43. SECRETS REVEALED
RAVE SHOWED UP at Leesa’s door a few hours later.
Leesa and Cali were inside, still talking about their amazing afternoon adventure. Leesa was sitting on the bed, but Cali remained amped up by the excitement and spent most of her time walking about the room and gesturing with her hands. She did most of the talking, of course, describing over and over again what had happened before Leesa arrived, as well as reliving everything that occurred after. Her favorite part was when Edwina went flying through the air like she had been grabbed by an invisible hand, but Stefan kissing her hand was a close second. She also peppered Leesa with crazy questions about Stefan and vampires in general, most of which Leesa answered with “how the hell would I know that?”
“What do you think will happen to Edwina?” Cali asked.
Before Leesa could reply once more that she didn’t know, Rave strode in through the open door, his handsome face etched with concern.
“Rave!” Leesa shouted. She leapt up off the bed and flew into his arms.
“Are you all right?” Rave asked, hugging her tightly.
Leesa lifted her head from his chest and looked up into his gorgeous eyes.
“I’m fine. And now that you’re here, I’m way better than fine.”
“We had a pretty exciting time a few hours ago,” Cali said, her tone hinting at mysterious secrets. “But everything’s cool now. I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to tell you, though.”
Leesa stepped back from Rave’s embrace but kept her hands linked around his arm. She would tell Rave everything, of course, but wasn’t sure how much to say with Cali there.
Rave spoke instead. “What happened, Leesa? I felt your need and came as quickly as I could.” He laid one hand atop Leesa’s hands where they circled his forearm. “I was afraid I was going be too late.”
Cali looked back and forth from Leesa to Rave, her confusion evident.
“How did you know we were in trouble?” she asked.
Rave thought for a moment, deciding what to say.
“Can we trust her to keep a secret?” he asked Leesa.
“Yeah, I think so.”
“I know so,” Cali said adamantly. “When I put something in the lockbox, it stays there.” She mimed putting a key into a lock and turning it, then theatrically dropping the key down her shirt between her breasts. “So c’mon, what gives?”
“Go ahead,” Rave said to Leesa. “She’s your best friend. Tell her everything.”
Leesa looked at Rave for a moment to make certain he meant what he had just said. He nodded for her to go ahead.
“You can’t tell anyone,” Leesa said to Cali. “I mean it. Even my mom and Bradley don’t know what I’m about to tell you.”
Cali made a crossing motion with her finger in front of her heart. “I promise.”
“Rave’s kinda different,” Leesa said.
Cali looked incredulous. “That’s it? That’s your big secret? Please, tell me something I don’t already know. He’s a Maston—of course he’s freakin’ different. They’re all pretty strange.” She looked at Rave and smiled sweetly. “No offense, Rave.”
Rave smiled back. “None taken.”
“No,” Leesa said. “Much more different than you can imagine. I think maybe you should sit down.”
Cali looked more confused than ever, but she plopped herself down on the edge of the bed.
“Rave’s a volkaane,” Leesa said.
“A volk what?”
“Volkanne,” Leesa said. “Show her, Rave.”
Rave held out his right hand, palm up. “Touch it,” he said to Cali.
Cali looked at Leesa and then back to Rave. She reached out and placed her hand in his palm.
“Wow! It’s so warm!”
“Wait,” Rave told her. He sent more heat into his hand.
Cali’s eyes widened. Finally, she lifted her hand away and brought it close to her face, staring at it in disbelief of what she had just felt.
“What does that mean?” she asked after a moment. “How hot can you make it?”
Rave looked at Leesa.
“Go ahead,” she said.
Rave let his heat grow, until the familiar tiny blue flames flickered from his fingertips.
“Holy crap!” Cali exclaimed, remembering tales about the Mastons and strange blue fires. “That blue fire stuff is real!”
Rave smiled and let the flames disappear. “Yes, it is,” he said. “One of the only stories people tell about us that is actually true.”
“What do you do with it?” Cali asked. “It looks pretty and it’s way cool and all, but I’m guessing it’s not just for show?”
“He kills vampires with it,” Leesa said matter-of-factly.
Cali’s eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. She swung her head back and forth between Leesa and Rave like it was on a swivel.
“You’re kidding, right?” she asked Leesa. She turned to Rave. “She is kidding, right?”
“My people are vampire hunters,” Rave said. “We use our fire to slay them.”
Cali sat silently for a long moment and then broke out into a wide grin.
“Leesa, you definitely are the coolest friend ever. First Stefan, and now this. Wow!”
“Stefan?” Rave asked, looking at Leesa. His eyes narrowed. “What’s this about Stefan?”
Leesa sensed Rave’s barely restrained anger. She took his hand.
“Stefan saved us today. At least, he saved Cali.”
“And he kissed my hand, too.” Cali held her hand out, displaying it. “Right here.” She looked at Leesa. “I’m allowed to tell Rave, right?”
Leesa smiled. “Yes, you can tell him anything.” She turned to Rave and began describing the afternoon’s events.
“When Edwina first showed us she was a vampire, I desperately wished you were here,” she said. “That must be when you sensed my need for you. Edwina took her time with us, threatening and tormenting me. When she finally got ready to bite Cali, I somehow knocked Edwina back…with my thoughts, I think.”
Rave seemed to take her statement in stride. “Like the wastebasket,” he said.
“Yeah, like the wastebasket.”
“Wait a minute,” Cali said. “That was you who did that to Edwina?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Leesa briefly explained about the Red Bull can and the wastebasket.
“Wow,” Cali said, her voice filled with amazement. “This just keeps getting cooler and cooler.” She grinned. “You’re a superhero, too.”
“Ha! I wish. I don’t have any control over it. I wasn’t even sure if those other things really happened, or if I just imagined them.” Leesa turned to Rave. “When Edwina went after Cali the second time, I couldn’t do anything to stop her, no matter how hard I tried. Then Stefan showed up out of nowhere. He took care of Edwina.”
“It was amazing,” Cali said. “I never saw anyone move so fast. He ripped half her throat out before I could even blink.”
“You haven’t seen Rave move yet,” Leesa said proudly. “He’s faster.”
“Why did Stefan turn against one of his own?” Rave asked. Ever since his first encounter with Stefan, which Leesa had bravely interrupted and stopped, Rave had thought he and Stefan were destined to test one another’s power again one day. His anger over Stefan’s attempt to turn Leesa into a vampire had solidified the feeling. Now, he didn’t know. Perhaps fate had something else in store for them. He didn’t like the idea of being indebted to a vampire, but if Stefan had stopped Edwina, then Rave owed him a great deal.
“I don’t really know why he did it,” Leesa admitted. “I know he felt something special for me when he wanted to make me his consort, but I thought that ended when he found out he couldn’t turn me. He said he had warned Edwina to stay away from me, and when she didn’t, she had to be punished for disobeying him. I don’t know if it was more about me or about her disobedience.”
“I have no idea what you two are talking about now,” Cali said, “but I’m glad Stefan showed up when he did.”
“Me, too,” Leesa said. She turned to Rave. “How long can you stay this time?” she asked.
Rave smiled. “How about forever?”
Leesa’s heart jumped. Had she just heard what she thought she’d heard? She looked up into Rave’s smiling eyes. “Forever” had a very nice ring to it.
“Really?” she managed to say finally. “You don’t have to go back to New Hampshire?”
“I told Balin I would not be coming back, that I needed to stay closer to you.” Rave’s smile widened into a big grin. “I don’t know how one girl can keep getting into so much trouble, but somehow you manage to do it. Balin said he would take care of any problem there might be with the Council. My people will all be returning in a few days, anyhow. Destiratu remains a problem, but the effects of the solstice seem to be ended.”
This was the best news Leesa had heard in a long time. She wrapped her arm around Rave and snuggled against him. Before she could say anything, she felt his body suddenly stiffen. He shoved her behind him and spun toward the door. His fingers began to glow blue, but he kept his hands hidden behind his back.
Leesa peeked out from behind him and saw a man standing in the doorway.