jean clad leg and then another. The driver ducked his head through the opening, shiny dark hair attached to a pale face wearing dark sunglasses.

I froze, dropping my knife in the process. ‘He looks amazing, doesn’t he?’ I murmured, staring out as William shut the car door and straightened his T-shirt. Supermodels everywhere were cowering in self loathing and racking up another three million issues to be insecure about just looking at him.

Lucas turned and looked at me. I was still wearing old track suit pants and a Mickey Mouse singlet that was crumpled from sleep. My hair was in a tumultuous mess around my face and I still had sleep caked into the corner of my eyes.

‘Compared to you, he’s the Messiah,’ Lucas muttered as he pulled on a piece of my dishevelled hair.

‘What should I do?’ I asked frantically as William approached the front door hastily, sticking to the shade and avoiding the sun.

‘I’d say get a paper bag, but I guess a shower and brushing your teeth might help.’

‘Right.’ I spun on my heels and dashed upstairs to the bathroom.

‘Umm, what do I do?’ Lucas called up to me.

‘Just talk to him and keep him busy while I make myself presentable.’

‘I don’t have a spare four hours.’

‘Lucas!’ I yelled down to him. ‘Please!’

‘Okay, okay, I’ll show him the album with all your naked
baby photos in it. That way next time he thinks about rubbing up against my sister, he’ll develop his very own set of mental issues.’