Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter - By Nikki Jefford Page 0,66

don't want to see him ever again." Not exactly. It would just kill me to see him with Valerie.

Mom considered this and relented somewhat, but not entirely. "But all your friends are at Denali and the semester's already started. You'll have to catch up in all your classes."

"I know it's a surprise, but I need a fresh start. I know I can do better if I get away from the distractions plaguing me at Denali."

Her expression softened.

I smiled and pulled my trump card. "Besides, Dante and I had a long discussion about it on the way to Fairbanks. He believes it's just what I need to get my life back on track."

"Oh," Mom said. "I'm sure Dante's right. He has a good head on his shoulders."

I gave Mom a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll be home soon - need to get ready for my first day in a new school. Will you drive me?"

"Of course, I will."

"I still have to figure out how I'm going to get to and from West."

"I can drive you as long as you need - the whole semester if you need me to."

"Thanks, Mom."

I grabbed my coat from the closet and headed outside to wait for Noel.

I started walking down the hill. Halfway down, Noel's old Volvo chugged up beside me. She stopped, and I got in just before the tires spun in place. Noel backed up slowly into an empty driveway then pulled forward, pointing the Volvo back down the hill.

I watched Noel drive for a moment. She looked so short behind the wheel.

After a few moments of silence, I shook my head. "So you're an informant. I had no idea."

"Don't feel bad. It's not your job to know who informants are."

"Did you suspect I was an assassin at any point?"

"I had my suspicions...especially after you pulled out that dagger."

I fought back a grin and ended up losing. Noel laughed.

I asked my next question. "So that whole song and dance about Henry the mega suave biter was a lie?"

"Not exactly. I sort of stole that story from Whitney and added my own embellishments, but Henry really did bite me. He just wasn't my first."

I swallowed. "What was your first bite like?"

"It nearly killed me." Noel watched the road as she talked. "It turns out my transfusion didn't take. When the vampire got his teeth into me, he kept drinking. He wouldn't stop. I lost consciousness. I didn't wake up again until I was back on the cutting table. The agents had to patch me up and give me a second blood transfusion."

"Assholes," I muttered.

"They didn't know," Noel said quickly. "They rescued me - twice. Agent Melcher was there both times looking out for me when anyone else would have let me die without a second thought."

"What about your parents?"

"We don't talk," Noel answered abruptly.

She slowed as she entered a sharp turn.

I stared out the window at the bare limbed trees.

Noel took a deep breath. "I should have died at the end of sophomore year. You and I are their newest recruits, you know."

I turned in my seat toward her. "We are?"

"You even killed my vampire for me - the rabies vampire. He was the one who nearly drained me."

I shuddered. "So you had your own experience with the lunatic."

"He was almost the end of me."

"Then I don't feel so bad about staking him."

"You should never feel bad about killing a vampire. They're evil...well, most are. Not all. Marcus isn't evil. Nor is Henry or Gavin. Or Fane."

I sat up. "You aren't required to report every vampire you find out to the agents, are you?"

Noel looked over. "They only care about the violent ones, or so I assume. It wouldn't help the cause to destroy the ones that get us closer to the real dangerous targets."

I relaxed. Only slightly. I wasn't entirely convinced that Melcher and Crist didn't wish to obliterate all varieties.

"Are you disappointed?" I asked. "I mean that you're an informant and not a hunter."

Noel's voice lifted. "I love being an informant. I love doing my part to make the world safer. A lot of vampires, it goes to their head. You know, immortality. They don't play by society's rules anymore. We're like the vampire police recruited to keep order in the world."

"Hmm."

"And I did have one advantage," Noel said. "I already knew about vampires before I was recruited. This chick I met had just let me in on the whole secret and wanted me to go with her to a party