Two hours later, Jenny knelt in the dust beneath a window, shrubs pushing at her from either side. She sighed and leaned against the house. She was getting bored with sitting here waiting. Like she had told Mari she was going to, after school she followed Ashton. Ashton, on a motorcycle, had taken Jenny clear out into the country. Jenny didn't even know where she was.
Ashton's house was a rambling two-story log cabin, set back deep in the woods and accessible only by a narrow dirt driveway. The house was literally out in the middle of nowhere. Jenny had parked her car about a half-mile down the road from the driveway and jogged the rest of the way to house. It had taken her a good ten minutes just to get to the house. By the time she got there, Ashton was already inside. Jenny circled the house cautiously, peeking in the windows. She couldn't see Ashton in any of them, so she decided to hide in the bushes at the side of the house and wait for something to happen.
She sighed again and pushed at the blond hair peeking out of the blue baseball cap she'd adorned so she wouldn't be easily recognized. Add to that a pair of dark sunglasses and a baggy blue sweatshirt, and Jenny was positive nobody would be able to accurately describe her if anyone saw her. Keeping her identity secret was definitely crucial. She patted her right forearm, feeling comfort at the lump she felt. Her knife. Another good reason to wear the bulky sweatshirt. It hid the spring-loaded knife sheath strapped to her arm. In a moment's notice, the knife would be out of the sheath and in her hand. She wasn't about to tail a vampire to its lair unarmed. That wasn't courageous, that was stupid.
A door slammed at the front of the house. Jenny crept along the side of the house until she could peer around the corner. Ashton was just climbing on her bike, pulling a black helmet onto her head. Jenny flattened herself against the wall of the house as Ashton started the bike. The roar of the engine was deafening. Jenny waited, motionless, until the sound of the bike had faded into the distance, then she jogged toward the back door. With Ashton gone, Jenny had the perfect opportunity to take a little "tour" of the house.
The back door was unlocked. Jenny slipped inside, pausing just inside the door to listen. Satisfied that there was no one else in the house, Jenny looked at her surroundings. She was in the kitchen, a spacious room with lots of counter space. Not surprisingly, the shelves were bare of food. Vampires didn't need human food to survive.
Jenny crept down a narrow hallway off the kitchen. It was dimly lit with two doors on each side. At the other end of the hallway was the front door, and a set of stairs. She grabbed the knob on the first door to her right and twisted. The door was locked. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she tried the other three doors. All locked.
"Damn," she breathed. That left her only one choice. She walked to the foot of the stairs and stood staring up. Like the hallway, the stairwell was narrow. About six steps up was a small landing where the stairway did a ninety-degree turn, going up parallel to the hallway.
Jenny pushed back the curtain next to the front door and peered out at the front yard. Other than tree branches blowing in the breeze, there was no movement. She took a deep breath and started up the steps. The stairs were dark and full of shadows, clinging to each corner. Jenny's muscles automatically tensed, preparing for action, as she neared the landing. She couldn't see what was around the corner. Just below the landing, she paused, leaning against the wall. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, then stepped around the corner quickly, already leaning over in a fighting stance. Light poured down the stairs from a small window at the top, revealing an empty staircase. She relaxed and climbed the rest of the way.
At the top of the stairs, a hallway ran the length of the house in either direction, windows placed every six feet or so, looking out over the large second-story porch. At the end of each hallway, a door opened onto the porch. Four other doors dotted the wall opposite the windows. Jenny randomly turned left and tried the first door. It was locked. She shook her head in frustration and continued to the next door. This time the door swung inward and Jenny grinned.
She stepped inside and surveyed the room. It looked like it belonged to Ashton. A light blue comforter covered the bed, and Jenny could see women's clothing hanging in the open closet. Other than the bed and a desk, the room was bare. No boxes or anything. Jenny raised an eyebrow. Guess Ashton didn't spend a whole lot of time in the house. Or wasn't planning on staying long.
After opening all the desk drawers and finding them empty, Jenny stepped back into the hallway. She passed the stairs and tried the remaining two doors. The first was locked. She gasped when she entered the final room. The walls were painted black, the one window boarded over. Two tall, black candles lit the room. The only furniture was a bed sitting in a corner and covered with a black blanket, and a huge wooden chest pushed against the wall.
Jenny tore off her sunglasses and looked around in awe. "What in the world is this?" she murmured. She walked slowly to the chest, and stared down at it. A large black iris was spray-painted in the center of the chest. Jenny's breath caught in her chest. A black iris. The symbol for lamia. Something important was in that chest. She could feel it. Unfortunately, the shiny silver padlock on the latch posed a bit of a problem. She pursed her lips and looked around for something to pick the lock with. She had to know what was in there.
She decided to go back to Ashton's room. Maybe she had a bobby pin or barrette or something Jenny could use. She reached the first door before realizing too late that she could hear movement in the staircase. She froze just as someone stepped into the hallway. Jenny gasped and her eyes locked with another pair, pale blue with a ring of violet around the outside. Exactly like Ashton's, only it wasn't Ashton. Instead, Jenny stood facing another vampire, the spitting image of Ashton, only male. Surprise was evident on his face as well as Jenny's. They stared at each other for a few seconds, although it felt like minutes to Jenny. The vampire had pale, creamy skin, contrasting with the straight black hair falling carelessly across his forehead, and his mouth curled down in a sullen scowl. A black turtleneck and tight black jeans emphasized his thin, well-muscled body. He held a motorcycle helmet in one leather-gloved hand, and a lit cigarette in the other. He was gorgeous.
They stood appraising each other for what seemed like eternity. Finally, the vampire dropped his cigarette to the floor and ground it out with his boots. With narrowed eyes, he leaped at her. Jenny felt her body take over and she fell to her knees, rolling to the side. The vampire flew over her. He skidded to a stop and came at her again with lightning speed. Jenny knew she had to get out of that narrow hallway; she was no match against a lamia's speed and strength unless she had room to maneuver. She threw a fist at the vampire, connecting with his chin. She caught him off-guard and he paused, irritation passing over his face. The pause was all she needed. She took off in the opposite direction at a dead sprint, reaching the porch door and pulling it open.
She fell out onto the porch, losing her balance for a second. At the other end of the porch, she spotted a set of stairs leading down the side of the house and she took off for them. Suddenly, the vampire's heel struck her square in the small of her back, and she tumbled to the floor, wincing in pain. A wave of numbness spread out from her back clear to her fingertips. For a few seconds, she couldn't move. Her vision spun out of focus and she shut her eyes, gasping. When she opened her eyes, she saw a pair of black leather biker boots standing in front of her. Deep, rumbling laughter echoed in her ears.
"My, what do we have here? A vermin spy?" The vampire chuckled. "And just in time for dinner. I'm starved."
Jenny forced herself to roll over on her back, fighting a wave of nausea. Her right arm was hidden from his view in this position. With a silent click, she triggered the spring mechanism holding her knife. It slid out into her hand, and she clutched it like a lifeline.
The vampire grinned and leaned over her, his fangs lengthening and sliding down over his lips. He went for her neck and she brought the knife up, arching it toward his heart. To her surprise, he caught her wrist deftly, squeezing it tight. Using his other hand, he pried open her fingers, took the knife and tossed it behind him. It flew over the porch railing. Jenny's eyes widened. This vampire was faster than any she'd met before. And now she was weaponless and injured. This was not turning out to be a good day.
"You think you can hurt me, vermin?" His voice gave her goose bumps for some reason. He threw back his head and laughed. Jenny felt anger well up inside her, and she wrenched her body to the left. She caught him by surprise and he stumbled backward. She clambered to her feet and ran for the stairs. She was halfway down when he grabbed the back of her sweatshirt and swung her to the right. She hit the weak wooden railing, and it splintered beneath her weight, spilling her six feet to the ground. She crashed into the ground on her left leg, sending another bolt of pain down to her ankle. Her hat flew off and her blond hair spilled out around her head. Her forehead smacked the ground and stars danced in front of her eyes. She groaned and pushed herself off the ground with her elbows.
Above her, the vampire leaped gracefully from the top of the stairs, landing solidly next to her. She lifted her head and looked at him. For a vampire hunter, I'm sure doing a lousy job of defending myself, she thought. All she could do was stare at him. She felt some satisfaction as his eyes once again widened in surprise when he saw her without her hat.
"You're a girl," he said, raising an eyebrow. He chuckled heartily. "You had me going for a while there." He shrugged carelessly. "Makes no difference. You're still vermin, and I'm still going to kill you."
She wanted to make some smart comment, but her vision had started flashing again. She collapsed onto her back. "Like hell you will," she gasped. Come on girl, ignore the pain and get your butt moving, she reprimanded herself sharply. Do you really want to die like this? She took a deep breath, and forced herself to her knees. The vampire smirked at her.
"Stupid vermin. You really think you can beat me? Alright, we'll just see." He leaned against the stairs, crossing his arms over his chest, waiting for her to get up. He ran a hand through his hair, then pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He stood smoking one, watching her with his pale eyes.
Jenny struggled to her feet, closing her eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over her. She sucked in a deep breath, and pulled her mind inward, concentrating on her body. She could feel an inner strength filling her muscles, and the aching pains seemed to lessen. She was Jenny, and she was an Executioner. Injuries didn't matter to her; she could beat this piece of scum.
She opened her eyes, and her vision was clear and focused again. The vampire stared at her, smirking. She swallowed and found her voice. "Well, come on. Or are you just going to stand there staring at me all day?" She beckoned him with her hands.
He took a long drag on the cigarette, and flipped it carelessly into the grass. Then he pulled off his leather gloves and tossed them on the stairs. He laughed, then came at her, moving so fast she barely had time to react. She quickly spun to the side, barely avoiding him as he barreled at her, then spun around and slammed her elbow into the back of his head. He grunted and whirled around, anger consuming his features. His pale blue eyes glowed with an unearthly light. He wasn't just playing anymore. She had made him mad. He scowled at her, his extended canines brushing his chin.
He charged at her, and she ducked, throwing herself at his knees. His knees struck her in the side and he flew over her, hitting the ground a couple feet behind her. She leaped to her feet, scanning the ground for some kind of weapon. She couldn't keep up this fight without something to use against him. She spotted a thick tree branch lying on the ground to her left and dove at it. Her hand closed around it just as the vampire landed on top of her, knocking the wind out of her. She gasped and rammed her elbow behind her. She caught him in the ribs, and he rolled off of her, holding his side. Jenny swung the tree branch, catching him square in the forehead. His jaw dropped and he staggered back, blinking. Jenny grinned wildly at him.
"That hurt? I hope so!"
He muttered something under his breath, something Jenny was sure was not a compliment toward her. While he was still trying to clear his vision, Jenny snapped off the end of the branch, creating a crude stake full of sharp little pieces of wood. If he thought he was in pain now . . . She circled behind him, then threw one arm around his neck and the other under one arm. She pushed the stake against his heart, holding it firmly in both hands. She felt his muscles tighten against her arms.
"One move and you're a vampire shish kabob," she breathed into his ear.
He froze. "Who are you?"
She chuckled. "I would say I'm your worst nightmare, but although true, it's awfully cliché. Let's just say I'm nobody you want to mess with."
"Alright. What do you want?" His tone was angry, but she sensed an undertone of respect in his voice. He knew he had underestimated her, and he probably wouldn't make the mistake again.
"I want to know who you are and what you're doing here."
"I don't have to tell you anything."
Jenny pushed harder on the stake. She could see the tendons in his neck tighten. "No, you don't have to tell me anything. But I would highly recommend it over the alternative."
"Why should I tell you? You're just going to stake me anyway."
Jenny laughed. "Hmm, a smart bloodsucker. How true. But if you tell me what I want to know, I'll make it quicker and easier on you."
He rolled his eyes. "How noble of you. If you really want to know, my name is Damian. I'm Ashton's brother, and I live here. Now who the hell are you?"
"Guess you'll never know," she said and lifted the stake to plunge it into his chest. Damian used the slight space to knock the stake out of her hand and spin around before Jenny even knew what was happening. Suddenly, Jenny found herself pressed against him, his hands clenching her upper arms tightly. It was like his arms were made of steel. She couldn't get free of them. She gasped and stared into his eyes. They were like deep pools of icy blue. She felt herself being pulled into them. She blinked. No, she had to fight it. It wasn't a good idea to be drawn in by a vampire's hypnotism act. She threw herself to the right in an attempt to shake him off, but he just grinned and squeezed her arms tighter, pressing them against her sides.
"Well, isn't this a turn of events?" he whispered, his face inches from hers. She glared at him. "Too bad you're vermin," he continued, leaning toward her neck. "I like a girl with spunk."
"And I like a guy who's alive!" she said spitefully. Damian grinned and touched his lips to her neck. That's when it happened. As soon as they touched bare skin to bare skin, a flash of golden light flooded Jenny's vision, and suddenly she was . . . she didn't know where she was, but she wasn't inside her body anymore. It felt like she was floating in some deep space. She was suddenly aware of Damian's presence; he was there too. It was like she could sense him. She could almost see his thoughts. And she knew he was acutely aware of her too. A feeling of half disgust and amazement emanated from him. She could sense that he felt violated. Then she realized that if she could sense his thoughts, he could probably sense hers too. Panic overwhelmed her, and she tried to hide her thoughts. She couldn't have him picking up anything about The Executioners. He was doing the same thing. Both were throwing up walls to keep the other out. Jenny felt a mental pulling back, and suddenly she was aware of her body again. She opened her eyes. She was leaning against Damian, his mouth still on her neck. Her eyes widened.
Damian gasped and pushed her away. He stared at her, his eyes large and his teeth clenched. He looked suddenly frightened.
Jenny covered her mouth with a shaky hand. "What . . . what was that?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Oh my God, do you think we're . . ." She couldn't bring herself to say the word. Soulmates. The irony of the situation struck her like a ton of bricks. Anger flooded across Damian's expression.
"Get away from me!" he cried. He turned his back on her, his shoulders hunched and tense. "Get out of here now before I kill you! Don't come back here again!"
Jenny didn't wait to think it over. She turned and fled on suddenly weak legs, stopping only to pick up her knife in the front yard.