Refuge(93)

“Sara, are you okay?” Jordan rushed to my side and laid her hand on my back.

“Is she sick?” Derek asked. “I didn’t see her drink much.”

It took some effort, but I straightened up and smiled to let them know I was okay. The cold was still there, worse than it had ever been, but it was more uncomfortable than painful. And thankfully, there was no sign of the strange static power to give away my secret. “I’m fine. I felt a bit woozy there for a second. Probably should have eaten more at dinner.”

Derek smiled in relief. “I can fix that. I have plenty of food at the house.” He held the lantern out to Jordan. “Jordan, why don’t you take this and I’ll help Sara down the ladder.”

I almost laughed at the look on Jordan’s face as she took the lantern. We both knew she was stronger than three men and could carry me down on her back, but we couldn’t tell Derek that.

“A damsel in distress? Looks like I got here just in time.”

The three of us swung around to the man stepping off the ladder. Jordan raised the lantern and illuminated a smiling blond man who looked to be Derek’s age.

“Seth!” Derek smiled broadly. “When did you get back?”

“Got in a few hours ago. We had to take care of some things at home and thought we’d check out the action here tonight. I figured you’d have a bash going on and lots of goodies here to eat.” Seth’s eyes slid slowly over me, and the hair rose up on the back of my neck. How could someone as nice as Derek have a creep for a best friend?

“We were just heading back to the house. I have enough beer and food to keep even you happy. Is Dana with you?”

“She’s on her way with a friend we brought back with us. We can have our own little party out here.”

Something about Seth’s leering smile seemed eerily familiar, and my mind suddenly conjured an image of Eli staring at me with the same hungry expression. Alarm bells went off in my head. It can’t be, I thought even as my hand slowly reached for the dagger tucked in the inside pocket of my coat. After Boise, I’d decided to err on the side of caution and start carrying a weapon again. I really hoped I did not have to use it.

Derek laughed. “Stay here? Dude, what are you talking about? All the booze and food is at the house.”

Seth laid a hand on the top of the ladder. “Oh, I think the real party is gonna happen here, my friend.”

My eyes were drawn to the movement of his hand the second it began to change. I pulled my dagger free as his fingernails became long black claws. “Vampire!”

“What?” Jordan cried as she whipped out two lethal knives with lightning fast reflexes.

“What’s this?” Seth sniffed the air and his smile widened, showing off his glistening fangs. “Oh, I’ve heard all you juicy little morsels from that Westhorne Institute.”

“Seth, what the fuck man!” Derek yelled as horror settled on his face. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Wrong?” Chilling laughter burst from Seth. “I’ve never felt so great in my life, buddy, and it’s about to get a whole lot better.”

The moment Seth moved, Jordan threw Derek behind us so hard he hit the wall and crumpled to the floor. She and I took up fighting stances against the vampire who used to be Derek’s friend. Jesus, what were the odds of going to a party where the host’s best friend returned from vacation as a vampire? And this close to a Mohiri stronghold? I really was a disaster magnet.

“How cute. The little girls think they can take me.” Seth rolled his shoulders. “I know all about you Mohiri children and how there is nothing sweeter than your blood.” His eyes narrowed, and he swallowed like an alcoholic looking at a glass of whiskey.

“We know about you, too,” I said with a lot more bravado than I felt. “You’re a baby vamp, less than a week old, which means you’re not as good as you think you are. And my friend Jordan here is the best warrior you’ll ever meet. In fact, she’s the last warrior you’ll ever meet.”

Jordan recovered from the shock of meeting her first vampire and shot me her signature smirk before deftly twirling the knife in her right hand. Seth’s eyes followed the weapon, and I caught the hesitation in his eyes. The fact that he was a new vampire was the one thing we had going for us. That, and Jordan really was as good as I’d said she was.

“Are you going eat us or what?” Jordan taunted, and I saw Seth’s nostrils flare. New vampires are also rash and quick to temper, and if anyone could piss one off, it was Jordan. “I’m thirsty and I could be having a beer instead of wasting time with you.”