Blood and Guitars (33 page)

“It is true that this human of yours is in
grave danger.”

Normally I would have made a sarcastic remark
on his ability to state the obvious, but all humor had gone from
me. Instead, I opted for pure shameless truth. “I love him,” I said
boldly.

Antonio’s wizened eyes bore into me, and I
felt the familiar tingling of his power like invisible tentacles as
he searched my mind, shifting quickly through my memories. As he
searched, memories flashed through my mind like snapshots taken on
a Polaroid of my days with Trey. Only two or three seconds had
passed but Antonio had seen enough to know how true my declaration
was. I did love Trey. Anyone who could glimpse my mind would know
that was indisputable. Thankfully, not just anyone could get into
my head.

“The two of you share a unique bond,” Antonio
said. I assumed he was referring to the way Trey’s emotions flooded
through me when we kissed. “I’ve not seen anything like it in all
my years.”

“I’m hoping that will work to our advantage,”
I admitted. “Making Trey a vampire wasn’t something I had even
considered until tonight, but I don’t see that I have a choice now.
His life is in danger.”

“And Trey … he wants this?”

“Once again, the word ‘want’ might not
apply.” I sighed in frustration. “He wants to live,” I stated,
trying to find the words to explain. “He wants me.”

“And you’re certain this is the only
way?”

“Do you see another?”

He frowned at the pleading tone of my voice
and shook his head sadly. “You’re just still so young.”

“I’m strong,” I stated. I was counting on my
strength and sheer will power to be my saving grace.

“Perhaps someone else should change Trey,” he
suggested.

“I would be breaking no vampire laws to
change him myself,” I countered.

“That is true. But nothing is certain when a
vampire so young tries to create another. Sometimes things go
wrong.”

That was also true. It wasn’t often that a
vampire chose to create another before the Synod granted them full
use of all the moon-given abilities. There were obvious reasons for
this. Not many young vampires wanted the responsibility of watching
over another young vampire. It was often problematic. Also,
sometimes in the process of changing the other vampire, the bond
between the new vamp and the maker would overwhelm the maker and
their instincts, still somewhat unbridled, could take over,
resulting in the human dying before the change could be made. But
the biggest risk would be to me. Young vampires were not always
able to handle the physical strain that comes with creating
another. We’re meant to take blood from others, not to give it.

“It has to be me,” I insisted. “I won’t do
this to Trey if he can’t try to continue his life of music. I’m the
only one who can make sure that doesn’t change.” Antonio didn’t
argue just then. He didn’t say anything, which still seemed worse
in a way. “I love him,” I repeated, feeling the truth of my words
resonate within me. “I need to know if I can do this.” I looked up
now, catching the last flicker of flame from the fire before it
gave up and extinguished into a coil of smoke. I gazed at Antonio,
seeing the concern in his eyes for me. “You, my maker, the one who
gave me this immortal life,” I began. “You know me. You know what I
am capable of, more than anyone. I need to know if you think I can
do this. Do this, and not kill Trey in the process.”

I walked aimlessly through the vampire
Antonio’s house, trying to sort out the questions in my mind. I had
so many without answers it was starting to feel like it might take
an eternity to figure it all out. At least I had Aurora to help me
through it. I walked down a hallway, pausing in front of a large
painting. It was of the moon. The shadows on it made the image of a
woman’s face. Naturally, my eye went to the bottom right corner of
the canvas where I saw Aurora’s signature. I began walking again,
eventually coming across a large room lined with book-filled
shelves. Apparently I’d stumbled into Antonio’s personal library. A
high-backed leather chair rested near a lamp a few feet away, and I
considered sitting down to wait, but I was too anxious to sit
still. Instead, I paced around the room slowly, letting my mind run
wild with all the uncertainties that lie ahead.

What about the guys? They were my best
friends; my brothers. Would I be able to make such a transition and
keep it hidden from them? Could I continue singing in the band? I
couldn’t imagine my life without Catalyst, but what would all of
that mean for Aurora and me? I’d only just gotten her back. I
wasn’t about to let her go ever again. And I definitely wasn’t
going to tackle this whole vampire thing without her by my side. I
remembered the way she’d looked in the park tonight. The way her
teeth had changed form, revealing two razor-sharp fangs. But it had
been her eyes, luminous and green and impossibly familiar – despite
their subtle glow – that assured me nothing had changed. Not
really. She was still the woman I’d fallen madly in love with, and
not even a pair of fangs could change that.

Aurora came for me a short time later,
finding me in the library. When she said it was time to go we
thanked Antonio for his understanding and he insisted that he would
do everything in his power to help us. Then he’d shown us to the
door and promised to stay in contact with Aurora.

“So, what do we do about the other vampires
who want to… eliminate me?”

Aurora reached over, taking my right hand in
hers as I drove with my left.

“Antonio is going to speak to the Synod on
our behalf. He will divulge our plan to make you one of us, and
they will pass word on to the Emissary that you’re off limits.
Hopefully the general knowledge that you’re going to become a
vampire will be enough to dissuade any who would harm you. Just to
play it safe, we should try to lay low until the full moon comes.”
I nodded. “For now, I think we should go back to my place and let
you get some sleep.”

Sleep. That brought a question to my mind. I
felt stupid for asking, but I was quickly getting that it wasn’t a
good idea to assume anything about Aurora.

“Do you sleep?”

She grinned at me. “Not usually at night, but
you already knew that.”

“Huh.” I mulled that over for a second as I
turned the corner onto Aurora’s street. When I pulled into her
driveway, a sick feeling rose in my stomach. The last time I’d
stood in this yard, Aurora had been breaking up with me. I pushed
the memory out of my mind and got out of the vehicle, going around
to the passenger side to open the door for her. We walked up to the
front door hand in hand and she unlocked it, letting us in.

Aurora went to the bedroom to put her purse
away. I waited in the living room, making myself comfortable on the
leather couch. After learning everything I had learned tonight, I
felt like I was looking at her home for the first time. The color
scheme of the decor –shades of red and black – seemed fitting. So
did the lack of food in the refrigerator. That was something I’d
wondered about once or twice. I’d just assumed Aurora wasn’t really
into cooking and ate out a lot, or that she didn’t want to spend
that much time in the kitchen. But now I wasn’t even sure she
needed to eat food to survive.

Aurora walked out of her room and glanced at
the houseplant near the window. “I haven’t watered that thing
forever. I can’t believe it’s still alive.” She considered it a
moment and then walked decidedly into the kitchen, presumably to
get the plant a drink. A few seconds later I heard her cell phone
go off. It played a short clip of a classical song.

“Want me to grab that for you?” I
offered.

“If you don’t mind.”

The song had already stopped playing so I was
pretty sure it wasn’t a call, but a text message from someone. I
walked back into her bedroom and saw her purse sitting on the
precisely-made bed. I opened it and pulled out the phone, turning
to leave again when I saw something that made me pause. I was
staring back at myself from a poster on the wall. I remembered that
photo shoot. The guys and I had posed around an old pickup truck in
hundred degree weather in Nevada. I wondered briefly whose bright
idea that had been and I grinned, shaking my head, and went back to
the other room to hand her the phone.

“I like your room,” I said to her, unable to
hide the smile in my voice.

“Thanks,” she said as she bent over the
plant, pouring a glass of water into the pot. Then I saw
comprehension dawn on her and she turned to face me. “Uh … I guess
you saw the poster.”

“Poster?” I pretended to look surprised. “I
saw myself in a mirror. I was just a year younger and leaning
against a pickup truck in the middle of a desert. I’m fairly
certain it’s a magic mirror, though, because I could see all the
guys too.”

She laughed and shrugged in defeat. “Okay, so
I may or may not have joined your fan club after I found out who
you were.”

I nodded, amused by the thought of Aurora
browsing our site online. “It’s cool,” I said with a grin.
“Honestly, I was just relieved to find a bed back there and not a
coffin.”

Her face grew serious and she said, “But …
that’s only because I haven’t shown you the entire house yet.”

Horror gripped my heart like a closed fist. I
opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Aurora grinned at
me and I realized she was kidding. I was too relieved to care that
I looked like a complete idiot. “Ha ha ha. You’re real funny.”

“Coffins are for the dead.” She stepped close
to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. Her breath on my skin sent
shivers skittering down my spine. “Do I seem dead to you?”

I raised an eyebrow at her and she leaned
forward, brushing her lips against mine. She tasted like strawberry
lip gloss. “Dead is the last word I would use to describe you,” I
breathed.

She grinned. “The house is one hundred
percent coffin free. I promise.”

“You’re forgiven then.”

“Although,” she added thoughtfully. “If I had
known I was going to be telling you all my secrets, I might have
bought a coffin just to freak you out.”

“Says the vampire.”

“Got your heart racing though, didn’t I?” She
grinned as she stepped away again. “I could’ve heard that from
across the street.”

“Wonderful,” I said, my voice dripping with
sarcasm. “Remind me never to invite you to poker night with the
guys. Who needs mind reading when you’re a walking
lie-detector?”

“I already told you, I only read your mind
last night.”

“Right.” I sighed, willing my pulse to slow
as Aurora watched me thoughtfully.

“You’re exhausted,” she stated. There really
wasn’t any point in arguing with her. I could guess where that
would get me. It didn’t help that she was right. To say that my
brain had been overloaded in the last few hours would be an
understatement. Without another word she took my hand, guiding me
toward the bedroom. I smiled to myself again at the sight of the
Catalyst poster on the wall and wondered if Aurora was the first
vampire to join our fan club. That thought led to other more
disturbing ones and I shook my head to clear it. Aurora had turned
the bed down and was watching me with concern.

“It’s not the Four Seasons,” she said,
forcing a smile.

“It’s perfect.” I opened my arms as she
stepped toward me. I held her for a moment, reassuring myself that
she was real. “I’m just not sure I can fall asleep with Chase
staring at me like that.”

Aurora rolled her eyes as she glanced at the
poster on the wall. “Shut up,” she said, poking me in the ribs. I
chuckled and pinned her arms against my body to stop the assault on
my ribs. Not like it would have done any good if she’d really
wanted to get me.

“I have a phone call to make,” she added.
“Don’t wait up for me. You need to get some sleep. This is only the
beginning of what could be some long nights ahead.” She stepped
back and planted a kiss on my forehead before leaving me alone in
the room.

The clock on the nightstand said it was half
past midnight, but it felt like I’d been awake for a week. I kicked
my shoes and socks off, and then in an attempt to not look like a
complete slob I sat them side by side near the wall and added my
jeans to the pile. Clad in my tee-shirt and boxers I slipped into
the sheets, feeling like I’d been enveloped by a silk cloud. Sleep
came surprisingly easy.

Not wanting to disturb Trey, I went back into
the kitchen and pulled my phone from my pocket. The text I’d
received was from Damir. I opened it and read it again.

I know about your human.

I silenced the phone and typed back to him.
You and everyone else. So?

His reply came almost instantly.
Dangerous
game you’re playing.

Why did everyone assume I was playing a game?
Trey hadn’t been a game to me since he’d shown up for art lessons
at The Waking Moon. He was much, much more.

You’ve got a lot of room to talk
, I
countered.

I can guarantee your human’s safety.

Well, that made no sense. The only one Damir
cared about was Damir. I had never trusted him, and he obviously
had ulterior motives, but I couldn’t help wondering if he meant
what he said. I didn’t have to wonder long. Another message came
through before I could reply.

Come be with me and I’ll see to it your human
survives.

I choked out a humorless laugh. Damir wasn’t
even trying to hide his obsession with me.

Thanks but no thanks. We’ll manage.

If you’re confident in your ability to
keep him safe
,
was his reply.

A chill traveled down my spine and I slid my
phone across the counter, not wanting to discuss Trey’s mortality
with a vampire I practically hated. I hoped I was doing the right
thing by Trey. I left my phone in the kitchen and silently made my
way back to the bedroom. My eyes took on their supernatural
luminescence which allowed me to see in the dark. I changed into a
tank top and a pair of cotton shorts and walked over to the
bed.