OUT FOR BLOOD - Vampire Love and Revenge

OUT FOR BLOOD - CHAPTER 30 - Best Laid Vampire Plans

CHAPTER 30:

CATALINA’S  POV:

“I’m hungry!” I whine for the third time.  

“Me too,” Mason agrees.  

“Ew,” I groan, making a sour face.  

He gives me a rueful smile, “I bet you don’t say that when Jaden sucks your blood.”

“Whatever.” So not telling my brother that my groans are of the ecstasy variety, not disgust, when Jaden bites me.  “I have an idea!”

“Probably a bad one,” he mutters.  

I dismiss his lack of faith in me.  “How about we go through a fast food drive-thru?  You order me up a value meal and while the fast food worker is taking your money, you lean over, take a quick bite, grab my food and we make a run for it.”

“Amateur,” Mason says under his breath.  

“I heard that.”

“I know,” he says, flashing me a cocky smile.  

Grr. Stupid vampire brother.  

Looking more serious, he asks, “And what are we going to say when they ask why you’re tied up?”

I scowl at him, “You could untie me.”

“No can do,” he says and then pulls the car over to the side of the highway.  I watch the cars pass as he twists around and pulls a sweatshirt out of the duffel bag in the backseat.  Covering the rope binding my wrists together, he wraps it around all evidence of my hostage status.  Looks like I’m holding the sweater in my hands, or using it to warm them up.

I wait until he meets my eyes before saying dryly, “Are you sure you didn’t belong to that retarded vampire gang?  Seriously, I think you may be bright enough to make second in command.”

“Ha, ha, very funny.”  By the annoyed look on his face, I have a feeling that he isn’t feeling my humor.  “So, what do you want to eat?”

“Uh, I don’t know.  Probably just McDonalds,” I answer, without really thinking about it.  

“Naw,” he disagrees, “McDonalds workers aren’t very appetizing.  Kinda greasy.  Gives me indigestion.”

I roll my eyes.  Can vampires even get indigestion?  “How about Taco Bell?  Maybe you’ll get lucky and we’ll both get to eat Mexican.”

“Naw, not in the mood for that either,” he says and I can’t tell if he is serious or not.  

“Well picky vampire, how about we just find ourselves a Hooters?  If the vein belongs to a hot chick, does that make the blood tastier?”

He glances at me with eyebrows raised, “Now you’re talking, little sister.”

I grunt in disgust.  

In the end, we compromise.  Sonic Drive-In it is.  Young chicks delivering both carb-packed food and a blood source on roller skates are actually pretty convenient.  We park in a stall at the very back.  I tell Mason what to order for me and ten minutes later, a slim dark-haired girl rolls up on her skates with a bright smile and my grub.  

She takes Mason’s cash and hands him the brown paper bag.  Faster than possible for a human, he snakes a hand out, gripping her behind the neck and pulling her into his mouth.  I snatch the bag from his lap before he drops it.  I’m not the type of person who can eat fries after they’ve fallen onto the floor of a car.  Okay, so one time I just brushed off the carpet fibers, but I was like, twelve.  Doesn’t count.  

Looking in Mason’s direction, I thank god that I don’t have a view of the blood sucking.  Unfortunately, I can see the girl’s eyes.  They are glazed over and she is panting softly.  Ew.  I sincerely hope she isn’t about to have a bite-gasm in front of me.  Not with my brother.  Ew.  

Taking in her features, I jokingly say, “Looks like you got Mexican after all.”

Mason chokes mid-gulp and his shoulders are shaking.  I guess I shouldn’t make a vampire laugh while he’s feeding.  I wonder if any blood came out of his nose.  I munch on french fries while Mason finishes his refreshment.  Less than a minute later, we’re back on the road.  That girl probably didn’t know what hit her.  

“I hope you gave her a good tip,” I remark right before biting into my hamburger.  

“Shut up, Cat,” he says moodily.

I chew and swallow my bite.  “I hope she doesn’t get dizzy from blood loss and crash on her roller skates.”

“Shut up, Cat,” he repeats, glaring at me, showing fang.

I narrow my eyes, “You have something caught in your fang.”

He brings up an index finger and rubs it over his fang, then he shows me his teeth, “Did I get it?”

Shaking my head, “No, the other one.”

He rubs the other one, then shows me his teeth again, “Now?”

“Yup,” I take another bite.  

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”  Dang, Sonic cherry limeades are good.

JADEN’S POV:

Staring at Noah from across the room, I can see why Catalina chose me over him.  The guy’s a complete jerk.  Not cooperative at all.  Not as hot as me, either.

“So,” Noah starts with a scowl, “You want us to assist you in getting into your parents’ home and kill them?  Why should we help you?”

In the most condescending tone that I can muster, “Isn’t that what you do?  Kill vampires?”

Catalina’s friend, Zoey, interrupts our bickering, “Where’s Catalina?”

Yeah, it might be a little odd that I showed up here at their Batcave without the person who ties us together, Catalina.  I lean forward on the couch that I’m sitting on, “I sent her away for her own protection.”  

Probably shouldn’t let them know that I assisted her brother in kidnapping her.  I really don’t want to deal with four vampire hunters and their computer nerd, IT-guy trying to kill me.  I said trying.  They wouldn’t actually stand a chance against me if it came down to it.  

A pulse of guilt shoots through me at the danger that I’ll be placing them in, these people who Catalina cares so much about.  I shoot a glance at Noah.  Well, I feel guilt over the rest of them, at least.  Him, not so much.  

Colin laughs, “How’d she take that?”

I shift uncomfortably, “I don’t really know yet.”

Zoey opens her mouth, probably to ask another question, but Noah beats her to it, “Why, exactly, would Catalina need to be sent away?”

“More like how, exactly, did you talk her into leaving?” Zoey finally asks.  

The barrage of questions continues as Joseph asks where she is and Rick asks why she can’t help to take out my parents.  

Unfortunately, for them of course, I’m not about to answer any of the questions except the one Noah asked.  “To answer Noah’s question, Catalina was sent away because the threat is to her.”

“From your parents?” Noah asks in disbelief.  

“From my parents,” I confirm.  At his look, I continue, “Is it really so hard to believe?”

Noah slowly exhales, shaking his head, “Considering what you all are, I guess not.  Man, I knew you were bad news.  You should have just left her alone.”

I raise one eyebrow in what I hope is an annoying gesture, “Left her to you, you mean?”

Noah stands up and runs a hand through his hair in agitation, “Left her to anyone with a pulse, dammit!”

“Considering, that what’s done is done,” Zoey intercedes, “Why don’t we just concentrate on what has to be done now?  Your parents are a threat to Catalina?”

“Yes,” I answer solemnly.  

“And she’s safe?” Colin asks.  

“Yes.”

“And probably pissed?” Colin asks with a smart-alec grin.

“Irrelevant,” I say, holding back a wry grin of my own.  Like Zoey said, time to concentrate on what has to be done know.  The time for groveling before my beautiful girlfriend will have to wait for another day.

“So, what’s the plan?” asks Joseph.  Why is it always the nerd that asks that?

“We have to take advantage of the one thing you all have in your favor,” I tell them.  “Daylight.”

CATALINA’S  POV:

“Shut up and let me go!  This hurts I tell you so!  For the last time you will kiss my lips!  Now shut up and let me go!” I sing along to the tune in my head.  

“Please stop,” Mason groans miserably.  

“Your jeans were once so clean.  I bet you changed your wardrobe since we met!” I continue.  

“Horrible singer,” Mason mutters.

“Now oh so easily you’re over me.  Gone is love, it’s you that ought to be holding me.  I’m not containable.  This turns up.  It’s not sustainable.”  In my own head, I sound pretty good.  In my head, I sound just like the chick from The Ting Tings.  

“I’ll give you five dollars,” Mason offers.  “Just please stop with that noise.”  

“I ain’t freakin’, I ain’t fakin’ this!   I ain’t freakin’, I ain’t fakin’ this!  I ain’t freakin’, I ain’t fakin’ this!  Shut up and let me go, hey!”  Yep, I’m awesome.  Plus, I’m totally dedicated this song to myself right now.  

“Ahhhh!” Mason says irritably over my singing.  Then he reaches out and turns on the radio, searching for a station.

Since we’re in the middle of nowhere, options aren’t great.  Yep, you guessed it.  The best there is out here is a country station.  I glare at the radio, anger rising at this ridiculous situation.  Betrayed by my boyfriend and my brother.  Yes, I love them.  No, I will not put up with this crap any longer.  

I bring up both of my legs, so that my knees are touching my chest.  Then, BAM!  My booted feet crash into the radio.  A few swift kicks later and it’s dead.  The temporary satisfaction of thwarting even the insignificant plan of his to drown out my singing with twang music brings a smile to my face.

I look over to Mason to see the shock on his face, “Was that necessary?”

“Yes,” I say.  Wishing I could cross my arms.  But, of course, I can’t because my freaking wrists are tied together.  

“Jaden might be upset about this,” Mason says with obvious amusement.

My mouth drops open in disgust, “Jaden might be upset?  Jaden?  What about me?  I’ve put up with this crap long enough.  Untie me, Mason!”

“Nope,” he says, concentrating on the road.  

“Now!” I shout at the top of my lungs.  

I get no answer to that.  Obnoxiously, I start singing at the top of my lungs, “It’s Not a Fashion Statement, It’s a Deathwish” by My Chemical Romance.  I may be getting some of the words wrong, but it does the job.  Mason is clenching his teeth together.

Mason’s also pretending to ignore me, but I am un-ignorable.  He finally has enough and pulls over to the side of the road.  The car jerks to a stop and I’m guessing that he left skid marks in his wake.  Yanking the car door open, he exits and steps out into the night.  Darnn, he took the car keys.  

I reach over with both hands, because they’re freaking tide together, to hold down the button to roll down the window.  As soon as I’ve got a few inches open, I yell, “I have to pee!”

My only answer is ten seconds later when he gets back behind the wheel.  He checks his mirrors and blends back onto the highway.  Not much traffic this late at night.  “If you behave,” he says quietly, “Then I won’t make you pee in your pants.”

“Why not?” I begin sarcastically, “You made me sleep on the hotel room floor all day.”

He snickers, “Just establishing the kidnapper-kidnappee relationship.”

I glare at him even though he isn’t looking my way, “You do realize that I’m extremely pissed at you and Jaden?”

“Yes.”

“That I may never forgive you?”

“You will.”

“That I’m going to have to teach you both a lesson?”

“You can try.”

I let out a frustrated “Arrrrrrggggh”.   

“Jeez, Cat.  I know you have to pee.  You don’t have to get so upset.  Sign back there said that there’s a rest stop a few miles ahead.”

I contemplate trying to kick in the windshield.  

JADEN’S  POV:

Before leaving their house, I get a tour from Zoey and Rick of the house.  It’s fairly large, comfortably furnished and all decked out with a gym.  The shooting range in the basement also houses their weapons collection and Joseph’s computer room.  

When it’s  two hours before dawn, I say my goodbyes and make plans to return the next night.  I’ve written out a layout of my parent’s estate, with estimates on the number of humans and vampires that will be there during daylight hours.  Joseph, their resident-dork, is planning out our strategy.

Any younger vampires will be pretty much useless during the daytime.  Older vampires, like my parents and myself, are just less useless when the sun is up.  We can function at low levels.  I highly doubt that there will be any other vampires there over a hundred years old.  The main reason why vampires don’t live past the century mark has nothing to do with slayers and their measly efforts.  It’s other vampires who kill each other off.  

Power plays, territory wars or just plain bad tempers are the cause of vampircide.  My parents wouldn’t want any other vampires around that are as strong as themselves.  Holding onto the power they have in this city rests in their ability to remain the strongest.  

Well, they don’t want any other vampires around that are that powerful expect for me, of course.  Their baby boy.  I’m counting on their belief that I’d never go after them myself.  That I’d never be a threat to their existence.  They know I don’t like them, but they don’t know that I want to kill them.

The plan is to infiltrate, for lack of a better word, their home at the moment that the sun is about to peep over the horizon.  All vampires in residence will be down for the day, leaving only the human servants and guards to contend with.  Although I’ll be weak, with the help of a wheelchair and someone to push my gimpy self along, I’ll be able to at least function enough to use mind manipulation on any humans we encounter.  

We’ll locate my parents’ daytime resting place in the house, the vampire hunters will do what they do, then we’ll jet out of there.  

Should be simple.  

Our plan will take effect tomorrow at dawn.  

Two hours later, after driving home and feeding from Jim, who lives in a downstairs apartment, I’m stripping off my clothes and pulling on a pair of Batman pajama pants.  The sun should be up in thirty minutes and I’m eagerly anticipating Mason and Catalina’s call.  I sit down on the edge of my bed with my cell phone in hand.  

After staring at it for twenty minutes, my phone rings.  About time.  “Catalina?” I ask in a soothing manner.

“Wrong buddy,” Mason responds.  

My sigh is of the resignation-variety, “Let me guess, she’s refusing to talk to me.”

“Right buddy,” I hear Mason laugh and relate my comment to Catalina.

“Is she all right?” I ask nervously.  

“What do you think?  She’s pissed.  Hey, you’re lucky that you’re getting the silent treatment.  She’s been torturing me with her singing all night.”

I grimace, “Catalina has many talents, but singing isn’t one of them.”

“Don’t I know it.  How’s it going, old man?  Are you taking care of things on your end?”

I refuse to let the young punk rile me up, “It should be safe for you to return with her in two nights.”

“I’ll let her know.  Gotta go.  Sun’s coming up.”

“Me too.”  I hesitate, “Could you ask her one more time to get on the phone?”

I hear him ask her and am surprised when her sweet voice comes on the phone, “You promised, Jaden.”

“I miss you,” I say softly.  

“You promised!” She says more vehemently.  

I clear my throat, “I believe I promised to never do it unless it was absolutely necessary, for example, to protect you.”

“It’s no use arguing with you,” the bitterness in her voice is killing me, “You’ll do what you want, anyways.  You always do.”

“I love you.”

“But, you don’t respect me,” she says with tears in her voice.  

“That’s not true, angel.  I do-”

I hear a thunk sound and Mason comes back on the line, “She threw the phone.”

Gathering myself, I get on with business, “Tomorrow at dawn is when it happens.  Call me an hour before dawn.”

“Okay,” then he hangs up.  

Staring at the phone once again, wondering how I’ll be able to make it up to Catalina when she returns, I start to fall back onto the bed as I feel the dawn come.  

CATALINA’S  POV:

This hotel is a little nicer than the one we stayed at yesterday.  Mason is passed out vampire-style on the sofa.  I’m laying on the bed, both wrists and ankles tied once again.  With all my ‘bad behavior’, I would have thought that’d put me on floor status again.  Maybe he felt bad about the whole Jaden thing.  Mason seemed a little uncomfortable with the few tears that I shed after throwing the phone.  

I’m still lost in my thoughts of Jaden and his betrayal-out-of-love, when the door bursts open, letting in a rush of sunlight.  I glance over at Mason on the sofa, where he shifts slightly and scrunches his face up.  Other than that, he’s still out.  

As the humans come at me, I am very, very upset about being tied up.  They yank me off the bed and my tied-up wiggling and kicking is no match for three very brawny human males.  

As they are half dragging, half carrying me out of the hotel room, I manage to reach out with both hands, since my freaking wrists are still tied together, and shut the hotel room door behind us.  Mason’s safe.

I’m not.  

**************************

Chapter should be a little longer than usual and that climax that I've been promising will be coming up in the next chapter or so (may take more than one chapter to do it)

Sooooooooooo . . . . 

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