4 Vamp Versus Vamp (12 page)

“Talk to me. What’s going on?” Kai demanded.

“Ah!” Mel yelled when the car rumbled, a vibration shaking the outside.

“They hit you with something new. The entire car is coated in some sort of black tar. Problem is it went on wet, seeped into every crevice, and hardened within seconds, so there’s no penetrable corner. It looks more like glue or sealant when it dries, though. They’re trying to see how they can get you out, but so far nothing short of a jackhammer seems to be a workable option.”

“Uh, guys.” I bit my lip, feeling their eyes turning in my direction. “We may have another more serious problem. If they coated the car, then we’re not breathing clean oxygen — we’re breathing carbon dioxide.”

The tension was palpable, the silence working me.

Suddenly, Mel’s hysteria broke through. “O.M.G. I’m gonna die. We’re all going to die. What the hell? I live sixteen years, am a model citizen in every way, and yet I’m still going to be punished by death.”

“Mel.” My tone was strong, willing her to listen to me. “I know you’re scared. We all are, but I promise you, they’ll get us out of here.”

“I want out, and I want answers,” she declared.

“Where the hell was our air support?” Kai barked.

“Apparently they were distracted by some army men on foot and missed the SUV,” Kalel replied. “Hold on.” Kalel’s voice was muffled as he spoke to someone in the distance. “Alright. Listen to me, Kai. I need you to see if there is a way to get all of you into the front seat with you. They’re going to try a chainsaw first, but if that doesn’t work, then they’ll be forced to use a jackhammer in the back of the car to avoid any fire hazards under the hood. The slope of the back of the car will probably have it caving in before they get to you. The moment you see light, tell me. I’ll have you and Leka break through from the inside out at that point.”

I opened the dash compartment I’d shoved my phone into earlier. I couldn’t even worry about the missed calls from Kellan, Gabi, and Craig. I immediately turned my phone and lit up the area around me. In the dark, it was a bright light, but still meager at showing the details of what we were up against. I lifted it up to the passenger window. Serum flooded my mouth; spider veins covered the glass. I didn’t know how it hadn’t caved in on me yet.

“Just focus on getting Mel up here,” Kai said.

I nodded. I slid to face the back of the car, nearly yelping at the sight before me. My panoramic sunroof had thin strips of a hardened substance dripping down and along its edges, the width of it just wide enough to jail us all in. Each of us had bars of black imprisoning us to our spots, but Mel was in the worst position of them all with bars on one side of her, a small window on the other side of her, and the risk of the back windshield caving in on her from behind at any second.

Kai had repositioned himself to take in the scene with me. Our eyes met, the same concern I was experiencing reflected back at me in his brown eyes. He pressed a button on the side of his watch. “None of us can move.”

Mel’s heart tripled in speed as Kai’s words echoed through the cramped space.

“We have no option but to proceed from the back. The engine was running when the substance seeped in. We’re lucky nothing has exploded yet.” I heard the solemn and dread mixed in Kalel’s voice.

“Drill on the passenger side,” I said. “I’m the only one on this side of the car.
Mel’s in the back behind Kai on the driver’s side.
Try to drill between the passenger door and back seat.”

“No,” Kai drove out.

“Yes.” My voice held not an ounce of doubt. “Listen, we’re running out of time and air. Mel is about to transform in I don’t know how much time now, and we have to get her home to do that. I promised her she’d get out of here safely. I’ll survive just about anything, but she won’t. Kalel, tell them to stop wasting time and drill on the passenger side.”

Shadows danced across Kai’s face from my phone. His features were taut; he clenched his jaw. I heard the tiny grinding noise from his teeth rubbing together beneath the pressure of his jaw. Anger and desperation showed in his eyes.

I shook my head at him. “I’m not backing down.”

A minute passed in silence before I heard the motor of a tool outside my door.

Vibrations rattled the car. I closed my eyes. I leaned my left side into the back of the passenger seat, my back against any potential shatters.

Kai grabbed my hand, threading his fingers through mine. “You’re always the brave one.” His voice washed over me, calming me. He lifted our entwined hands and gently kissed my fingers. “You don’t always have to be.”

“Yes, I do.” My voice was barely a whisper, an admission I didn’t enjoy.

“Leka, at some point, you’re going to have to ask for help. I’ll be waiting and ready when that day comes, but please don’t let your pride kill you in the meantime. I would miss you.” The plea in his voice crashed through my carefully reconstructed walls.

Chapter 13

I swallowed hard. Why was it every time I thought Kellan and I were solid, something or someone interfered? I didn’t love Kai the way I loved Kellan, but he was still able to manipulate the feelings I did have for him at the perfect time.

Glass shattered down on me. Kai immediately tried to pull me into him, but the hard black goop stopped me. Mel screamed in the back seat; her breathing became labored as sobs wracked her. I couldn’t reach her to touch her, to soothe her.

“
Kai,
let go of me, please. I need you to try to calm Mel down. You can reach her; I can’t.”

He hesitated but finally released me. I winced, sitting back onto a seat of glass. The shards bit into my skin but didn’t slice me, thankfully.

I heard Kai swish in his seat. Mel shrieked. “It’s okay, Mel. It’s just me, Kai. It’ll just be a little longer before they get us out of here.”

“I can’t do this. I can’t handle this shit. Lex, I don’t know how you do it. I… I want my dad, I want Craig,
I
want clean oxygen. I…” A new wave of tears choked her.

I sighed. I couldn’t believe I was about to do this. I dialed his number. My phone didn’t connect right away, struggling to reach beyond the cover of my car to a satellite. Anxiously, I waited for him to answer; I knew he was
who
she needed.

“About time you bellas chimed,” Craig answered.

“Craig, I need you to calm Mel down. Don’t ask me to explain right now; don’t get Kellan on the phone. Just take care of her.”

“Always, love.” All the humor had drained from him.

“Kai, please hold my phone to Mel’s ear.” He took my phone, the light of the screen swirling around in the car until it reached its final destination. Mel’s cries slowed as Craig’s voice soothed her.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it.” Kai’s voice rang through my thoughts.

“Sort of hard when I brought her out here.”

The car began to vibrate, commotion rocking my side of the vehicle.

A light went off in my head. “Kai! Do you have your dagger?”

I felt the smooth handle as he placed it in my palm. I immediately turned around in my seat, glass pricking my skin, ripping at my jeans as I faced the broken window behind me. I pressed the gold blade to the hard, black film. It sizzled, liquefying beneath the blade.

“Oh, my gosh. It’s working!” I dragged the knife slowly along the top of the window, aiming to cut a hole large enough for us to escape.

The tools cut off and the vibration stopped as I continued cutting our way out. Voices broke through for the first time.

“They’re coming out. Have the doctor on standby for the human,” a deep, gruff male voice ordered.

The moment the blade connected with my starting point, I punched the piece I’d sliced out and away. A swarm of men in black uniforms rushed me.

“Don’t touch me!” I yelled, jerking the dagger up towards the sky so as not to hit anyone accidentally. I knew the damage it could cause.

“Back up!” the same male commanded.

I sought the brusque voice calling the shots. His black uniform had the name “Drexel” engraved on it. The black ops–style ensemble hugged his thick frame tightly. His tan skin, shaved head, and the sharp angles of his face gave him a harsh beauty. The moment we made eye contact, he nodded his head once, indicating they would give me my space. I climbed out of the car, glass scattering about in the car and on the concrete road beneath me. I immediately turned and passed the gold dagger back to Kai so he could slice his way out.

Drexel was at my side the exact second the blade left my grip. “We need to get this glass off you. Allan, dust all the glass off the passenger seat so the others don’t sustain any further injury. Johnson, I want this area swept again for humans. The road block is a mile out in each direction, but check for those on foot slipping past it at the shopping center before the starting block.” He finally turned back to me, leading me towards an SUV with the trunk wide open, a vamp army medic ready to remove the glass from my back. “You okay, Lexi?” I shouldn’t have been surprised that he knew my name. It still threw me for a loop, stopping me in my tracks. “I was previously informed of the names of my entrapment victims. You smell like a vampeen — that’s how I knew you were Lexi.”

I nodded my head. “Yes, I’m alright. Please make sure my friend Mel gets out okay.”

“Done. Sergio will take care of you from here, but I’ll be back to check on you.”

The next ten minutes were a blur as the male EMT removed all the glass slivers from my pants and the few that were caught in my sweater and digging into my back. Kai cut Mel out of the car with his dagger since only a few people could use it. The paramedics immediately checked her.
Once she was given the
all-clear
, Drexel saw to it that their minds were washed of what had happened.

“You’re all set,” Sergio announced. I watched the soft-spoken vamp clean the trunk. He was short for a male at about
five
feet, seven inches. His Hispanic heritage gave him a solid tan, dark brown hair, and full rose-colored lips. His body was solid. I could see him being a human army medic before he was changed.

“Thanks.” I gave him a small smile as he walked away to discard the bowl of glass and bloodied strips.

“How are you?” Kai asked. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“I’m good. How’s Mel?”

“Traumatized.”

I frowned, my eyes gazing at the empty road. They’d blocked off traffic a mile away on each end, giving us the chance to get out without causing a commotion. Knowing Auggy, they probably obstructed air traffic overhead, too, so the news crews couldn’t get wind of our incident.

I shuddered when warm, strong arms encased me. I breathed in the scent of him, the only vamp I could actually smell. I pressed my face into his chest as I wrapped myself around him. Soft lips pressed to my head. Tears stung my eyes. Why did he continue to rattle me? Why did life continue to beat me down? Why did my best friend have to be involved? My mind was
yielding
to the overflow of questions that I would probably never have an answer to.

He stood there holding me until I’d pulled myself together; he was my silent strength. I leaned back, staring up at him. I busied my teeth with my lower lip. This was such a hard thing for me.

“I’m ready to ask for help.” I watched his eyes focus on mine, his full attention on me. “Will you train me to fight hard with and without weapons?”

He nodded. “Whatever you need.”

“I need to be better. I’ve become too weak. I’m too easy of a target now, and my friends are, too. It’s not fair to ask them to step up. It’s my job to.”

“Don’t do this for them, Leka. Do this for yourself.”

“I am. Believe me, I am.”

His eyes crinkled in the corners, a small smile lifting his lips. “I own a warehouse downtown beside the old Navy docks. I’ll text you the address. When you’re ready or have time, I’ll meet you there.”

“Thanks.” He leaned in, but I quickly turned giving him my cheek. “Kai.” I sighed his name. “We can’t — I can’t — ”

“You keep telling me that, but your body reacts to me every time I’m near. I see you fighting it, but one day, you’ll give in. I’ll be ready when the time comes.”

I studied the ground off in the distance, unable to face the potential truth in his words. “I, uh, should go check on Mel.” I broke from his grip, determined not to think about him.

Mel ran to me, throwing
herself
into me the moment I was within range. “Holy crap, Lex. How do you do this? How do you stay calm when your life is always on the line?”

I hugged her tight. “I’ve gotten used to it. You can’t stop living because someone threatens you.”

She yanked herself back. “Lex, these people aren’t just threatening, they’re trying. There’s a big difference!” Her concern was difficult to ignore.

“I’m not saying it’s something to ignore. I’m saying that I’m not going to drop everything; I refuse to give them that kind of control over me.”

She looked pensive as she fidgeted in front of me. “You’re so much stronger than I remember. When did you grow up?”