White Witch, Black Curse

My keys were in my bag, three cars away. "Stay here," I told Ivy, and after seeing her leaning upright, under her own power, I started for my keys. "That's Tom Bansen," I said as I walked between the man and the sight of the melting tree. "He did this. You want answers, go talk to him. I'm in a city parking lot. You have no jurisdiction, and I'm leaving." I scooped up my bag and got out my keys. The lethal-amulet detector was a bright, shiny red. No kidding. "You want my ID?" I said as I headed back to Ivy. "It's in your file. Have a freaking nice day and a happy New Year!"

Shifting my shoulder under Ivy's arm, we started for my car. Her feet dragged through the puddle of antifreeze, and she was starting to pant. Leaving her leaning against the hood of my car, I opened it. She mumbled for her purse, and after helping her inside, I went back for it. I looked up at the click of a safety going off, but they couldn't shoot me if I was just walking away.

"Ma'am!" the man tried again, and my blood pressure spiked. But a second voice intruded.

"Let her go. She's been shunned."

A bitter sensation filled me, but no one stopped me. "Hold on, Ivy," I whispered as I got in my car and reached across to shut her door. "The hospital is right next door."

"Rynn Cormel," she said, eyes closed as tears coursed down her face. "Take me to Rynn. I don't care about him. He's just a vampire."

Just a vampire? I hesitated, then fumbled with the key twice before I got it in the ignition and the car came to life. Around us, the security people were having fits. Apparently Tom had gotten away, and they didn't have the authority to detain me.

"Rynn," Ivy said, staring at me, her head propped up against the door. Her eyes were glassy, and hunger sent a shiver through me. It was starting to take hold. If not for her weakened state, she'd be having a much harder time.

"Okay," I said, sniffing back my tears. I knew how she felt. She didn't want to be this person, but to survive, she had to be. "I won't let him hurt you."

"Please hurry," she said, shutting her eyes as they turned a full, hungry, vampire black. Her long pianist's hand clenched on the door handle, and she pressed herself as far away from me as she could.

Lights on, I pulled out and headed for the exit. The speedometer crept upward, and I waited for a dizzy feeling, but it never came. Apparently Mia hadn't taken enough from me to affect my balance, but a quick tap on a ley line told me I was still compromised and I dropped it before I threw up from the pain.

"Call him." Ivy's voice sent a chill through me. It was low and sultry, in wide contrast to her weakened state. "Use my phone."

I was starting to see some traffic, and at a red light, I pulled her purse to me, finding her slim phone and opening it up. Five bars. How come my phone never has five bars? Eyeing the bright screen and the traffic light both, I scrolled through the numbers, then hit "RC."

My heart pounded, and as the phone rang, the light changed and I pulled out into a snow-rimmed street. I didn't get more than fifteen feet before the line clicked open and a cultured, interested voice said, "Yes, Ivy?"

Shit. I jiggled the phone closer, gunning the engine to make the next yellow light. "Ivy's been hurt," I said tersely. "She needs blood."

Rynn Cormel made an odd sound. "Then give it to her, Rachel."

Son of a bastard. "She doesn't want my blood!" I said, looking at her and seeing her in pain. "She wants you. I'm bringing her to you, but I don't know if she can make it." I wiped my eyes when the streetlights went blurry. "That damn banshee got her. You're going to keep her alive, or so help me, I'm going to kill you, Rynn Mathew Cormel. Don't mess with me on this. I mean it! I can't save her soul yet. I need more time."

I didn't care if I sounded like a demon, using all three of his names like that. Managing the icy roads, I heard the undead vampire take a slow breath he didn't need. "Take the I-75 bridge. We'll find you."

The phone clicked off, and I tossed it in the direction of Ivy's purse. Blinking furiously, I clamped my hands on the wheel and pushed down on the accelerator. Horns blew as I tore through town, but the FIB guys wouldn't stop me and the I.S. didn't care anymore.

"Hold on," I said through gritted teeth as I took a turn too fast, having to push on her shoulder to keep her from falling into me.

Ivy's eyes opened as my hand touched her, and fear plinked through me. "Hurry," she panted. "Rachel, I'd rather die than bite you now. Please hurry. I don't know how long I can stop myself. It hurts. Oh God…She took everything."

"It's going to be okay," I said as I saw a sign for bridge traffic. "He's coming. We're almost there."

She was silent, and then a ragged "Are you okay?" came out of her.