OUT FOR BLOOD - Vampire Love and Revenge

OUT FOR BLOOD - CHAPTER 29 - Damn Vampires

CHAPTER 29:

JADEN’S POV:

As much as I know that Catalina loves me, I feel apprehensive about my current actions.  She may not be able to forgive me for this one.  If Catalina were any less of a fighter, maybe.  But, that’s not my Catalina.  She won’t like that I took her out of the fight.  Out of the upcoming battle with my parents.  

Even if I did it out of love.  Even if I did it to protect her.  

She also tends to get a little upset with I use my vampire mind tricks on her.  

I gently set her into the passenger seat of a Honda that I keep on the bottom level of my parking garage.  Besides the day that I drove it here from the dealership and parked it, it hasn’t moved since.  No need when I have much nicer or just plain cooler cars.  

Mason already has the key and is putting it into the ignition.  He also buckles his seatbelt.  I roll my eyes at this human habit.  Four years as a vampire should have taught him that the only way he’d die from a car accident is if he was beheaded or staked in the heart by an object during the crash.  The big bad Mack truck can’t hurt him anymore.  

“Hey kid,” I say nonchalantly.  

“Yeah, gramps?”  He says rudely.  I swear, the young really should learn to respect their elders.  

“As a vampire, you’re better off without the seatbelt.  That thing can only hold you in place for a staking or decapitation.  Flying through the windshield during a crash would only hurt for a little while.”

He gives me a sour look, but unbuckles his seatbelt.  

Ignoring his surliness, I kneel down outside of the car to reach in and wrap a scarf around Catalina’s ankles.  I take my time, since she won’t wake up until I release her from the mind control.  After securing the scarf, I grab a length of rope and wrap it over the scarf.  Tying it tight enough that she can’t wiggle free, I make sure that it won’t hurt her either.  

I do the same to her wrists, squeezing her hand in a reassuring gesture even though she is unaware of it.  Maybe I’m the one who needs the reassurance.  

Before getting to my feet again, I brush my lips across her beautiful mouth.  “I love you, angel.”

Mason snorts, but I once again ignore him.  Until he says, “You know, if I have my way, you’ll never see her again.”

“I will,” I say confidently.  I love her too much to never see her again.  Whether she wants to see me again, well that’s another story.  

I reach down to pick up a duffel bag and toss it into the backseat.  Inside, I’ve packed clothes, food, water and toiletries for Catalina.  “Do you know where you’re heading?” I question Mason.  

“Yes, I-,” he begins.  

I raise my hand and cut him off, “Stop right there.  Don’t tell me.  I’m not sure what all powers my parents have.  It’s better that I don’t know.”  Reaching into my pants, I pull out a prepaid cell phone and reach across the seats to hand it to him.  “Take this.  It’s untraceable and no one has the number.  Even I haven’t memorized it.  My cell number is preprogrammed in it.  Call me every morning right before dawn, so that I know she’s still safe.  And, Mason?”

“Yeah?” he responds to the seriousness in my voice.

“Never tell me where you are.  Even if I ask.”  The words pain me to say them.  “And never underestimate your sister.”

Mason glances at Catalina’s face, “She’s going to be pissed.  She’ll say that we’re overreacting.”

I wait until his eyes meet mine again, “But we both know that we aren’t.”  My parents have authority over every vampire in the city, not to mention the humans that they have control over.  Practically an army at their disposal.  The only solution that I see is to dispose of them myself.

I can’t resist bending down one more time to kiss her.  My mouth moves to her ear, “Wake up with the sun, Catalina.”

Giving Mason one last hard look, “Protect her.”

His look is grim, “With my life.”

Shutting the passenger door and watching him drive away with her is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.  Makes me feel like killing my own parents will be easy.  

After the car has disappeared from sight, I stand there until it has also disappeared from my hearing.  Then, calmly, I walk back into the building, take the elevator up to my apartment and lock the door behind me.  

It’s not surprising that I feel no regret or remorse about what I’m going to do.  When it comes to my parents, it’s been a long time coming.  This is just the final straw.  

I don’t know them well enough to know what exactly they are up to.  But, I know all that I need to know.  Twice, they have tried to have Catalina kidnapped.  Most likely to force me into the family.  

There are only a few hours left before daylight, and although I would have liked for him to have a full night to drive, it’s enough time for Mason to get some distance between the city and themselves.  Waiting for that call every night is going to be torture.  Taking down my parents is going to require quite a bit of thought and planning.  

For the remainder of the night, I sit.  And plan.  

When the sun starts to rise, I take myself to bed to get a good day’s sleep.  I’ll be needing it.

CATALINA’S  POV:

The first thing that I’m aware of is cold air blowing on my face.  My eyes snap open to take in the darkness surrounding me.  I reach my right hand up to brush a strand of hair out of my face, but am startled when I realize that my hands are bound together.  What the hell?

At the same instance, I take in that my ankles are in the same situation.  I roll to the side and kick in the direction of the blowing air, only to make contact with a hollow metal object.  Must be an air conditioner.  As my eyes start to adjust to the dim room, I take in the large rectangular shape of it.  

How did I get here?  Where am I?  

Trying not to panic, I think of the last thing I remember.  

I was at the penthouse in Jaden’s building.  Mason and Jaden were insisting that I leave town with Mason.  I refused, of course.  I don’t run from vampires, they run from me if they know what’s good for them.  

And then nothing.  What happened?  A moment later, a suspicion starts to grow.  He wouldn’t.  They wouldn’t.

I roll over to my other side and can make out a thin slant of light hitting the floor.  All it illuminates is ugly patterned carpet.  It’s coming from what looks to be a window covered by heavy drapes.  No, wait.  A thick blanket is covering the window.  

Suspicion continues to grow.  

I quickly roll back over toward the annoying air conditioner again and start kicking it with all my might.  Kinda awkward with my feet tied together, but doable.  “Mason!  Jaden!  You better untie me right now!”

I hear a groan from somewhere about above me, then Mason’s voice, “Ugh, Catalina.  Keep it quiet.  The sun’s starting to rise and I’m about to pass out.”

I ignore his complaints, “Where’s Jaden?”

“Probably at his place,” he answers.  

“Where are we?”

He groans again, “At some shit motel three hours away.”

“Why?”

He doesn’t answer, but I can hear him shift on the bed.  

“WHY?” I ask more forcefully.

He mumbles something incoherently and I know that the rising sun is taking its toll on his vampirism.  As young as he is, he’ll be out like a light in a minute or so.  

“I’ll scream, Mason,” I warn him.  

He mumbles something again.  

Frustrated, I ask him, “What?  I don’t understand sun-drunk vamp talk.”

He clears his throat, “No, Cat.  You won’t risk me.  Cops come, let in sun, take me.  I’m  . . . dead.”

I scream quietly in anger.  “I’ll never forgive you for this, Mason.”

No answer.  He’s in his daytime vampire coma.  

Stupid vampire brother.  

Stupid vampire boyfriend.  

I am so staking their asses for this.  

God, I miss Jaden.

JADEN’S  POV:

Once the sun has dipped below the horizon, I jolt awake.  Instinctively, I reach out to the other side of the bed, but Catalina isn’t there.  

Then I remember the events of the night before.  I sent her away with Mason.  Throwing myself back onto the mattress, I sigh unhappily.  I tell myself that the separation isn’t permanent.  Just until I kill my parents.  Dragging myself out of bed, I grab a robe and walk into the bathroom.  

Thirty minutes later, I’m dressed and ready to put my plan into action.  I grab a few things before leaving my apartment.  I take the elevator to the top level of the parking garage.  As I start the ignition in my car, I pull out my cell phone and dial up the only people I can think of asking for help.  

The other line rings four times, then, “Hello?”

“Noah?”

“Yes?” he says warily.  

“This is Jaden.  I’m coming over.”

CATALINA’S  POV:

As soon as that slant of light disappears from the floor across the room, I start kicking the air conditioner, yelling, “Wake up dumbass!” over and over again.  

At least until I get the response from Mason, “I’m awake!  Quit PMS-ing.”

“Shut up before I make you go to the store and buy me some tampons.”

He laughs, “Hey, if I can do it for mom when I was fifteen, I think I can manage it again.”

“Untie me.”

“No can do.”

I huff in annoyance, “Fine, but could you at least spread some newspaper under me, before I pee on the floor like a damn dog.”

“Ew,” he responds and I hear his feet hit the floor as he stands up.  

Two seconds later, he hauls me up into a standing position.  Then, before I can ask to be untied again, he picks me up and carries me across the room.  When the bathroom light goes on, I’m momentarily blinded.  

He sets me onto my feet again and I give him a dirty look, “You are not staying in here while I pee.”

“Ew,” he remarks before laughing again.  I’m not surprised when he pulls a pocketknife out of his jeans.  He was a boy scout, after all.  He kneels in front of me and efficiently cuts through the rope binding my ankles.  Once my legs are free, the thought of kicking him in the face runs through my mind.  

He straightens back up and says, “I’m leaving your hands tied.  You should be able to manage.”

I’m a little pissed at this.  Pissed enough to headbutt him.  My forehead strikes his chin and he lets out an “Ow!” that I find quite satisfactory.  

Too bad his vampire-ness will heal him too fast to bruise him.  

Pity.

He glares at me before sauntering out and closing the bathroom door.  

I quickly glance around, taking in the bathroom.  Wow.  This really is a shit motel.  And that butthole made me sleep on the floor.  I hope bedbugs crawled over him all day.  At least Jaden would have made sure I was more comfortable.  

I push thoughts of him out of my mind.  So not going there right now.  He’s the one that made it possible for Mason to so easily kidnap me.  

Unfortunately, the only window in this dingy bathroom is too narrow for me to fit through.  

I get my business done and use my foot to flush the toilet.  Using the restroom and washing your hands while your wrists are tied together isn’t easy.  I am so headbutting Mason again the first chance I get.

As I walk out of the bathroom, he is waiting patiently on the bed.  My vicious thoughts must be evident on my face, because he holds up a hand, “Hey!  Keep that big head away from me.”

I shrug noncommittally.  He should be scared.  Once I can manage to get away from him, I’m going to . . . .

Well, I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do, but I do know that both Jaden and Mason will be sorry.

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