Phantom (Endlessly Book 3) (13 page)

17 CLOSING CONSEQUENCE

Ash rode shotgun while the other three crammed into the back. The girls were rushing this one. When we reached the hotel they instructed me to get only one room. I wanted a room for myself, but they protested.

With all five of us crammed into a crappy double, the girls situated the humans. The guy and the girl both stared, their eyes glazing over in sheer terror. Once they were set, Sarah went out the door.

“Where’s she going?” I asked.

“She wants to make hers look like an accident, and leave the corpse,” Ash said. “That way it’s only two missing.” Ash cast her gaze on the man. He stood, ready to follow. “I’ll leave the pretty girl for Jack. He’ll enjoy that.”

I found it hard to believe that Sarah would want Jack to feed directly from the source. She’d never let Abby do it. From what I gathered, drinking the donated blood simply wasn’t as satisfying. I’d never known a vampire who could resist indulging, at least once in a while, but I would’ve guessed that Sarah would ease Jack into it. This would be his first kill. Would he be able to handle it? Donated blood was one thing, but actually killing the human took a different mentality. I didn’t think he could cope with it.

Ash’s selection followed her into the bathroom. She pulled off her sweatshirt and tossed it to me through the open door. She rubbed her bare white arms. I looked back at the vacant girl. She sat at the desk, staring at nothing. Ash fed
in the bathroom.

The man wore a button up dress shirt, and was a foot taller than Ash. She unbuttoned the top of his shirt, pulled open the collar to expose his jugular. His racing heart would help force the blood out. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down.

At times like this I could be a bit of a pervert, tapping into the ecstasy of Ash’s feeding habits. It was like an orgasm, yet she never hid it. Could she? I didn’t know. She hesitated, inhaled, then bit through his flesh with sickening force. Her mind and body flew into uncontrollable frenzy. I mirrored her pleasure. An almost inaudible moan escaped her lips as she drained him.

My insides trembled. I lost all vision as my eyes rolled up in my head. The sensation was unreal. I fought to get my sight back, gripping the doorframe just to stay upright. The towering hulk crumpled. Ash sank with him, her lips never leaving his neck. She wante
d it all. I shook my head clear and took a deep breath. She pulled away from his neck, choking and gasping. As she went into a rhythmic panting, she looked up at me.

Blood trickled from the corner of her
mouth. Serenity spread over me and I felt sleepy and content. Ash was full. She wiped at her mouth, but only smeared the blood, then went to the sink and washed her face. I checked on the human girl. She sat still.

As Ash dried her face on a towel, I dispensed with formalities. I ripped open the guy’s shirt, littering the floor with buttons. I started pulling my clothes off. Ash was inspecting her face in the mirror when it dawned on her that I was going into my own feeding frenzy. I’d stripped in
to nakedness before she got out of the bathroom. I thought it was hilarious that my nudity made her uncomfortable. I went through the process of ripping, tearing, shredding and consuming Ash’s leftovers. I was almost done showering when I heard the strange whimpering. I paid it no attention, thinking it was just some imagined sound rising from the racket of the shower. Or maybe Ash was napping, and I was hearing her delicate snores. Then I clearly heard a cry, followed by silence — the girl.

I jumped from the shower, pulled a towel around me, and flung open the bathroom door. Sarah stood by Jack’s meal. Ashley sat on the edge of a bed, her eyes strange and excited.

I blurted: “What the fuck?”

“Completely my fault,” Ash said, blinking. “I fell asleep, lost my mental hold on her, but luckily Sarah showed up just as I nodded off. She caught her before she got out.”

“Fuck! You guys need to get your heads out of your asses. You’re going to get us caught.” I glanced down at the puddle of water at my feet, then shot Sarah a venomous look. “That didn’t take you long. You probably ate close by, didn’t you? Shit! You guys are getting sloppy, and it’s not going to get better having five of you living together.”

Ash and Sarah exchanged worried glances. I went back into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later I left the key at the desk.

I was glad it was Ashley directing the human girl to her doom. Though the girl’s terrified eyes might give her away, at least Ash had her walking with a natural gait. If she’d been Sarah’s she would’ve been stumbling forward, fighting her captor’s mental grasp.

We pulled out of the lot slowly, then sped down the highway. This was bad. Three people in
one night, sloppy, and hurried — I couldn’t believe Sarah. After all the talk of disguising hers as an accident, she’d eaten close by the hotel.

A few miles
from the hotel we passed a cop, lights on, siren blaring. Once they were past us I sped up. I knew they must be responding to a call about whatever mess Sarah had left. It was my job to keep a low profile, while getting as far away as possible. I felt nervous till we got off the ferry. Seattle would be off limits for a while. We might show up on a hotel surveillance camera. I’d ask Verloren to keep an eye on the news. He loved watching that shit.

The ride home was quiet. Even when we stopped in Sequim at Coylene’s house, no one said a word. Ashley
got out and jogged up the walk to the isolated cabin. A dim light burned inside. Ash returned briefly with a cooler and put it in the trunk.

I hoped
the silence meant they were thinking about what they’d done. Covering up was a concern for even a single vampire. Two was pushing the envelope. Four was insane and, if Verloren survived the transition, it would be five. I couldn’t keep up with the leftovers. Someone would have to move.

At least I had plenty of strength. I’d never had such a regular diet, and with five I’d be eating a body every twenty-four hours. I pulled out my cell phone, called Jenny, and told her not to bother taking the car to the abandoned house. We would run home from the barn. Neither of the girls argued, and I needed to burn off some of my pent-up anger. Along with that came the tugging. It was my constant companion.

The further south I drove, the more I wanted to keep right on going. I might’ve followed the tugging right then and there, but the girls were with me. It was sunrise when I parked the car in the barn. Sarah got out in silence. She threw the girl over one shoulder, grabbed the cooler, and took off into the woods.

Ashley followed behind me. Once I was in the woods away from the road I took off my shirt and flung it in Ash’s face.

“Do me a favor and take my stuff to the house so I don’t have to carry it like a pack mule,” I said in a pissy tone.

She bit her lip as she folded my shirt.

“What’s wrong with you now?” I asked, knowing I should probably shut up. “The truth hurts, doesn’t it? You guys need to get your shit together.”

“I’m… I’m just nervous,” she said.

“I would be too after the stunt you guys pulled.”

“No… not that… just…
about Verloren.” Again she nibbled her lip.

I wasn’t finished. “You guys made the deal. So you’ll have to take the consequences.”

She fidgeted as I kicked off my shoes. It was clear there was more. Girls never tell you everything.

I huffed. “What?”

“It’s just… I’ve never done this before and… his body is different…”

“Ahhh! No, no, no!” I threw my hands over my ears. “I don’t want to talk about vampire virgins and some dude’s fucking dick. Isn’t this something you should talk about with Sarah? Gross!”

She shut up, embarrassed. I’d hurt her. Why was she so goddamn sensitive and why did she always have to make me feel like such an ass?

I sighed. “You love him,” I said. “You won’t kill him. Sarah didn’t kill Jack; isn’t that proof? Your only real worry is the virus.”

She nodded, clutching my shirt to her chest.

“Now, unless you want to see my junk again, turn around so I can get undressed. Or would you
rather be thinking about this-” I ran my hand over my stomach. “-when you’re doing the illustrated man?”

“You’re such an ass.” She huffed, turning away.

I disrobed, laughing as I threw my jeans at the back of her head, and shifted.

As soon as my claws touched the cold ground, searing heat burned through my chest. I dug in my claws, coughing and gasping for air. I howled, then crumpled onto the forest floor. Every breath burned. Ash’s icy hand touched my back. I buried my muzzle in cold mud, stifling my screams. The heat became bearable. Finally I lifted myself into a sitting position.

Are you okay?
Ash thought, staring at me.

I think so.

“What the hell happened?”

I can’t explain it exactly. She must be in her shift… and the connection is strong. Don’t ask me how I know. I just do.

A door swung shut in Ashley’s thoughts.

What are you hiding?
I asked her.

“Nothing.”

You’re a terrible liar, you know that?

Let’s go home.

Yeah, you wouldn’t want to keep Verloren much longer. He’s probably about to romance himself.
When I laughed, it was a barking gurgle.

Ash rolled her eyes, picked up my clothes, and waved me off. I ran behind her all the way home, though my body screamed to go in another direction.

18 STILL ALONE

Once I’d shifted back the searing pains stopped, but it didn’t do anything for the pulling. When we got there everyone was asleep but Jenny. Sarah was waking Jack. I could hear their conversation, and heard his reluctance to make his first kill.

“Love will make you do strange things you never dreamed you were capable of,” Ash said, sensing the same thing I did.

“So I’ve noticed,” I murmured.

The news was on. I watched for evidence of any threats, but all they reported was a suspicious suicide, and the cops’ search for an unknown woman.
Shit,
I thought.
Sarah was spotted. I knew it was a bad idea to hurry.

Ash read my thoughts. “It’ll be okay,” she said. “We’ll avoid Seattle for a while. Portland’s about the same distance.”

Jenny looked confused, so Ash filled her in as I watched for other reports.

Aren’t you supposed to be making a vampire or something?
I asked Ash.

I want him to get some rest and a good human meal first, s
he told me.

In
other words… you’re stalling.

Something like that. I’m still worried.
If I’m not there when he wakes up, he’ll have to come out here. Then I can make him eat first. But if I go in there and wake him… he won’t want to eat.
She dropped her head.

I felt her embarrassment, and kept my eyes on the screen.
Jenny lay back on the sofa next to Ash, her eyes struggling to stay open.

I figured you girls would want to talk about boys,
I thought.
You know, braid each other’s hair and talk about who kissed who. ’Should I go all the way with him?’ and all that shit.

I’m never confiding in you about anything ever again,
Ash told me.

Ash glared at me. I came back with a “whatever” look. Ash chuckled as Jenny’s head bobbed up.

Jenny looked at me sleepily. “What’s so funny?”

“Jason wants to know why I don’t talk about guys with you,” Ash said.

Jenny furrowed her brows and smirked at me. “Seriously?”

“What?” I asked.

“You don’t know?” Jenny asked.

“Know what? What the hell are you guys talking about? Everyone likes to talk in fucking riddles around here.”

“Jason… I’m gay,” Jenny said.

“What? No way… really?”

Suddenly I realized Jenny hadn’t had a boyfriend in all the time I’d known her. Whenever she’d given me the cold shoulder I figured she was just steering clear of my on-and-off relationship with Lex.

S
he shook her head. “I’ve never been with a man.” Turning back to the television, she added: “I figured you would have guessed.”

I looked at Ash. “Well that would explain why you don’t talk to her about guys.” Thinking that over, I asked: “How does that happen anyway? I mean… everyone has a soul mate so…”

“Born in the wrong body,” Jenny said.

“What about bisexuals?”

Ash smirked, knowing I was talking about Oz.

“Bisexuals don’t put any limitations on love,” Jenny said. “Unlike your refusal to give in to it.”

My chest ached as I thought how selfless Oz must be. I didn’t even realize I was growling until it stopped.

“The truth hurts sometimes, doesn’t it?” Ash said.

“So, Jenny, you must be a bit of a perv, watching the girls dress and undress.”

“No,” Jenny said, defusing my sarcasm with seriousness. “I have the utmost respect for these girls, and I close my eyes to their nudity. Just like Ash gives you privacy when you flaunt your manhood. The girls here are my friends, not my lovers; I know the difference.”

I laughed. “I’ve never really talked to you before, Jenny, but I like you. You’re like a dignified smartass.”

Ignoring my response, Jenny turned b
ack to the television. A door shut, and someone stumbled down the hall — Verloren. Besides being groggy from the coma, he still wasn’t used to his new height.

When he appeared dressed in a mismatch of Jack’s clothes and mine, I wanted to laugh. Everything was too baggy. If we hadn’t been so rushed in Seattle, we might have found him some clothes that fit. He was waiting for a set of new clothes to arrive at the abandoned house, but when we’d been there I’d forgotten to check the porch for packages.

“There weren’t any,” Ash said, answering my thoughts.

Verloren headed straight for Ash. He sat down beside her and nuzzled her neck.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” he whispered.

“You need the rest,” she said, taking his hand. “You should eat too.”

“You’re awfully eager to have your succubus suck the life out of you,” I said.

Verloren glared at me. “Piss off, chupacabra!”

Jenny laughed hysterically.

“Hey, fuck you,
Witchiepoo,” I said.

It was like he had never left. As Verloren and I settled back into our normal patterns
, we were like competing brothers, each of us trying to be a bigger jackass. It was kind of nice to have him back.

Ashley stood, pulling him up. He followed her to the kitchen.

From where I sat it sounded as if he were eating more of her face than the food. Jenny had gone to sleep, and I flipped through the channels. I shook her gently to wake her. “Thanks for staying up to buzz us in,” I told her. “You can head to bed now, but first you have to answer a question.”

“If it has something to do with me and other girls you can screw yourself.”

“Not really, but kinda,” I said. “You lived here when Oz was here, right?”

“Yes,” she said, eying me.

“Were you two…?”

“God, you’re such a man,” She rolled her eyes. “You want to know if the two lesbians went at it. No.” She crossed her arms, glaring at the TV.

“Why? Is there something wrong with her? Or is she just not your type?”

Jenny sighed, realizing
I was genuinely curious about Oz.

“I might have a large tattoo,” Jenny said. “But I couldn’t really get into her with a
ll that ink. After a while I got past all that and realized she’s a pretty straightforward person. She tells you what’s on her mind.”

So she was headstrong. How would that work with my stubbornness? “Okay, you don’t like too many tattoos, but on that day at the beach, with the mermaid, you got embarrassed when Lex said the mermaid would
take anyone she could seduce. She tried to seduce you, didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“That would have been hot. I wouldn’t have minded watching that.”

Jenny’s anger flared as she saw me switch from sincere to smartass so quickly. “You’re such a pig!” she barked. She jumped up and stormed down the hall.

I laughed, but as my laughter faded, I heard stirrings from the kitchen.

Verloren and Ashley walked out and headed straight for their apartment. I waited until they were inside before I went to my door. I knew I needed to hide until Verloren and Ash were done for the day. I felt what Ash felt, and I couldn’t stand being around people while I was so worked up. Lex was sticking to our bargain, so I was left alone and frustrated.

I knew what it was like. Verloren had still been living his previous life when Ash and I had formed our connection. The minimal display I got from her feeding would be stronger now that sex was involved. She would take the feeding and mix it with him. I wondered if I should even be in the house when that happened.

If I’d had someone
… but I didn’t. Instead I sat in my apartment trying to block out Ash’s flood of emotions. I turned up the stereo, and tried to create a wall of sound and thought. It didn’t work. The moment she bit him, I knew it, and I felt her feeding ecstasy almost as if it were my own. My body tensed, my eyes rolled back in my head, and I almost dropped my cigarette. In that moment I found my thoughts turning to Oz. Was this what it would be like? Would this feeling fill me? Would it go on forever? Would I want to spend the rest of my life with her?

Throughout the day the sensations flooded me. I paced like a caged tiger. As Ash’s emotions overwhelmed my body I could only think of Oz. Fuck! Why couldn’t she stop? I knew it had been awhil
e, but damn! She might kill him and drive me insane in the process.

After what felt li
ke an eternity, I realized it was all Oz. Ash’s fire had dwindled, but Oz lingered in my mind.
Soon Ash will be gone from my life,
I thought.
One way or another she’ll have Verloren and I will still be alone.