Chapter Eleven

January 2005

You know how winter can bring a hush over the world?

The quiet cold lulled me into a sense of security that my world really was normal, mundane, and safe. Amelia didn’t send me out anymore, ordering me to the library instead to study. I read, but usually at a table in the diner.

Libraries were too quiet for me.

Felt nice to not lie to my friends and cousins for a while.

Spring Break was Easter week in late March. I lit one of the candles up front on Palm Sunday, Mama snapping pictures. Her lupus was under control for the time being, and she was respecting doc’s orders about staying out of the sun even though the week was full of picnics.

Amelia was back in London—she didn’t say why they called—so I was free as a bird and hangin’ out with my youth group. We were doing a skit for the Good Friday service in a few days.

“Kay, Mama, we’ll be at the lake all day, so don’t wait up.” I kissed her on the cheek and skipped to the door.

“Hold up, who’s we?”

“Youth group, fishing, picnic…any of this ring a bell?”

She smacked her forehead. “Oh, gosh…of course. My mind’s all over the place this week, honey. Have fun and don’t get burned.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Moira honked outside. She was the youngest of the youth leaders and the one I felt most comfortable with. I hurried out, climbed in the van, and we were off.

Guthrie Lake was only four miles out of town, and bordered by lots of trees.

I loved how green spring was here.

“Hey, Garvison, long time no see.” My cousin Chris Taylor.

“Yeah, I know… I need two of me just to have fun this year.”

“Your mother’s well?” Moira asked.

“Right now. Think flu season convinced her to take it easy, God willing.”

“Well, any night you don’t want to cook, hon, come on over.”

Stolen story; please report.

“Thanks. Might take you up on that.”

The smell of hot dogs on the grill greeted us when we parked. Mmm, broad daylight.

No monsters.

Most every teen in town was at the lake today, and a lot of them were related to me due to my grandmother having six sisters. Men in my family were soldiers and the women got married. When the boys came back from service, they settled somewhere in the state with a good, respectable job. Mama was the third-generation owner of the diner.

I wanted more than Guthrie, but I was afraid to leave at the same time…no Oklahoma, no family.

“Della…”

I snapped out of my big thoughts. “Coming!” Dropping my backpack on a table, I hurried to grab a rod and bait. With any luck, supper would be fresh fish filets.

Almost wished I could stick a fishin’ pole in Amelia’s hands today. The thought of seeing her attempt to gut a fish made me giggle.

The woman’s idea of fun was reading ancient Latin.

But peace is an illusion.

Amelia warned me, but I was only a kid.

I didn’t want to believe one of them would search me out.

We were sitting around a campfire telling stories when I felt a hum of energy spread through my body, my internal proximity alarm for a Creature. I excused myself to the girl’s room and made a detour for my backpack. A stake and collapsible crossbow had been in there for months. I grabbed my weapons and followed my instincts.

The woods weren’t quiet at night, insects and birds chirping their tunes.

Traversing the dark without a flashlight was still a part of Thirteen’s training I wasn’t used to. My night vision was better than average, but it was all still mostly shadows for me.

I kept going, and heard murmured voices, and a giggle. Great—necking kids. Prime horror movie bait. If it was a vampire I was tracking, it definitely wouldn’t resist a young, fresh meal like that. They sat on a fallen log in a tiny clearing.

I couldn’t see any danger around, so I closed my eyes and focused on the hum.

When I looked again, I saw it across the clearing. Red eyes glinted in the moonlight. He smiled at me, exposing white fangs. This was no undead newbie.

It was a predator, a master hunter. This close, I felt his power.

My heart pounded in my chest. We stood on opposite sides, the teens oblivious in between us, and it was fast enough to make at least one of them dead before I could prevent it.

If it wanted.

God, please let it want to engage me instead.

I blinked and it was no longer there. What the…?

I searched between the trunks, up in the trees…

Where did you go, Creature?

“Heard there was a paladin in these parts,” it whispered behind my ear. I pivoted to attack, but he grabbed my shoulders hard enough to hold me fast. “Wondered why one of you would possibly be here of all places, but you’re just a babe. Have you even killed one of us, yet?” He had a hint of an accent; somewhere in Europe.

“I’ve dusted my share,” I said through clenched teeth. The teens continued making out, still oblivious. Sweat trickled down the middle of my back.

“Then you know you’re not dealing with a mere fledge.”

“Yes. Are we going to talk all night or what?”

He chuckled, obviously not threatened by me in the least. “Your generation is so hasty. You can listen, dear Paladin, or I can snap your neck like a twig and have my way with your friends over there.”

“Fine. Talk.”

The longer he wanted to chat, the better my chances for figuring a way out of this.

“Tell your superiors that Lady Juliet wishes to keep Los Angeles for herself and finds the attempts to remove her quite rude. If The Agency will leave her alone, she’ll leave you alone. Continue this war, and every last one of you will die slowly and painfully. Clear?”

“Who’s Juliet?”

Never got an answer to that question. A blow to the back of the head knocked me unconscious. OW. My first concussion.

Amelia will be so proud.