Deeper than the Night - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,98

a few times, and Kara knew that her sister suspected she was hiding more than she was telling.

Late that night, after everyone else had gone to bed, Gail and Kara sat in the kitchen, drinking hot chocolate.

"How long will we have to stay here?" Gail asked.

"I'm not sure." Kara shook her head. Maybe they'd never be able to go home again.

"Where's Alexander Claybourne?"

"I don't know."

"Did you ever find out what was wrong with your blood?"

"Not exactly, but I'm fine now."

"Is Barrett still looking for you?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know much of anything, do you?" Gail remarked candidly.

Kara let out a sigh. "At this point, I'm afraid I don't. Listen, Gail, I'm leaving in the morning."

"I'm going with you."

"No."

"Why not? You're going to look for Mr. Claybourne, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Maybe I can help."

"It's too dangerous."

"Kara, why won't you tell me what's going on?"

"Because you're better off not knowing."

"It's because he's a vampire, isn't it?"

Kara hesitated. "Don't be silly."

"Am I? There's something different about him. I know there is."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know how to explain it, I just know. I knew it that first night when I went to his house."

"You never said anything."

"I didn't think you'd believe me. I didn't want you to say I was being silly."

"I never said you were silly."

"Not in words, maybe, but I know you think it's dumb for me to believe in vampires and aliens and stuff like that. And maybe it is. But I believe it anyway."

"Gail, if I tell you something, will you promise never to tell anyone else?"

"I promise."

"You can't tell Cherise or Stephanie. Not even Nana."

"I promise."

"Alex isn't a vampire."

Gail made a face.

"He's an alien."

Gail blinked at Kara several times. "An alien? You mean, like from outer space?"

Kara nodded.

"I was right!" Gail exclaimed. "I knew it!"

"Gail, listen, Alex is in danger, and I've got to find him."

"I'll help you."

"No."

"Please?" Gail leaned across the table, her expression earnest. "If it wasn't for me, you might be dead now. You owe me a favor."

"Blackmail?" Kara exclaimed. "You're trying to blackmail me? Your own sister?"

"Yes. Is it working?"

"Oh, Gail, what am I going to do with you?"

"Take me with you."

"I'll think about it."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Kara picked up the cups, carried them to the sink, and rinsed them out. "It's late. Let's go to bed."

"Okay."

Later, lying in the twin bed next to Gail's, Kara stared into the darkness, wondering where Alex was, if he was well. She closed her eyes, concentrating on Alex, trying to send her thoughts to him, to read his in return, but to no avail. She refused to think of what the silence might mean, telling herself that distance alone accounted for the fact that she couldn't reach him; she refused to consider any other possibility.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Kara rose with the dawn, wanting to get an early start, even though she wasn't sure where to look first.

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness assaulted her. Stomach churning, she ran into the bathroom, dropped to her knees in front of the toilet, and retched.

"Kara? Are you all right?"

"Fine," she mumbled. Tearing off several sheets of toilet paper, she wiped her mouth, then stood up. Surprisingly, she felt much better.

"Are you sick?" Gail stood in the doorway, looking worried.

"I don't think so." She wiped the perspiration from her forehead, remembering, as she did so, that she'd felt sick to her stomach yesterday morning, too.

"Kara?"

"I think I'm pregnant."

Gail's eyes widened. "Pregnant!"

Kara nodded, wondering why it hadn't occurred to her before. She was pregnant.

"Who's the father?"

"Alex."

Gail's mouth fell open, her expression one of utter astonishment. "But he's . . . Does he know?"

"No." And he probably wouldn't be too happy with the news when she told him. Unbidden came the memory of Alexander's voice, warning her that a pregnancy could be dangerous, even fatal, for her and the child.

"Are you scared?"

Kara nodded. "Gail, what am I going to do?"

Gail shrugged. "I don't know." And suddenly, it was as if Gail were the older sister, and Kara the younger. "I guess you'll either have the baby, or not."

Kara met her sister's gaze. "An abortion?" She shook her head. "I couldn't." Not Alex's baby. She remembered telling him that she would love any child God might grant her. She had been so sure of those words when she had said them, but now . . .

She couldn't kill it, couldn't murder her own unborn child. Even if it was half-alien, even if it was a monster,