Chapter Two
Kira dashed through the house, sprinting out the front door and down the driveway, racing to beat not only the vampires but also her own emotions, which were threatening to burst forth.
Before she rounded the street corner, Kira saw headlights and heard the familiar rumble of Luke's pick-up truck. Really, she thought, the truck?
"Let's go, Kira," Luke yelled from the driver's seat and the passenger door popped open. Kira jumped inside and slammed it closed while Luke pushed the gas pedal all the way down, throwing her back against the seat with the force.
"Where are we going? Do we even have a plan?" Kira dragged her seatbelt around and clicked it into place.
"Yes," Luke said, not looking away from the road. His hands were white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly. "All we need to do is get to the airport. No vampires would dare attack us there, not in front of an audience and security cameras."
"How far away is it?"
"About half an hour."
Thirty minutes, Kira thought. It didn't seem like a long time, especially not with Luke zipping through the empty, fog-filled roads as he was now. And, after five minutes, Kira was beginning to think they were in the clear. Tristan must have diverted the pack, or, she thought darkly, they had reached the party and decided to drop their chase. Kira searched the night for the sound of sirens. Twisting in her seat, she looked out the back window, just in time to see the faint outline of a body rapidly approaching.
"Luke!" She yelled, grabbing his shoulder. He flicked his eyes to the rearview mirror and Kira saw his brows tighten into a frown.
"They're here." He said it like a sigh, as if a faint hope had been denied. "Okay, Kira, listen. I want you to kick out the back window—"
"What!" She jerked her head to the side and knew her eyes were just about popping out of her skull.
"Okay...that might have been a bit drastic, but it would have been really awesome." He smiled. She rolled her eyes.
"Luke, be serious!" She wanted to shake him, but she looked out the window instead. The vampire was gaining speed and fast.
Luke reached back with his arm, unlatched the window and slid it open. "Kira, you're going to have to fight them. Remember to keep moving quickly and, whatever you do, don't lose control. You need to make speedy movements. Do not concentrate on just one vampire because we're probably already surrounded."
Kira nodded and stuck her head out the opened window. The wind whipped her hair around and the trees swooshed by quicker than her eyes could follow. Of all the ideas they had had, this was probably high on the list of the worst, she mused and started pulling herself through the tight space. The vampire disappeared from the road, but Kira wasn't stupid enough to think they had lost him.
Finally, Kira made it through the window. She tried to stand, but got knocked over by the wind and slammed against the metal bed of the truck. There was no way she would be able to stay up when every bump in the road sent her flying. She noticed a rope in the back, and crawled over on her stomach, grabbing the string. She looped it around her waist, and tied it to a hoop in the bed of the truck. At least she couldn't be sent flying over the edge.
The wind still whistled in her ears, making it hard for her to hear anything else, and she was so concentrated on not toppling over that she didn't see the vampire jump through the trees until Luke shouted her name.
Blindly flinging her hand to the side, Kira shot flames into the night.
"Control!" Luke screamed from inside the car. Kira could only just hear him over the cackling of her fire. But, she stopped; realizing the vampire was long gone and she had been wasting energy on open space. Think, she thought and leaned against the back of the truck for stabilization. Finally adjusting to the rhythm of the road, Kira scanned the trees, waiting for something to jump out.
She saw a blur of blonde hair before registering the female vampire that jumped out from the right side, and she shot a short controlled flame right at her face, sending the vamp in somersaults back into the trees. To her left, another blur, and Kira fired again. She watched as the vamp circled in the air only to land on stable feet. He kept charging from the road, and Kira concentrated again, putting a killing force behind the blow. He retreated back to the woods.
A tingle in the back of her neck made Kira turn around seconds before Luke bellowed "in front!" The blonde female stood in the middle of the road with her hands outstretched, ready to stop their car. Kira sent a stream of light arching over to encase the female from above. She put all of her concentration into the kill and by the time Luke and Kira had reached the spot, all that remained was a pile of dust that scattered in the wind.
Kira was amazed at her own power. She had never been this accurate or this fast before. It might have been the extra adrenaline, but she took a moment to look at her own hands. The scars glowed in the darkness like coals still cooling on the grill.
The sound of boots slamming against metal jerked Kira awake. She stuck her hand toward the sound, letting her power go, and only saw the glowing blue eyes of the vamp as it flew off of the car.
Another jumped from the left and she shot it. One more from the right, and Kira knocked it down. Next, two vampires planned an attack together and she threw her arms wide to the sides, shooting both at once. But, hands grabbed her neck from behind and she felt the tightly knotted rope slip free from her waist. Kira swung her hands back and latched onto the vampire's head, burning it. A high-pitched scream pierced her ears, but she refused to let go. Soon, the squeal came to halt and Kira's own hands slammed together. A cloud of dust swooshed in front of her and she knew the vampire had imploded.
Something howled from the forest and before she could process, Kira had been lifted up and thrown down against the bed of the truck. A brown haired vampire with blood dripping from his lips stared down at her, growling. He crouched, ready to pounce, when the truck came screeching to a halt.
Before Luke had time to turn around in his seat and fire, a new blurred figure slammed into the huge vampire, sending him over the side and into the thick trunk of a tree with a slap.
"Go, Luke! Drive!" Tristan shouted and smacked his hand down on the roof of the car. Kira looked him over, noting the rips in his shirt and the blood seeping out of fresh wounds. He met her eyes and winked. Then a smile rose on his lips causing his dimples to appear.
"Love you," Tristan shouted over his shoulder as he jumped from the speeding truck and slammed into yet another vampire that had come flying from the trees. He's enjoying this, Kira thought, flabbergasted.
But, Kira still felt her heart sink when she scrambled to her knees and watched Tristan disappear from her sight locked in a death grip. She couldn't shoot the other vamp without risking Tristan, and before long, the two vampires had disappeared altogether.
The faint sound of beeps and rumbling engines caused Kira to turn around and she saw the highway ahead. She and Luke were finally free from the country roads. They had made it.
"Get inside," Luke said and slowed the car to make it easier for Kira to crawl through window and slip back in.
"Are you alright?" Luke asked when Kira was safely seated and buckled in. She took a moment to survey the damage, and besides a bump on the head and a few scrapes, she was fine, just tired. She raised her hand, and let her palm glow, sending the light inward to heal herself. Almost instantly, Kira felt revived. She sighed and rested her head against the back of her seat.
"So, let's agree to never do that again," Kira said.
"I don't know. You were pretty awesome up there. That move where you twisted your arms and burned that vampire chick's head apart. I mean, that was like comic book amazing."
Kira smiled. "That was pretty badass."
"Kira, the Vampire Slayer...no...Kira, the Avenger...nah, still not right...Kira, the Human Flame Thrower...eh, maybe—"
"Luke?"
"Yes?"
"Stop."
"Okay."
Kira looked over and saw that his lips were still moving. "Luke, you are not giving me some fancy nickname. Stop."
"Oh, come-on. I just thought of something amazing."
"No," she laughed at his persistence.
"Please?"
"No," she stood strong.
"Pretty please with a cherry on top...?" Kira finally looked him in the eyes, meeting his puppy-dog pout, and couldn't resist.
"Okay, fine, but keep your eyes on the road."
"Alright, here goes," Luke said, adding a dramatic pause for effect, "Kira...the Flaming Tomato." He grinned widely, super proud of himself. Kira snorted almost against her will.
"Luke, that stinks. That is actually the worst super-hero name I have ever heard. I prefer the human flame thrower."
"Too late," he cheered. "Kira Dawson, the Flaming Tomato. I think it has a nice ring to it. You have red hair like Shaun White, but you flame while he flies. It's perfect."
"It's terrible. If you ever call me that again, I may have to hurt you."
"You, hurt me? Never." Luke was doubtful, clearly.
Kira turned to look at Luke, grinning, and finally gave in. "Hey, I'm the Flaming Tomato, mister. I could kill you with the simplest flick of my finger."
He smiled triumphantly, and Kira let the conversation fall away as she noticed the exit sign for the airport. In an hour or two, they would probably be seated with their seats up and tray tables secure, flying off into the night sky, away from everything...and everyone.
"Do you think he's okay?" Kira didn't have to clarify.
"Yeah, you have nothing to worry about," Luke said as he switched lanes onto the exit ramp. They rode in silence for the next five minutes, enjoying the peace, until the lights from the parking lot came into view. They had arrived.
The clicking of the turn signal filled the silence as Luke made his way through long rows of empty spaces speckled here and there with a car. He pulled his truck to a halt in the last space of the longest row, the spot closest to the garage exit.
"Do you think they followed us?" Kira asked while peering around the fluorescent lamps and through the slight fog that stilled danced along the ground.
"I'm not sure," Luke responded. He reached for the handle on his door, and then hesitated. "On the count of three, we make a run for it, okay?"
Kira nodded. The entrance to the airport was maybe fifty yards away. They could definitely make it. She reached back for the duffle Tristan had stuffed full of her clothes and saw Luke take hold of his. She fixed the strap over her shoulder and met Luke's waiting eyes.
"One," Luke started.
"Two," Kira added.
"Three," they said simultaneously. Kira flipped the handle, shoved the door open and jumped out. Luke had already rounded the car and Kira sprinted forward, keeping pace with him. They made it out of the dark parking lot and were greeted with the bright lights of the airport entrance. Neither one of them slowed for a second until they were at the automatic door, panting and out of breath, but alive.
Kira sucked air into her lungs. The distance hadn't been far, but fear had made her heart race even faster than the running. When she straightened and walked through the sliding door, Kira noticed the security guard for the first time. He looked at Kira and Luke with clear suspicion.
"Nice night for a sprint through the parking lot, don't you think?" Luke said as they walked by and Kira elbowed him in the ribs. That taunt would not help anything. Luke shrugged and made his way to the ticket counter. Kira waited with their bags, looking up at the arrivals and departures board. It was almost one in the morning, and while Kira loved Charleston, the small, two terminal airport was not exactly hopping at the moment.
She scanned the names, searching for Orlando or something in Florida, but there were barely any planes flying for the rest of the night and the flights for the next morning had already been listed. Sighing, Kira walked over to Luke, dragging both of their bags behind her.
"There aren't anymore flights tonight, we need to find something for tomorrow." She said when she got closer. Luke turned with two tickets in hand and grinned.
"Don't worry. We're not flying commercial."
"What? What are we flying?" Kira went for the tickets, but Luke moved faster, keeping them just out of reach.
"You'll see."
Kira didn't like the smirk on his face, but she followed as he walked past her, picked up his bag and made for the security check.
They walked silently through the brown, carpeted hallways. The last time Kira had been there, she remembered judging the quaint decor, thinking it provincial compared to the vast, open space of New York's LaGuardia Airport. But now, Kira appreciated the hand-painted murals of herons on the marsh and Carolina gators. The personal touches of the smaller city were welcome, and she realized that soon she would be downsized to an even tinier town, which brought her thoughts right back to the conduits and the mysterious transportation they had provided.
Luke strode confidently through the airport and politely waved to the workers they passed as though old friends. Kira stepped more meekly behind, afraid of what she approached.
When they reached the terminal, Luke showed a flight attendant their tickets and she opened the exit door, signaling both of them to follow. Kira had no idea what to expect as she walked through the opening into breezy air, but the streamlined five window private jet that greeted her was the last thing she imagined.
"Luke, is this a joke? That can't be our ride."
"No joke. Conduits fly in style," he whispered in her ear and used his finger to close her jaw, which had dropped straight to the floor.
"How is this possible?" Kira asked, still not convinced.
"Just follow me." Luke laughed and looped his arm through hers, tugging her down the steps and over to the plane. Kira followed him up the entrance, ducking her head to fit through the ovular door, and almost couldn't believe what she saw. Eight cream-colored leather seats, large enough to fit two people each, filled the space. One long couch stretched below the windows on the left side of the plane, and two flat-screens graced the front and back walls of the space. The cup holders and foldout tables were made of mahogany and Kira thought even the carpeted floor looked luxurious. She felt her mouth hang open again and moved to close it as a man stood up from one of those comfy seats that Kira couldn't wait to collapse into.
"Luke! How have you been?" The man asked, stretching his arm out to shake Luke's hand. Kira took note of his tailored suit and sandy blond hair, before reaching out to shake the hand he now focused on her. "And you must be Miss Dawson. It's an honor to meet you."
"My pleasure," Kira said, still not totally trusting the wide smile he presented her.
"Kira, this is Councilman Andrews," Luke said, but something in the way he looked at her made Kira even warier. She remained silent, letting the tension build into an awkward silence. For some reason, Kira couldn't bring herself to trust this Council or its members.
"Well, now that introductions are out of the way, we have business to discuss. Luke, come sit with me?" The Councilman asked, breaking up the moment. Luke nodded and picked up his suitcase.
"Wait," Kira touched Luke's arm. "Mr. Andrews, can I please talk to him first?"
"Of course," the Councilman said, flashing that smile again, one that was slightly too wide to be real.
Kira sat down, sinking into the chair that was even more comfortable than she could have imagined. Luke sat across from her.
"Pretty nice, right?" He said, gazing around the small room.
"Well, yeah. You said you would explain this little surprise?"
"I can't go into details right now," Luke nodded his head in the Councilman's general area, letting Kira know the Councilman was listening in on them. "But, let me put it this way: Area 51 is real, it's just not about aliens. In exchange for our help, the government keeps our secret and gives us military funding. And a fancy way to fly was at the top of our list."
"So, what? You're saying that the government has some secret lab where they study vampires?"
"Basically, yes: vampires, among other things. We've heard rumors of were-creatures or faeries, but I've never seen any." Kira leaned back, processing. She guessed there had to be other things out there, but still, actually hearing it was just bizarre.
"Luke?" Councilman Andrews called out. He sighed under his breath.
"Look, I have to go talk to him. I need to brief him on what happened and let him know why we arrived so much sooner than planned." Kira nodded in understanding.
"Before you go, I just want to say thanks. If you hadn't been yelling instructions to me, we probably wouldn't have made it here. I never even saw that vampire in front of the car and until you screamed at me."
Luke smiled slightly, "I don't even remember screaming. Must have been too caught up in the action. Anyway, there's a phone in the armrest, I thought you might want to call your parents once we get in the air."
"Thanks," Kira said and watched as he retreated to the rear end of the plane to talk to Mr. Andrews. It's amazing, Kira thought, how he thinks of everything. He had saved her life again that night without even realizing it.
She felt the plane vibrate as the engine started and looked out the window to watch as they started moving closer and closer to the jet way. She felt the plane pick up speed after they rounded the last corner and she held on as it lifted off the ground, defying gravity in a way that still amazed her. The forest below started shrinking and the cars racing down the highway began to look more like toys than anything else.
Kira wished it were daylight so she could catch one last glimpse of the Ashley River in memory of one of her favorite afternoons. She searched for the lights of Charleston, but saw only the black stretch of the ocean. Folly pier would be out there somewhere, she realized, as she stared out at the eastern horizon.
Leaving things behind was always hard, but leaving the place where she had discovered so much about herself was more difficult than she had realized. In the past year, almost everything about her life had changed, but South Carolina had been a constant. The humid air that clung to her skin, the tangy smell of salt in wind or the rustle of a palmetto in a chilly winter's breeze — all of it had become comforting to her. Sonnyville, home of an ancient society she had only just scratched the surface of, would be completely new. She would miss the sand, the beach, the hot sun, and the low-country attitude where enjoying life was the most important thing.
Kira stopped searching the darkness for her home and reached inside the armrest for the phone instead. She dialed and it rang once before it clicked.
"Hello?" It was her mother, and Kira felt sorry for the obvious panic in her voice.
"Mom, it's me. I'm—"
"Oh, thank God. What happened? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Kira said loudly, halting her mother before her questioning got out of control. "I'm on my way to Sonnyville with Luke. We had to leave a little earlier than expected." She didn't want to frighten her mother, so she kept silent about the reason for their leaving early.
"I know. Tristan came over and told your father and I about the Council summoning you a day early. We didn't even get to say goodbye." Kira smiled, silently thanking Tristan for knowing her well enough to understand that she wouldn't want her mother to worry. It also meant that he had made it and that the vampires had fled after their car chase.
"Honestly, maybe it's better this way. Now we won't have to go through that whole bawling in each other's arms sort of goodbye." She heard a sniffle on the other end of the receiver. "Mom, stop crying. Seriously, I'm only leaving for two months. I'll be back to annoy you and Dad in no time."
"I know," she sniffled again. Mothers, Kira sighed. "Your father wants to talk to you."
"Kira?"
She smiled at the deep rumble of her father's voice. "Hi, Dad."
"Hi, honey. We're so happy you're all right. Luke better be treating you like a lady." Kira rolled her eyes.
"Dad, relax. I'm staying with Luke and his family, and my boyfriend is in Europe for the next two months. You have nothing to worry about."
"Well, that's a father job, we—"
A high-pitched, barely understandable squeal sounded through the phone, cutting her father off.
"Chloe!" Kira chirped, excited.
"Kira, where are you?"
Kira smirked. She could easily envision the pout on her sister's face. "I had to go away for a little while, but I'll be back soon."
"Can you make pancakes when you get back?"
"Of course," Kira chuckled. Her sister would miss her food more than she missed her.
"Yay! Here's Mommy."
"Call us when you land, okay sweetie?"
"Yes, Mom."
"We love you."
"I love you, too," Kira said and hung up the phone. Maybe, two months away wouldn't be so bad. It would be an adventure, like going to camp for a summer. She would come back with enough stories to enthrall her sister and enough skills that her mother might stop worrying a little bit. Maybe she would learn more about who and what she was, and why the Council had decided to keep her alive even though her life supposedly meant the end of the modern world.
And maybe, Kira thought as she pulled the chain holding her locket and ring out from underneath her shirt, maybe she would come back with a few more memories of her real parents. Maybe, she finally let herself dream, she would come back with her real mother.
Kira leaned her head against the window and watched the sky change with the rising sun. At first, the deep ebony sky lightened to a vivid indigo, slowly turning from a dark violet to a light pink, until wispy tendrils of cerulean poked through the painterly scene. Even the clouds seemed fluffier than usual.
Before long, Kira dozed off. She didn't notice as the bright sun scattered the clouds and enlivened the ground below. She didn't notice the warm glow on her cheeks and how her skin naturally reacted to the brilliant rays. She didn't even notice when the plane started to descend on the sleepy town below, one that had just started buzzing with the morning's events.
She did notice when Luke lightly touched her shoulder and shook her awake.
"Kira," he whispered, his lips slightly closer to her ear than necessary. In her groggy state, she welcomed the warmth of his breath. "Kira, we're here."
Her eyes shot open.