Chapter Six
"Tristan?" She mouthed at Luke, asking if she had heard correctly. He nodded and waved her away so he could concentrate on the phone conversation. Kira tried to pull at his thoughts, but they were suddenly ironclad and barred shut.
"He said he's called you like six times," Luke whispered while his hand covered the receiver. Kira dove for her phone — it was on silent. Dang, she thought when she saw half a dozen missed calls from an unknown number. What happened to his cell phone?
"Okay. Uh-huh. On their way here. Today. I'll notify the Council. Yup. Okay, here's Kira." Luke passed her the phone. She raised her eyebrows, questioning the conversation.
"Good news or bad news first?" Tristan asked after they said hello.
"Um, bad." Kira sighed. It's always better to have something good to look forward to than something bad to be afraid to hear, she supposed. Although Kira didn't think she would ever understand why bad news always seemed to be lurking behind every good moment in her life.
"Vampires are gathering in Orlando. I'm not sure why, but it can't be good and it can't be coincidence that this is happening a few days after you arrived."
Kira fell back against the wooden platform. Some news was just better lying down.
"Do you think they're going to attack Sonnyville?"
Luke laughed behind her. "No, that would be idiotic. The town has defenses like you've never seen," he said, loudly enough that Tristan heard on the other end of the line.
"Agreed. I think they want to draw you out into the open."
"Simple then, I don't leave and they go away."
"Maybe, but I know you and you don't let other people fight your battles for you. What would you do if they started killing people to force you to meet them?" Tristan said, already anticipating her answer.
"Yeah, I would destroy them, vigilante-style." Luke smiled in appreciation while Tristan sighed like he was hoping she would have said something else. "So, what was the good news? I'm sure Luke won't let me do anything without talking to the Council first..." She looked over at Luke, who nodded, and Kira rolled her eyes. He had completely lost his sense of adventure since they moved to Sonnyville. He was the rule abiding, town golden-boy again.
"Well, if all the vampires are going to Florida..." Tristan said, letting the idea linger.
Kira jumped up in realization.
"You're coming to visit!" She practically shrieked. He was grinning on the other end of the phone, she just knew he was. "When will you get here?"
"Tomorrow afternoon, so I'll be eagerly waiting by the phone for your call. This is a new cell phone, by the way."
Luke reached out to grab the phone from her hands. She slapped him away. "Kira, we have to go get the Council. This is serious. It's not some lover's rendezvous."
He's mean when he's jealous, Kira thought bitterly. But, she understood his feelings, more now than ever before. Nothing would ever be the same between them, would it, now that she knew exactly how he felt?
"I'll see you soon," Tristan sighed through the phone, pulling Kira from thoughts about Luke. "I love you."
"Love you too," Kira responded happily. Tristan was coming, and right now that was all the mattered.
Kira couldn't help the silly smile that spread across her face. She missed him. She wanted Tristan around so all of this confusion with Luke would be over. She needed the distraction from Luke's thoughts.
Luke stretched his hand out and Kira dropped his cell phone. He stood up, grabbed his bag and walked off the platform. Kira had no other choice but to follow him or continue to sit there going crazy with curiosity. She ran after him.
"Where are we going?"
"I need to alert the Council. And, the only way to do that is to talk with the head Council member."
"Let me guess, Councilman Peters?"
"Bingo," he said and continued walking. Kira let herself drop slightly behind. She had wanted to wait for her grandparents to officially invite her to their home before barging in. As per usual, things were not working out as planned.
Kira followed Luke around the bend. They continued walking along the sidewalk until they reached a small, almost cottage-like home at the next corner. There were overflowing flower boxes and gray-blue shutters on all of the windows. The front door was painted to match and the sidewalk was almost invisible due to the garden. Flowers, mostly bold reds and vivacious oranges, leaned over the worn brick and drooping bushes covered the rest.
Taking a deep breath, Kira stepped past Luke. She wanted to be the one to knock on the door and say hello. Letting Luke do the work would feel like hiding.
With slight hesitation, Kira banged her knuckles against the door. One. Two. Three. Instantly, she heard feet shuffle on the other side. A fleeting sense of nerves hit her stomach when she saw the knob turn, but when the smiling face of her grandmother greeted her, Kira just felt relief.
"Kira! What a surprise. Please, come in."
She had a sweet voice, like a flute, both energetic and relaxing at the same time.
"Luke's here too," Kira said and pulled him into view. Her grandmother said hello and stepped aside to let both of them in.
The furniture seemed elderly somehow. The sofas were flowery with droopy cushions, clearly worse for their age. Surprisingly, there weren't many objects aside from furniture. A few books, a few photographs of her grandparents and a few paintings on the walls: nothing very personal and nothing of her mother's.
Kira tried to hide her suddenly deflated mood. She had been hoping for a few answers and a few memories. Maybe a few pictures to stuff into her bag for later...
"Who's there, Lana?" Her grandfather walked cane first around the corner and then stopped in his tracks. Kira was still stuck on the name he had used: Lana. Her mother's name, and she guessed her grandmother's too. Instantly, Kira felt a pang of sadness at not sharing the family name, but, she thought, at least she had learned something about her history she had not known before. It was something, even if a small something.
"Miss Dawson, Mr. Bowrey," he nodded. "What brings you here?" He sat down on the sofa, pushing the flattened cushion deep into the springs. Luke stepped forward. It was his turn to do the talking.
"We got some news from a...trusted source that vampires are on their way to Orlando. They're congregating in a way we've never seen, and we think there is probably some plan to capture Kira."
The Councilman held up his hand to signal Luke to stop talking. "How trusted?" He asked.
"Someone who's saved both of our lives more than once. Someone who cares a lot for Kira and would never let anyone hurt her." Kira nodded along, silently so thankful that Luke hadn't said Tristan's name. Or more importantly, let slip what he was. Being here made Kira acutely aware of one thing, no one in this town would have any tolerance for her relationship.
Luke continued describing what he and Tristan had spoken of, but there wasn't much to say. Vampires were on their way, the end of the world was imminent — just another day in the life, Kira ruefully mused.
"I will call an emergency Council meeting to discuss this. Luke, take Kira home. Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock we will announce our decision in the town square. Start spreading the word, please." He got up and walked away, just as quickly as he had appeared, leaving no time for Kira to bring up her mother or father. Lana, her grandmother, showed them out. Luke left first, but before Kira could leave, a soft wrinkled hand grabbed her forearm.
"Kira?" She turned around to look into the caring eyes that greeted her. "Please, give him some time. Just have patience."
"I will," Kira said softly. Her grandmother squeezed, putting an extra ounce of love into that touch and smiled that secretive smile Kira had seen before.
"You are just like my daughter: strong and willful. It scares him, because he cares so much. He always has."
Kira put her own hand over her grandmother's and held it there for a moment. "I understand." She turned to leave, but stopped in the middle when she noticed the glistening in her grandmother's eyes. This is killing her, Kira thought, maybe she needs me just as much as I need her. They had no family, the Peters'. They had had a daughter who died and a granddaughter who was taken from them. They had no one but each other. But now all three of them have the chance at family, Kira thought.
Reaching behind her neck, Kira unclasped the chain holding her father's wedding ring and the locket. Carefully, she pulled the locket free, then closed the fastener and let the necklace drop under her shirt again.
"Until he's ready, why don't you take this?" Kira said, offering up the charm. Now that she had Tristan's drawing, she could bear to part with it for a little while. "I'll get it back from you someday soon. I'll stop by for dinner."
Her grandmother nodded and took the locket. Kira walked away before the lump in her throat could grow any larger, but not before she saw how her grandmother's face glowed when she opened it.
Luke was waiting for her at the end of the path, forever patient. They started the journey back to his house.
"So..."
"Yeah..." Kira said, not liking the awkward silence starting to form. The air slowly closed in on her, stealing her breath and making it hard to think. The phrase 'you could cut the tension with a knife' had never resonated so much. She couldn't help but ask, is this me feeling so out of place or is it Luke?
"So, that was weird before," he said softly.
"The fact that I can read your mind or the fact that we almost locked lips..."
Did I just say that? Kira asked herself silently. What in the world? That was the last thing she actually wanted to talk about. Kira couldn't meet his eyes.
He opened his mouth. No sound came out and Kira could almost see the gears turning in his head. Which approach would he take?
"Oh, was that you? You know, women are constantly throwing themselves at me. I can't keep it straight anymore."
Kira smiled and let out a little laugh. It was almost heartfelt. They wouldn't be bearing their souls tonight, thank God. But they would have to discuss it at some point, Kira thought. It was one of those inescapable things that only gets more troublesome the longer you try to ignore it. Instead of lingering on things Luke obviously didn't want to talk about, Kira slipped into her funny girl mode too.
"It must be tough to have everyone in this town love you. I mean, just today I saw dozens of beautiful blondes fighting over you. I, a lowly red head, clearly have no chance."
"A little hair dye and you'd fit right in with my adoring fans. Just a warning, I request that they follow me around holding 'I heart Luke Bowrey' signs at least once a week."
"Oh, shoot. I left mine at home."
"Unacceptable," he replied with a 'tsk tsk.'
"So, should we talk about this whole mind reading thing?" Kira asked after a moment.
"What, how you've gone all Professor X on me? No problem. I just need to buy a really sweet motorcycle helmet."
"Luke, I'm serious —"
"Me too. I can get flames down the side. Really badass." Kira shoved him. The move was becoming more and more common on her part, but it was the only way to get him to shut up sometimes.
"I just want to say, I'll never try to read what you're thinking. I would never actively invade your privacy like that."
"I know." Luke shrugged. "It's not your fault. You saved my life and almost died in the process. We probably should have expected something like this to happen." Now it was Kira's turn to shrug. "Let's not tell anyone though, okay?"
"Agreed," Kira said as they turned down the pathway to Luke's house.
Would she tell Tristan? It would feel like lying to keep it a secret, but would any boy want to hear that his girlfriend had some psychic connection with her male best friend? Oh, the same one who happened to be crushing on her big time? Especially if that connection resulted in the two of them almost kissing?
Those questions plagued her for the rest of the night and through the following morning. Throw in obsessive thoughts about what Diana was planning and serious excitement at finally getting to see Tristan, and it was no wonder that the 10 o'clock Council meeting passed by in the blink of an eye.
All Kira remembered from the gathering was that they had decided to send out a scouting party to decide if the vampire situation was really a threat or if they had gotten faulty information. Luke was put in charge since he had received the information and Kira had forced them to include her too, even though the whole town thought sending her would just make things more dangerous. Luke requested his sister come, and since his sister just loved Kira so much, she requested the blonde girl from the photo in Luke's room come along too. The Council approved the decision and here they were, getting ready to leave.
As she followed Luke, his sister and his ex to the car, all Kira could think was this was probably going to be a pretty unforgettable car ride. Unfortunately, Kira feared, it would be burned in her mind for all the wrong reasons. But, she wanted to start the drive in a positive mood. Especially since she had the feeling it would not stay that way for long.
"What, no car and driver this time? You guys are slacking," Kira joked when Luke walked to the driver's seat of the speedy sports car they would be using. Apparently conduits really liked traveling in style, because Kira knew this car was nice; black leather seats and a shiny black paint job. At least it had four doors, so they wouldn't be ridiculously squished inside.
"No. This car I like to drive," Luke said, with eyes wide and mesmerized, like a little boy with a new toy. He ducked his head under the doorframe and slid behind the wheel. Kira started to walk to the passenger seat, but the back door flew open, stopping her.
"Come sit next to me," Vanessa chirped. Kira instantly knew the glee-filled voice was a complete sham, but the other blonde girl slipped by her and took the seat next to Luke.
"Sure," Kira sat down, ignoring the victorious smirk on Vanessa's face.
Luke revved the engine, letting it growl into the silent morning air. Everyone else in town was already preparing for their return and thinking up plans for every possible worst-case scenario. But the four of them, for a short while, could try to have a little fun. At least, Kira knew Luke would definitely try to lighten the mood — something that was confirmed when he backed up and went from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye, shooting down the empty streets.
"Luke!" Kira said, grabbing onto the handhold. He just laughed and slowed down, but only a smidge. Last time they were in a car alone, Kira was tethered to the bed of a pickup fighting a hoard of angry vampires. Somehow she felt less safe right now, especially with Vanessa's stare boring a hole into the side of her skull.
"So, Kira. Have you met Casey yet?" Kira shook her head.
"Hi," the girl said shyly from the front seat before turning around to wave. She had a sweet look. Her face was round and open and her hair was cut pixie short. She had on baby pink shorts that no evil immortal would find intimidating in the least. In fact, Kira felt almost like a biker chick compared to her, with her black leggings and cobalt blue blouse.
"Nice to meet you," Kira said. Quickly she checked her phone. No response from Tristan yet. She had texted him on the way to the car.
"You know," Vanessa said quietly, leaning in towards Kira as if to make small talk. "Luke and Casey were sort of a thing back in high school—"
"Vanessa, now is not really the time for that," Luke said shortly from the front seat.
"What?" She replied, wide-eyed and innocent.
"Actually," Kira interjected before Vanessa could open her mouth again, "I did know."
"What?" Luke and Casey both said from the front seat.
"Uh, yeah," Kira said, sinking into her seat and wishing for once that her somewhat big mouth would stay closed. "I wasn't snooping, exactly. But, I saw a photo of the two of you on Luke's desk."
"You still have that photo...there?" Casey asked in a meek voice. Kira almost felt sorry for the girl. She knew Luke and the two of them never would have lasted. Luke's personality was too strong for her. He needed someone to keep him humble, not someone who would hang on his every word. At least, that was how Kira's mind was rationalizing the entire thing.
"Yeah, Luke. You still have that photo up?" Vanessa chimed in. Kira wanted to kick her.
"Actually," Luke said in strained voice as he gave his sister the evil eye through the rearview mirror, "I thought I put that away."
"Apparently not," she smirked back. Kira realized what was going on. It was a show, probably for her benefit. Luke's sister must have put that photo back up in his room, anticipating that the four of them would be together at some point in Kira's few weeks with the conduits. She's good, Kira thought. It was a very well laid-out plan. Except that Kira could see Casey's reflection in the side mirror as they sped down the road and she looked about to cry. She must have seen through Vanessa's idea too.
"What's your high school like?" Kira asked, hoping to change the subject.
"Same basic format," Luke answered for the group. "Hormonal teenagers, boring classes and a mix of good and bad teachers. The only major difference is the classes we take. Instead of gym, we have training sessions. Instead of advanced math, we have conduit history lessons. In English, we study mythology rather than Shakespeare. We take religion classes, sort of like at a Catholic school. But, conduits have their own interpretation of the bible, and it varies from Protectors to Punishers. We study a lot of science, biology and chemistry, to figure out how we operate and to try to understand how the vampiric virus works. You know, nothing crazy."
"Yeah," Kira said. Nothing crazy? That sounded like the strangest environment ever.
"You grow up a lot faster," Vanessa said, "knowing that you have a higher purpose and all. I mean, by the time I graduated, I knew how to, I don't know, treat my best friend with respect for example." She stared pointedly at Kira.
"No," Kira said under her breath, "I think you learned how to be a total bit—"
"Okay!" Luke interjected from the front seat. "Let's make peace, not war people."
Kira crossed her arms and looked out the window, letting an uncomfortable silence form in the car. The only sounds were the purring engine and the wind in the trees outside. There weren't even people or other cars to distract anyone.
"Where are we going?" Casey said. Her face was bright red from blushing.
At that exact moment, Kira's phone buzzed. She flipped it open and quickly read the text.
"It's Tristan. He said he would meet us on the road?" Kira said aloud, finally breaking her silence.
Luke just nodded.
"Who's Tristan?" Casey asked.
Kira and Luke answered at the exact same time.
"Our informant."
"My boyfriend."
Their eyes met in the rearview mirror, but Kira pulled hers away quickly.
"Wait, your boyfriend is involved in all of this? How? He's not a conduit, is he?" Vanessa questioned, sitting tall now that her curiosity was piqued.
"No," Kira laughed. As far from it as you can possibly get, she thought, but instead replied, "he just knows a lot about this stuff."
"How?" Vanessa pressed the issue.
"Oh, you'll see," Luke said.
Kira couldn't tell if he was disgusted or laughing at the thought. But, she didn't mind. She did wonder why he wasn't telling the girls what Tristan was — why he wasn't preparing them. But, that was his call.
Kira looked out the window and tried to keep her legs from bouncing too much. She was excited, so much that she couldn't contain it. The best she could do was look the other way at the trees flying by and hope she was covering her glee with an appearance of boredom.
Was it completely crazy to be so excited to see your boyfriend when it really had only been two and a half days? No, she decided. Not when the last time you had seen him, you had both been running for your lives.
"Hey Kira?" She turned at Luke's voice. "When Tristan said he would meet us on the road, did he mean literally on the road?"
"I don't know..." Kira said and followed Luke's pointing finger to a black blob in the distance. It definitely looked like someone standing on the side of the road. Kira dug her hands into the chair, hoping it was him.
Luke started to slow down and as they approached, Kira could clearly make out the swoopy black hair and pale skin she knew belonged to Tristan. His tall, muscular frame was hidden behind dark-washed jeans and a black t-shirt, but his eyes were on the car.
"Luke! Don't stop!" Vanessa jerked her brother's shoulder. "Do you know what that is?"
"Luke!" Casey yelled at the same time. She started rolling down her window, preparing to fire a shot. Luke stopped her when Kira didn't bother to interject. She was already unbuckling her seatbelt and grasping the handle. Pushing the door open, she ignored the shocked cries of the girls in the car and the darkening look on Luke's face.
Before Kira had time to fully stand up, Tristan's arms were around her. His hands pulled her firmly against his hard chest, and all she wanted to do was hold on tight and never let go.