Chapter Seven

Look Ma! No hands!

Texas

This incognito thing isn’t my jam.

Last night, Khamari sent me a message, a cryptic one, to intercept Khaven at Comic, Games & Such. First of all, what the hell is “and such?” Made-for-TV products, gift cards for gamers? Costco-sized Monster Energy Drinks?

I’m curious, but not so curious that I’ve made a move since I pulled up to the spot at ten this morning. Besides that, I’m low-key paranoid after I scratched the van against a humongous SUV when I parked. I didn’t need to lean over to see the uneven white streak against the shiny black paint. To my defense, the parking lot, clearly built for Lilliputians, is a never-ending insurance claim waiting to happen. I hopped out of the car, took down the license plate number, then shot a text to Nathan, the Prussakovs’ butler and Mr. Fix-It, to confess my sins.

Me: Do vampires have insurance? Otherwise, the vampire fairy can drop a wad of dough on their porch and call it even.

Nathan: Place my number on the windshield and ask him to call me. I’ll handle it.

Now it’s noon, and there’s only so many times I can rescue pets from evil pet snatchers on my phone. I toss my phone inside the cupholder and stretch.

“Bro…what are you doing in there?” I mutter to myself. From the foot traffic, I’m guessing there’s some sort of tournament. I’m giving him five more minutes and then I will finally have my answers about what qualifies as the “and such.”

Apparently, the “and such” mystery will remain unsolved, because Khaven’s heading my way in a motorized chair. My stomach drops to my feet and hands get all shaky when I recognize him. Because the last time I saw Khaven—the first time we met—I’d discovered that Khamari had a brother and Khamari was involved in Alexander’s return.

Oh, and I went berserk and killed a bunch of vampires. And I thought Dakota had died.

All in all, a crappy night. It’s not his fault, but you know, there’s a lot of anxiety connected with that night and therefore Khaven.

When he taps on my window, I press the button to roll it down and poke my head out.

He’s cute and all, but the sun is giving Khaven an ethereal glow on his nutbrown skin and tight, curly hair.

“You’re Khamari’s girl. Raven, right?” His voice is nice and deep.

“I’m not his girl, and my name’s Texas.”

He frowns, as if thinking. “Didn’t you date my brother for like…two years?”

“Yes.” I roll my eyes. “And then we broke up after I found out he was a vampire and yadda, yadda, boom.”

“Ah, yeah, that sucks. For what’s it worth, he shouldn’t have lied to you. He just wants to protect people by any means necessary.”

“In my case, it wasn’t necessary. I still became a vampire slayer and then killed your grandaddy.”

Khaven shrugs. “He had it coming.”

“You didn’t like him?”

“I loved him, and I miss him. Doesn’t change the fact that he did a lot of screwed-up things with me, Khamari, and especially when he killed my parents.”

Huh. I fully expected him to avenge his grandfather by smacking my head into the steering wheel or something.

The tension in my shoulders and back deflates. “Do you know why I’m here?”

“To heal me.” He smiles.

“Yes, and to take you to a safe place.”

When he shakes his head, some of his curls bounce. “No can do.”

“Why not?”

“Haven’t you heard of keep your friends close and your enemies closer?”

“Hello.” I wave my hand. “That’s why I’m here.”

He rolls his eyes. “Girl, I’m not the enemy.”

“So said the Big Bad Wolf to Little Red. Meanwhile, Granny’s sliding through wolf’s digestive tract.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “Khamari’s got his hands full with you, huh?”

“His hands should be light as a feather ’cause he’s not touching me again.”

“Not physically, but…yet…you’re…here.”

He has me there. Not that I would admit it, so he could go back and gossip. “We made a deal, and I’m here to fulfill my end of the bargain. Part of the agreement is to get you safe and away from Alexander.”

“No. I’m staying.”

“Alexander will kill you.”

“I’m already dying.”

“Not for long.” I wiggle my “magical” fingers.

He stares at my fingers like I have sparks flying out. “Listen. Just heal me so I can get back to my game.”

“No, your brother made me promise—”

“If you take me, Alexander will become suspicious. Then he will most definitely kill Khamari.”

I lean back into my seat and blow out my breath. “So how will you explain your sudden improvement in health?”

“I’ll fake it until Khamari returns. Once he’s back, I’ll happily leave with you.” He wiggles his eyebrows, looking all kinds of ridiculous.

“Fine.” I wave my hands. I’m not arguing with this dude in a parking lot. “Where do you want to do this?”

“So forward.” He winks.

“Spare me from another big-headed St. John.” I huff. “What about the bathroom in your comic book shop?”

“That bathroom is nasty. Seduce me a little.”

“Khaven!” I try to quell the laughter bubbling up. He has a lightness to him, unlike his brother. “Anton actually found this place near—”

“Don’t tell me where it is, and I’ll close my eyes so I don’t know where we’re going. I need to be back before five thirty.”

“Sunset?”

“Exactly. I’ll have eyes on me by then…if I don’t already.” He mutters the last part.

Right. I press the button to slide open the door to the van. A ramp slides out of the vehicle. I quickly text Anton and confirm the location he booked just in case so he can meet us there.

“Ah. You’ve come prepared.” He watches the ramp lower to the ground. Khaven shows me what to do to hook him in, and within a few minutes, we are on the way.

“Be sure to rate me five stars.”

“If you heal me, I’m kissing you square on the lips.”

“Just get in,” I insist.

As promised, Khaven keeps his eyes closed, and I drive him around in circles a bit before I swerve us to our destination at a sketchy motel.

“You’re going to have to open your eyes at some point to navigate your scooter.”

“It’s an electric wheelchair. We just need to flip to the manual setting,” he replies with his eyes closed.

“Oh, um, sorry. My bad.”

He again patiently guides me through the steps. We go through the lobby, then take the elevator up to the second door.

Last time I was in a hotel, it was with another St. John, and it was hot and beautiful. Now, thinking about it sucks, and my inhale is quick and painful.

“You okay?” Khaven asks. “You’re breathing a little hard.”

“I…I’m fine.” The door swings open, revealing Anton.

Khaven opens his eyes. “Aw, hell, why’d you have to bring him into the mix?”

“What?”

“He’s clearly Alexander’s son.” He waves. “Dude is gonna be able to smell him a mile away.”

“I’m using an alchemical potion to block my scent.” Anton waves a hand down his body.

Khaven sniffs the air carefully, like it’s poisoned. “Cool.” He bobs his head. “Let’s do this.”

I clap my hands and rub them together. Then I look at Anton. “What do I do?”

“Give him healing energy.” He says it like it’s easy as ABC and 123.

“Dude…”

“Here, I’ll show you.” Anton grabs my hand and closes his eyes. I take a quick nip of a breath, surprised by the warmth flowing from his cool hands.

“You’re really warm.” It’s like having a mini radiator in my hands. “Most vampires are cold.”

“But I’m a half-breed, remember?”

“You know who else is a warm half-breed? Khamari. Inside and out,” Khaven says in a sulky tone from across the room. He crosses his arm.

I cross my arms, too. “Why do you feel the need to bring him up?”

Khaven looks at Anton, then me with narrowed eyes and a suspicious glare. After our staring contest, he asks, “Are we going to do this or what?”

I clear my throat. “Just give us a minute, okay? This is my first time.”

“And I’m the test subject? Greeaaat.”

I stick out my tongue.

Khaven winks.

“Close your eyes.” Anton’s voice snaps me out of my childish antics.

“Oh yeah, right.” I do as I’m told.

“Deep breaths, in and out. Focus on healing energy.”

Healing energy? I crack open my eyes. “What does that even mean?”

“Focus on something that makes you happy,” Khaven answers.

I tilt my head back, staring as if the dingy popcorn ceiling has the answers. My happy-o-meter is empty. “I’ve got nothing.”

Anton brushes back the hair from my face. I jerk my chin down and find him watching me.

“The world has been exceptionally unkind to you. But you need to find goodness. Otherwise, you’ll lose your connection, and you need the connection to the source. We must allow ourselves to feel and to remember who we are fighting for and why we fight.”

Hmm. Wasn’t used to Anton being deep or nice. It’s usually kick harder, breathe deeper, stop talking, you suck.

Okay, he doesn’t say suck, but his facial expression clearly says it for him. Maybe our little talk after my birthday made him loosen up?

I shrug and sigh, then close my eyes and think about Grandma Lou, her smile, cuddles, apple pie.

Mmm, that apple pie.

Then that sneaky bastard Khamari pops into my mind. I mean, sure, we had some good times. Like our first date at Norma’s Diner. Sharing milkshakes and staring into each other’s eyes.

Something ooey and gooey flows over me. And strangely enough, my good memories don’t end with Khamari. They extend to Rose helping me fight off Alexander in France and infiltrating the vampire den. Then Charlotte finding me in the motel, her kind, nonjudgmental eyes scanning me to make sure I was okay. Then my memories skip to the night she let me borrow her clothes to where I unknowingly clubbed with vampires. That’s where I saw Khamari for what I thought was the second time. But it’d been so many more times in the past when we stared into each other’s eyes.

Eyes…

One brown and one blue. Anton. Calling me his friend.

I think about the old-ass CD player he gave me with tunes to lull me to sleep.

Sleep…

Dreamwalking. I remember that one time Khamari entered my dreams and we— I gasp, open my eyes, and the energy stops flowing.

“What’s wrong?” Anton peers into my eyes. “You were doing so well. And you had an immense surge just now.”

Nope. Nope. Nope.

All the nopes in the world. As a matter of fact, put the nopes in a shaker and make a nope margarita. I most certainly did not surge for my ex.

Girl, be serious. I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut.

“Let’s try again,” Anton encourages me.

I take a deep breath and plug into the good stuff.

“You’re humming with energy now.” Anton’s calm voice caresses my psyche. Relaxed again, I think about Khamari whispering things to me in the middle of the night, arms closed around me. His warm breath tickles my neck.

Shit. Nope.

“Oh, another surge. Good. Keep thinking those thoughts.”

Thoughts of getting in his pants? Can do. Can totally do—for science. I’m about to heal the hell out of Khaven. Wait, no. This is wrong.

“Your energy is dipping.”

“N-no—”

“Don’t stop. No one knows what you’re thinking. You’re safe.”

“Jesus knows,” Khaven mutters, and I can tell he’s smirking.

“Shut up.”

I push past my mortification. My thoughts flip flop between my friends, school, and then Khamari, loving Khamari, then hating him again. And oh my God, Khamari, and his brilliant hands. This is just for Khaven. “I won’t think of him after this,” I whisper low.

“Good, good,” Anton says. “You’re ready now.”

I shake my head.

“Now go over to Khaven, and put your hands on his forehead.”

I walk over to him, feeling my way across the room.

“You can open your eyes, Texas,” Anton says with a bit of humor in his voice.

Khaven’s eyes are on me, looking so small and so scared.

“I won’t hurt you.”

He shakes his head. “It’s not me I’m worried about.” He stares at me. “You’re gonna break my brother’s heart, aren’t you?”

Apparently, Jesus isn’t the only one who knows my thoughts.

“First of all, your brother made his bed. Now, he has to lie in it, roll around in the shit he pulled, clean it, and make it back up again.”

“Stop talking!” Anton yells at no one in particular. “Good thoughts only.”

I lift an eyebrow at Khamari’s petulant brother and raise my hands as if waving a white flag.

After he nods, I rest my hand against his cheek.

Khaven gasps and then grips my wrists. Him—his energy, his aura, sucks me in. I feel everything: his fear, his sadness, his sickness. His disease tastes bitter, low-key like kale.

I’m inside of him. Or maybe it just feels like it.

Voices surge inside of my head.

Heal him.

Do not heal this vampire. He is the key!

Help us! Do not help him.

The lights in the room blink like morse code. Sweat pours from Khaven, from me. His eyes roll into the back of his head. Now I only see the whites of his eyes.

“H-help me, Anton! I can’t control them.”

Anton pulls me off Khaven, who is now unconscious and slumps into his seat.

I’m shaking, shaking in Anton’s arms. “D-did I kill him?”

“No, you didn’t. His heartbeat is faint, but it’s steady.”

I rush over to Khaven, but just as I’m about to lift him, I stare at my hands, desperate to figure out the reason for my screw up.

Anton pulls him from the floor and places him into his chair.

Khaven groans, eyelids fluttering until they reveal his bright brown eyes that are a little unfocused. He inhales and then releases his breath. “I feel…different.”

“Different how?” I whisper.

“Stronger,” he says in a weak voice. “Less pain, but it’s still there. Just…dull.”

“So I didn’t heal you?” I throw my hands in the air. “What the hell? I didn’t heal him, Anton!”

“Yes, you lost control a bit. But we can work on it.” Anton gives me an assessing look.

“What?”

“We’ll talk…later.”

Khaven clears his throat. “Feels like I got a booster shot.” He tries to lift himself up from his wheelchair but then plops back down into his seat.

I look away from him. “I’m sorry.”

“No, this is good. I’m not so strong that Alexander will notice. I was a little worried about that, to be honest.”

“But I promised Khamari I’d heal you.”

“You still can. Listen, get ahold of your powers and then we’ll link up again. If I’m feeling like I’m knocking on death’s door, then I’ll ask for a Texas-size booster. Deal?” He lifts his hand for me to shake.

“Deal.” I smile at him.

“I’ll only call you if I need it. Alexander is paranoid these days. I need to be careful and move in silence now more than ever.”

He closes his eyes and lifts a bottle of water from the counter…with his mind. “Nice,” he says when the bottle lands on his lap. “It’s much easier to access my powers. And I’m not even winded. You’ve helped me a lot. Thank you.” His eyes sparkle with gratitude.

“You’re welcome.”

“Okay, I’ll give you my number. I won’t take yours. Just in case Alexander forces it out of me. I’ll only call you during daylight and when I’m away from our clan.”

“All right. Sunset is happening in two hours. We’ve gotta go.”

He gives me a smile, pure bright and white. Like Khamari’s.

“You did well today, Texas.” Anton pats my shoulder. “Next time we’ll figure out a way to save Khamari… He and his brother won’t need you anymore.”

Khaven frowns, and then he gives Anton the evil eye.

Me? My heart stammers, and I’m sure I’ve got another spike in my mojo.

I close my eyes and do something I haven’t done in a while—send a little prayer to the big guy upstairs to protect Khamari, but not from Alexander.

From me.