It’s a thought that plagues my mind the whole ride back to the compound and that’s when I begin to worry that things may have already gone bad for Avery and the baby. “It’s been a quiet day with Avery. I haven’t felt much from her today.”
“I haven’t either but I’m sure it was a long night for her and Chansey so they’re probably sleeping. I’m guessing we’ll feel more than we’d like after Vincent and his nest are awake.”
The thought is almost enough to make me lose my mind. “My gut tells me Avery’s pregnant. Did you feel that way before you knew with Chansey?”
“No.” He shakes his head and laughs. “It was the complete opposite with us. She was the one with the suspicion while I was in denial.”
He probably thinks I’m insane. “I have nothing to base it on except a hunch. That’s insane, right? It’s only been a couple of days so maybe I’m just being hopeful.”
“You share a beautiful connection with Avery. A baby solidifies that bond in a way you can’t imagine until it happens. I didn’t feel anything until I accepted the reality of Chansey’s pregnancy.” He’s grinning as he drives. “Once I did … it was crazy good.”
“I feel like a frenzy of emotions has taken over. Love. Happiness. Excitement.” But what I was feeling wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies. “Fear. Worry. Anxiety.”
“You’re not imagining any of this. It’s real. And trust me … it’s going to get worse. I was going out of my mind with worry about the next stunt Marsala would pull to get to Chansey. And then the babies came and I had them to worry about as well. Killing her was my only option. Even if it meant never knowing what a blood jewel was.”
Now I’m able to see why he didn’t hesitate. It didn’t matter what it meant to be a blood jewel if Marsala killed Chansey. “I didn’t let it show but I was very angry with you for a long time. When you killed Marsala, I thought you snuffed out my only lead for finding out what it meant for Avery to be a blood jewel . Now I understand why you had to do it and I’m sorry I didn’t trust your judgement or take Chansey’s safety into account.”
“Marsala had no limits when it came to wanting me and the babies. I didn’t want to kill her but she gave me no choice. She was evil in its purest form. I knew Chansey and the twins would never be safe as long as she lived.”
He didn’t have to explain. “It was the right decision. Just like it’ll be the right choice to kill Vincent and anyone associated with him when we find them.”
“Agreed.”
Chapter Thirteen
We stand at the door of the first vampire residence and wait for someone to answer. A young human girl not more than a day over sixteen swings it open. The whites of her eyes almost glow in the moonlight from the excessive black kohl smudged around them. Her make-up is overdone, just like the drugstore black hair dye covering her natural blond locks. “Who are you and what do you want?”
I feel like I should be asking if her mommy and daddy are home. “We’d like to see the owner of the house.”
She crosses her arms and appears annoyed. “He’s busy.”
We didn’t have time for games. “Maybe I should rephrase. Take us to the leader of this coven. Now.”
“Show them in Kaiden,” I hear a calm, male voice call out. We follow the young girl to a room at the back of the house where four young male vampires surround a television. All of them are consumed by the video game they’re playing. “I’m in the middle of something. What do you want?”
I watch his eyes so I can gage any reaction he might display. “We’re looking for a brother and sister living in the Savannah area. Vincent and Gloriana Godfrey.”
He doesn’t hesitate. “Never heard of ‘em.” I see no reaction so I believe he’s telling the truth.
“Has there been any talk in the community about some special kind of blood?”
“Yeah. I heard something about that a few months ago. Got invited to some big party where they were sharing but I didn’t go.” He takes his eyes from the television for a brief moment and gestures toward the young girl. “I’ve got my blood doll.” He puckers his lips and makes a kissing sound at the girl. “I don’t need their blood when I have my own personal supply anytime I want it. Ain’t that right, Kaiden?”
The girl is pleased by this vampire’s show of affection for her. Too bad it’s a fake endearment to make her think he cares about her and not her blood. “That’s right, baby. Anytime.”
He is using her as a meal ticket. Hadn’t I seen this done a thousand times before? But who was I to judge? Hadn’t I done the same thing? We all had at some point. Hell … I hadn’t realized it at the time but I’d agree to it not so long ago with my own agápe.
Curry appears annoyed and steps between the vampires and the flat screen. “Do you know of any other vampires living within the Savannah Squares?”
One of them pauses the game. “The only ones I know of live in the Victorian District over by Forsyth Park but we don’t hang. They’re not really into the same kind of things we are.”
Curry laughs but not because he’s amused. “Which would be teenage girls and video games?”
“Dude, don’t judge me.” He tosses the controller onto the couch. “I was seventeen when I was turned so I’m never going to grow up. This is it for me. I’ve achieved my maximum level of maturity.” He barely looks fifteen. His voice hadn’t even matured yet. Whoever did this to him should rot in hell. Forever.
“I’m gonna leave my number.” I take one of my cards from my wallet to give to him. “Please call if you hear any word circulating on that special blood again.”
He tosses it on the coffee table. “Will do.”
We leave the house of teen vamps and walk toward our next destination. “That was … I don’t even know what I think that was.” Weird? Strange? Freaky? All of those words are fitting.
“What about the girl?” Curry asks. “Should we do something about that?”
Kaiden’s presence is consensual. There isn’t anything to be done. “She is there of her own free will. Those guys are too wrapped up in their video game to stop her from leaving if she wants.”
“But she’s so young.” Curry has always had a soft place in his heart for any girl that reminded him of his sister. “Can a girl her age possibly have the mental capacity to make that kind of decision?”