Chapter 3 – Lorianna
It’s late afternoon by the time I arrive at the hospital and twist the handle to my dad’s large private room. His wide bed sits in the middle of the room to fit his robust size. He’s nestled in the middle with the cashmere blanket I brought him when he was admitted over a month ago.
I haven’t visited him in about two weeks; it doesn’t feel as long when I’m constantly on the phone with my dad, but I wish I were here to bring him home. A whole lifetime has passed in a whirlwind since his admittance. Thankfully, I don’t have to feel too guilty about his quality of care; while I’ve been unable to come, he’s had an assistant come in and out of the hospital every day to tend to his every need.
To the side of his bed are stacks of books, food, and snacks, anything he’s asked for or needed during his stay. Beside him, the sheer curtains are open, and the window is cracked to let in a bit of fresh air and sunlight. The back of the bed is raised so he can sit up comfortably and watch TV, which currently appears to be playing an episode of Criminal Minds, while he spoons chocolate pudding into his mouth. The bed tray is positioned over his lap, with a bowl of grey oatmeal currently untouched next to a glass of half-finished orange juice.
“Dad?” I say as I enter, summoning all my strength. I eye the television screen skeptically. “I didn’t realize you liked crime shows.”
“I hate these stupid things, but what else can I watch when all the channels are broken?” His blue eyes fall from the screen and land on me. There’s a moment where it seems like he’s not sure he believes what he’s seeing, and then a jovial smile breaks across his round face. “Lorianna, is that you, my girl?”
“Who else would it be?”
“It’s been so long I thought Alex might be trying to fool me with a mask of your face. So that is you? Decided to come see your old man? I didn’t know you were coming! Come here, come here.”
His brightness is unexpected and brings tears rushing back to my eyes. A part of me was terrified that I would never see him this way again, almost entirely back to himself. Alive, joyful, loving. I hurry to his bedside, throwing my arms around his wide frame. He hugs me back fiercely, and I can feel just how much of his strength has returned. In just this moment, with a daughter hugging her father, it feels like we’re back to how we were two months ago.
It doesn’t last.
He pulls away from our hug and raises a thin eyebrow. “Why didn’t you call? I’ve been trying to reach you, you know. Not that I’m complaining, since you’ve showed up here all on your own.”
“I forgot to charge my phone last night, and I’ve been driving all day.” I put on a pleasant smile and ease onto the bed next to him. “I didn’t mean to ignore you. Is everything okay?”
“Just so, now that you’re here.” His smile looks just as fake as mine. “Were you just in the area, sweetie, or am I lucky enough to have you here for no reason at all?”
“I’m...” My voice cracks, and I breathe in a shuddering breath, tugging at my hoodie’s sleeves. “I missed you. You were supposed to be released weeks ago.”
“I know. I wish I was home too, sweetie. But you know, I think today’s the day we break me out of here, what do you say? No more Mr. Nice Guy. I’m tired of hospitals, stuffy staff, and noisy hallways. I’m ready to go.”
My chest shakes with pent-up laughter. “Can you just do that?”
“Of course I can. They’ve been giving me the runaround for days now about my tests. Must not be so urgent if the results are taking so long. I’m sure a phone call and a follow-up appointment will do just fine.”
The shadows beneath his eyes are all but gone from the last time I saw him, his skin has returned to a normal, healthy color, and he doesn’t seem as tired or sad as I remember. By all rights and reasons, he seems perfectly healthy—hardly worth keeping him in the hospital for weeks longer than was initially predicted. Considering the huge improvement, it seems like it would be safe to take him from the hospital if the doctors approve it.
The sterile smell applied by the constant movement of the cleaning crew never manages to quite cover up the scent of the sick and dying. Hospitals have always unnerved me, but somehow, it’s worse every time I come, afraid that my dad will soon be someone the janitors are eagerly trying to wipe away.
I’ll be fucking ecstatic if we can get Dad out of here.
Once, all I had to worry about was getting through school and making my dad proud of me. I wish I was still the girl who didn’t know any better, who would have laughed at someone for suggesting that vampires are real. How can I pretend nothing has changed when I’ve seen vampires with my own two eyes? Nothing will be the same ever again.
Whatever comes next, I need my dad by my side.
“If that’s what you want. It would be nice to have you back home again, although… I’m not sure we have much of a home to go back to right now.”
My expression must have changed while I’m thinking because Dad tilts his head at me. “Tell me what’s going on. I know that look.”
Voices rise and fall from the hallway behind me, and I hesitate before closing the door. On the drive over, I thought about nothing but how I was going to approach the topic with my dad, but I still don’t feel entirely ready now that the time is here. I was in so much shock last night that I didn’t think to call the cops, and maybe it’s better that I didn’t. It makes sense that the vampires would have their own way of handling things, and I don’t want to get in trouble.
The door clicks, then I turn back to him. “What’s the real reason you’re still in the hospital, Dad?”
He seems taken aback by the question. He leans away and settles against the headboard. “I don’t know what you mean. I had a heart attack, and I’m just as surprised as you are that they haven’t gotten sick of me and sent me home. The doctors said there were irregularities—”
“What irregularities? You look healthier than you’ve been in years.”
“I just might well be, thanks to their miracle treatments. I’ll be going home soon. Any day now, they should give me the word, I’d expect.” He purses his lips. “Lori, you know how much I don’t like it when you avoid my questions.”
I came all this way for the truth, for answers, and I can’t leave without them. At the same time, I don’t want to ruin his good mood and all the progress he’s made over the past few weeks.
With a forlorn sigh, I plop down into the uncomfortable visitor’s chair beside him. “Last night, we... someone broke into our house and tried to rob us.”
His eyes widen. “What? That’s impossible—why would—” He stops himself, brows furrowing. “Are you harmed?”
“I’m fine. I hid upstairs while it was happening.”
“And the staff?”
I barely hear the question. My mind goes back to last night, the house’s walls shaking, glass shattering, yelling downstairs... all while I sobbed in the closet. I know it’s not my fault I had a panic attack; they’ve been triggered less frequently since I was attacked at the club, as I’ve worked with Luke and a therapist to manage the stress, but not being able to do anything just makes me feel so weak. People I care about were brutally attacked, and I could have been, too, just like that time...
I try not to think about it. I shake my head and pull myself out of the memory. “Olivia was... Olivia was murdered. Alex was gravely wounded while trying to protect us.”
Dad’s eyes glaze over, the pale blue almost seeming gray. “What a tragedy. That poor woman. She was such a sweet soul. She never deserved... well she didn’t deserve a death like that.”
“I know. I’ll miss her red velvet cakes, the sweet notes she always left me with my lunches for school... She wasn’t Mom, but she always showed me kindness and guidance like a mother should. I’ll always appreciate and remember her for that.”
Dad stares at the wall, deep in thought. Now I understand that Olivia might have been around more and a bigger presence in my life if she wasn’t a vampire and limited to the dark hours. I don’t know what I think about all the time we shared now that she’s gone. Does her being a vampire change anything? I’m still not sure.
“I must see to it that her family is properly compensated for this horrible event. Yes... there will be many matters to attend to now. Today is a good day to leave and go home. And Alex?” he asks, his tone suddenly urgent. “Is Alex well?”
I clear my throat. “Dad, he almost died. He had to reveal his... his secret. To me.”
Dad looks more nervous than I’ve ever seen him before. Fidgeting with his blanket, his fingers move like anxious knitting needles along the hem. Sweat beads down his brow, giving way to flushed cheeks and a worried set in his jaw. Then he starts nodding. “I see. I... understand. So, you’d best tell me everything that happened, and I’ll fill in the gaps from there. From the beginning.”
“I don’t know much, to be honest.” I pause, raking my mind for a place to start that doesn’t make me want to cry or scream. “I had Luke and his adoptive father over for dinner, and we had an amazing night. Cooking, singing, laughing… they told me so many incredible stories about their travels, Dad. It’s incredible, all the places they’ve been. Then, after they left and I went to bed, I was woken up in the night. I heard shouting and crashing. All I could do was hide in the closet, waiting for it to be over. I feel so stupid about it now...”
“I’m just glad you’re safe. What happened after that?”
“Eventually, Enzo found me upstairs, and he brought me down to Alex, who was... he was covered in blood and looked sick. I was so terrified. I thought he was dying. He was dying. I begged to bring him to the hospital, but he refused.”
I close my eyes, and a set of tears fall down my cheeks. I thought I was all out of tears, but it’s hard not to get emotional when I relive that fear and pain.
“There was so much blood, but it didn’t bother him at all,” I whisper. “Then Enzo told me that Luke and Ivan tried to rob us, and Alex and Olivia suffered to protect us. Then I... he told me how I could save him.”
My dad’s soft blue eyes settle on me. There’s no judgment in his gaze, only worry for my wellbeing. “And did you?”
I lift my hand to stare at my wrist, where the two clean puncture wounds have gone from bloody marks to clean scabs. It’s healed so much in a matter of hours, but it’s there. I’m not crazy, and everything that happened really happened. I didn’t dream it up.
Or anything that happened after that. What it felt like after Alex bit me… it felt more erotic than anything I ever did with Luke. How Alex looked at me after, like he… like he wanted to…
In hindsight, my uncertainty about my feelings for him contributed to my decision to leave before he woke up. I don’t know how much control I have over myself right now, and I need to figure out what I want and need going forward before I can make a solid choice.
Luke and I are finished. Mentally, I’ve accepted that. But my heart? I don’t know.
It’s… I’m just so confused.
“Yes,” I breathe, returning to the present moment with my dad. “I let Alex drink my blood.”
My dad’s face falls, but his cheeks become more red. “I’m so, so, so sorry, sweetheart. I never wanted this for you. If I could have prevented this… if I’d been there…”
His eyes are wet, but his cheeks twitch as he tries to stay composed. I slide my chair closer to his bedside and grasp his hand. “It’s okay, Dad. I feel fine, I think.”
Dad takes my hand, turns over my wrist, and his thumb rolls over the scabs. “These will fade within a few days. Are you still dizzy? You’ve always been faint after having blood drawn.”
“I had some sushi and a green smoothie. I told you, I’m okay.”
He nods absently. “Good. Anything with iron helps. I hope this will be the only time you have to give a part of yourself to them, but…”
Dad pulls up his sleeve to show me his arm. Puncture marks dot all along the veins in his forearm, some much more prominent than others, but they are so faint I never noticed them before. Anyone who did likely wouldn’t think they were more than scratches from a cat’s claws. I feel… sick is a drastic understatement of the terror and outrage roiling in my stomach. How many times did they feed off my dad?
Has Alex fed off him, too?
Farther up his arm, I see the tattoo and remember why Alex’s seemed so familiar. The same stylized red and black ‘A’ is on my Dad’s arm. That’s all but explicit confirmation that they were working together under Aurelius.
“The biting and blood loss isn’t so bad once you get used to it,” he says.
“Why would you ever have to get used to it?” I whisper. “What haven’t you been telling me?”
“I never thought I would have to, but it… I’ve made many mistakes in my life, sweetheart. I didn’t want to burden you with this one.”
I fist at my thighs. “It’s too late for that. I know about Aurelius and how there’s a link to the vampires in the Monroe Investment Group. But I don’t know the details. You need to come clean to me, Dad. Are you a… a vampire too?”
“Heaven’s no. That would be another mouth for them to feed, and they don’t want that. My arrangement with Aurelius is more complicated. It all started when I was young, stupid, desperate.” He shakes his head. “Sweetheart, I know you want answers, but maybe this isn’t the place for this conversation?”
“I’ve stewed enough on my own. Tell me the short version for now, and we can talk more once we get you out of here.”
His eyes linger on the door for a long moment, then he nods. “Growing up, I had very little. My parents often had to choose between paying rent and food. Everyone struggled, and it took everything in me to break out of that poverty cycle when I was older. Then, when my life became a little more than nothing, it was all taken away, one thing at a time, and I couldn’t do anything.”
I nod. He’s told me about his upbringing and how it inspired him to do better before.
“That’s when Aurelius showed up. He was a shadow in an alley on my way back from the odd jobs I’d managed to pull together at the time, whispering promises of filling my pocket and my belly and every dream on top of that. How could I not stop and listen? I figured he was one of those snake oil salesmen, but if there was a chance…”
“You had to take it.”
“All he wanted was for me to hear him out at first. I did. It sounded like bullshit, so I left. And every night, at the same corner, he came to talk to me. Everything about him felt wrong. The way he spoke, his body proportions, the hungry gleam in his eye… there was no illusion that he was not a good person, but as my pockets and belly became emptier, his promises sounded more alluring. Then, when I was about to become homeless, I did what I had to do to survive. It was a simple exchange: my blood for his money. Not much different from a blood bank, only far more lucrative.”
“He preyed on your desperation. What a piece of shit.”
“Language,” he scoffs. “A proper lady shouldn’t say such things.”
“I think the situation calls for it, all things considered.”
He chuckles softly. “I suppose so. Aurelius is a predator through and through, there’s no doubt about that. Most vampires are slaves to their hunger, though they’ll never admit it. They’ve developed elaborate systems around manipulating money and wealth because that’s the easiest way to get us greedy humans to listen and make an otherwise stupid bargain. I knew doing business with him was a bad idea no matter how much money he offered me, but I convinced myself I could outsmart him. I had no idea what I was really agreeing to.”
My dad hangs his head, his proud shoulders slumping forward. I move in closer, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Wiser men have been tricked by the draw of money and power. You wanted a better life for yourself. I can understand that. You shouldn’t be ashamed of what you’ve done since then. You’ve helped so many people bring their inventions and companies to life. Think of all the dreams you’ve made possible because of yours. I’m proud of you, and I’m proud to call you my dad.”
“You’re kind to say so, sweetheart. I never wanted to get you or your mother wrapped up in this. I’ve fought my whole life to try and give you something better than my childhood, done everything to keep you away from the dangers of... of this business, but I’ve failed you. God, I’ve failed you, just like I failed your mother.”
“You didn’t fail me, Dad. You’ve given me so much. I can’t say I’m not mad that you didn’t tell me, but I...” I brace my hands against the armrests as if I’m about to pounce out of my seat. “I need to know how you could plan my whole life, groom me as CEO for the Monroe Investment Group, and never tell me about your deal or the vampires? Were you ever planning on telling me, or would you have just let me go on thinking everything was fine until a vampire came knocking on my door, threatening to take everything away unless I gave them my blood?”
“That never would have happened, sweetheart, or else Aurelius would have been in breach of our deal, and he takes his deals very seriously.”
Dad’s face has gone a shade paler, staring back at me as if he doesn’t want to keep talking. I give him a few more minutes to space out, as something is clearly moving around in his head, but the longer he goes without saying anything, the more concerned I become.
“You’re right. I didn’t plan to tell you, no,” he finally says. “I’m sorry.”
“But why? Dad… you realize how messed up that is, don’t you?”
“How could I not? All these years, it’s been in the back of my head that you’d be theirs one day if I didn’t do anything. Every day, every night of overtime, it’s been all for you, trying to make it possible for you to leave when the time came or to sever my deal with Aurelius completely. We had an understanding that you wouldn’t learn about our arrangement until you were ready to replace me as CEO. I didn’t want to tell you at all, but if the day came, I wanted to properly ease you into it when I knew you could handle the truth.”
“You didn’t think I could handle knowing there are vampires out there?”
“I was older than you when I met Aurelius, and I wasn’t ready.”
I gnaw on the inside of my cheek. I have no idea what it’s like—he gave up everything to give me everything, and it seems I’ve taken that for granted without realizing the extent of his sacrifice. It’s been difficult carrying this knowledge for a mere handful of hours with only a handful of people I could dream of talking about it with. Yet Dad has gone many years, longer than I’ve been alive, keeping this secret close to his chest. I can’t even imagine how much worse that is.
“I guess I understand. If Alex hadn’t bitten me and if I hadn’t seen him heal right in front of me, I doubt I would have believed vampires were real,” I say. “Now that I know the truth, I don’t know how I’d tell anyone without sounding like I’ve lost my mind.”
Dad’s hand tightens around mine. “Your mother knew. Aurelius was encouraging me to find a wife and strengthen my family line, and I refused to marry anyone unless I was permitted to tell her everything. And your mother… she took it all with grace. With proof, I suppose it’s easier to come to terms with; Enzo was happy enough to scare her with his presence. I was happy that she loved me more than she was afraid of them. It wasn’t until after you were born that I understood the real reason Aurelius wanted my family to go on.”
A chill moves through me when I realize what he’s saying. “You mean Aurelius is the one who has been pushing for me to replace you. It’s never what you wanted?”
“I wanted you to follow your dreams, not get stuck leading some corporate viper’s nest. I didn’t free myself from the chains of poverty only to watch you fall into the prison of that kind of life. I had a plan to eliminate Aurelius from our lives long ago, back when your mother was still with us. But after she passed… I was lost for a long time. It wasn’t until recent years, as the coven became more insistent that I prepare you for the initiation, that I remembered the urgency to get you out.”
“It’s okay, Dad. Since I know the truth now, we can work together to get out of this, can’t we?”
He nods and brings a napkin from the food tray to dab the undersides of his eyes. “That’s right. Two minds are better than one. I love you so much, sweetheart.”
“I love you too, Dad. Thank you for telling me.”
As the silence grows, I realize that everything Alex told me was true, but I’d been hoping for someone to tell me it was all a lie. A joke, a horrible prank... something. My dad has been consorting with vampires for years under my nose, brokering dangerous deals of blood in exchange for money. It’s a terrifying reality I won’t be able to run from for long.
“Did you know that Alex made a deal with Aurelius too? He has a tattoo like yours.” Dad gives me a look, and I blush, remembering that it’s on his chest. “I saw it, um, when I was trying to help heal him. His shirt was bloody and needed to be changed…”
“I know about it, yes.”
“But he’s a vampire. So he couldn’t be trading blood for money like you, right? What did he trade for?”
Dad’s eyes fall downcast, and he pats my hand. “That’s his story to tell you, if he wishes, not mine.”
“Sorry. I… I didn’t think it was personal. I shouldn’t have asked.” I look away, guilt rising in my stomach. “I’m just trying to place everything I’ve learned in the past day or so. Aurelius is not a good person, and Enzo doesn’t seem great either, but then Olivia was kind, and Alex can be…”
The night I was drunk at the club and I was cornered by a creep with a knife, I was terrified for my life. I was viscerally aware of how that man would try to take advantage of my body, and I would have no choice but to let him if I wanted any chance of living through the night.
Then Alex swooped in like a guardian angel and kicked his ass. At the time, I was traumatized and barely coherent, but I saw the look in Alex’s eyes. The bloodthirst. The undying rage. I thought it was his protectiveness that brought him to the brink of murder, but now… I can’t help but picture him wearing that expression again. His beautiful features twisted with pure, unadulterated rage, seconds away from ripping a man’s heart out. If I hadn’t stopped him, I know in my heart that he would have killed that man.
And that horrifies me.
At the same time, there’s this sense of satisfaction to know that Alex would literally kill for me. Am I sick for thinking that? I must be. I’d never want someone to die because of me, but that man would have done unspeakable things. Does that make knowing that Alex would erase someone to keep me safe any better?
“Alex wants to be good, but I’ve seen the anger in him,” I finish. “The pain. I didn’t understand it until now, but he’s done horrible things, too, hasn’t he?”
“For Alex, I think it’s a matter of survival. Like it was for me. He might live under Aurelius’ rule, but I assure you, he follows his own moral compass. I’ve put my life in his hands many a time, and he’s sworn up and down that he would keep you safe no matter what happened to me or the company. You can trust him.”
“You’re absolutely sure about that?”
He looks me straight in the eyes and nods. The tension in my shoulders gives way to relief.
“Yes, but…”
I don’t like the way he hesitates.
“Nothing good ever comes after a but,” I joke, trying to take a lighthearted spin to lessen the burden on my chest. “Can I trust him or not?”
“The robbery and Olivia’s death… it will make things difficult for their coven. It’s not easy to kill a vampire, especially one as old and powerful as Olivia. Her murder will cause a ripple effect, but it’s hard to say what will happen just yet. While she was a sweet woman, she was Enzo’s mate. He has a legendary temper, and Olivia has kept him in check as long as I’ve known him. Without her, however... Enzo will be volatile and far more dangerous. It’s likely he will make demands of Alex that will make it difficult for him to protect you as well.”
I release my dad’s hand and lean back in my chair. “This is all my fault, isn’t it?”
“I invited the vampires into our lives. If anyone’s to blame here, it’s me.”
“But they haven’t caused us any huge disruptions like this. Luke, on the other hand… I let him into our lives. I thought he was my boyfriend, that we had a real connection, and then he turned around and did… this. Was any of it real?”
“That’s one question I don’t have an answer to. Every time you spoke about him, it was with so much love and admiration. What I can say is that if the duo successfully killed Olivia, they must be trained vampire hunters. It seems likely to me that… there’s no easy way to say this, sweetheart.”
“Just say it.”
“It’s possible he knew exactly what he was doing, and getting intel about MIG through you was his goal all along.”
My eyes flutter closed, and I shiver at the memory of Luke’s tongue on my neck, his hands sliding around my stomach and pulling my back into his muscular chest. Hard muscles wrapping me in a protective layer. His laughter when I told my stupid jokes that no one else listened to. The way he listened to every detail of my life, no matter how raw, never judging me… and he told me so much about himself, too.
Now I have to question if anything he told me about him was real. Is he actually an orphan from Poland? Is Ivan really his adoptive dad, or is he actually Luke’s boss or co-worker?
Every moment we shared, every cue that made me fall deeper for him, they’re all woven into the stitches of our relationship. And now I have to unravel each one, trying to figure out which ones were real and which ones I should throw away before they hurt me. If they haven’t already.
Is there even much point in doing that when there’s no way Luke and I can reconcile after this? Wouldn’t it be easier to toss it all away?
“I… I’m afraid that’s what happened. He was using me. Alex and Enzo seem to think he and Ivan were coming after the coven.” I pause, licking my lips. “The problem is, the more I learn about vampires, the harder I’m finding it to hold Luke’s lies against him. Aurelius and his coven are manipulative, exploitative, dangerous. If Luke is a vampire hunter trying to stop them, is he really the bad guy?”
“What’s done is done. You’re the only one who can decide how you feel about how he treated you and what you want to do now,” my dad says. “Your feelings are entirely separate from the moral question of whether he was acting in the best interests of the greater good. You can decide that he was trying to do good but still be upset by how he treated you, and that is entirely valid.”
I’m not sure if that makes me feel better or worse, at least where my heart is concerned. There are never any simple answers, but I hoped with this, it would be more straightforward, considering the state of my house.
“What do we do now?”
Dad’s lips set into a line. “You’ll help me get out of his wretched place, then you’ll drive to your aunties’ in the country, where it’s safe until this all blows over.”
“Auntie Marionne and Samira? Mom’s sisters? I haven’t seen them in years.” I rise to my feet, looming over my dad to try and show him how serious I am about this. “I won’t sit on the sidelines while you risk everything, including your life and mine. Now that I know the truth, shouldn’t I do something about it?”
“I promise, no one’s risking any lives. It won’t come to that. It will be better for everyone if you take some time to process what’s happened, what you saw, and get a better understanding of what will happen next.”
I want to stay at my dad’s side, but regardless of the brave face I’m trying to put on for him, I’m terrified and really out of my depth. I hadn’t expected any of this when I decided to confront him. My heart aches for the man who gave up everything to provide for me when my mom passed away, and yet here he is, still risking himself so that I can have a chance at happiness in this world. What if something happens to him? Can I live with that knowledge? It’s too much for me to handle.
“But what about you?” I prod.
“I will deal with Aurelius and Enzo. I’ve handled these vampires for years, and it will be easier if I don’t have to worry about you, too. We will all weather the storm and pick up where we left off after.” He throws the blanket off and steadies his feet on the floor before climbing out of bed. “Besides, I’m sure Marionne and Samira miss you very much and would love to see you.”
“We can talk about this more when we get to the car. Come on, let’s check you out of here.”
“Finally.”
He walks to the bathroom and changes from his hospital gown into a pair of black suit pants and a white t-shirt. It’s a far cry from his usual over-the-top business attire, but it makes him look a lot more like the dad I used to know, and the warmth growing in me when I see him walk out makes me truly believe that any day now, although we won’t find normal, we’ll build something new, and that’s what matters the most.
“All ready?” I grab my purse from the floor.
“Let’s go.”
We walk out of the room, our arms linked. The halls are quiet but busy with nurses and doctors shuffling around, checking vitals and preparing other patients. I can’t believe Dad will finally come home and I won’t have to drive all this way to see him anymore.
A nurse in blue scrubs comes from the nearby desk. “Sir, you can’t leave yet,” she says, stopping in front of us. “We need to observe your vitals for a few more hours and make sure there are no adverse reactions from the anesthesia.”
I cross my arms and stare her down. “Anesthesia? What are you talking about? My dad shouldn’t be on any anesthesia. He’s been recovering for weeks now without any major surgeries. It’s time for him to come home where he can have some peace.”
“Ma’am, if your father is discharged while still under the influence of anesthesia, he may be a danger to himself or others outside of this hospital. I am calling security, and they will restrain him in his room until we can assess his condition more thoroughly.”
“That’s not necessary. If you let me talk to the doctor, I’m sure we can talk this out—”
She ignores me and presses a call button.
“Shit,” Dad mumbles.
“What is it?”
He shakes his head, but I can tell there’s something he’s not telling me.
“Dad...”
He stays silent. I glance over at the nurse, who is busy on the phone with security instead of trying to resolve this with me. From here on, I can only see this escalating further, and if Dad won’t tell me why he’s so worried, then I have to act on my own. I grab his arm and hurry down the hall, dragging him along until he catches on and picks up the pace. We make a turn, weaving past haggard staff, toward the elevator.
I slap the button to try and make it move faster, but then the silver doors ding open, and two bored-looking security officers in white uniforms and yellow badges stream out to confront us.
“That’s them!” the nurse cries, coming from behind to point at us. “He can’t leave.”
The bald security guard holds a hand out to me while the other goes around to block my Dad. “Miss, if you make any further attempts at leaving with your father without permission from us or any other health professionals, then we will have no choice but to restrain both of you until the situation is resolved.”
“I want to talk to a doctor,” I say, trying to keep calm. “You can’t keep him here against his will.”
“We can, and we will, so long as there’s danger.”
“A danger to who? If he really is on anesthesia, I will drive him home where he can sleep it off.”
“That’s not how it works around here. This is your last chance.”
The security guards crowd closer, and I bump into my dad’s shoulder. “Sweetheart… don’t worry about me. It’s just a hospital. I’m sure I’ll get some answers soon. You should go while you still can. There’s no point in making a bigger scene.”
“This is crazy.” I turn to him. “They’re keeping you locked up like an animal. Why didn’t you say something before?”
“I had no idea. I was following the doctor’s orders.”
He won’t meet my eyes, so I know he’s not telling the whole truth. As usual. But… he’s also got a point. If I get detained, I won’t be able to help him either. Sniffling, I wrap my arms around Dad again, and he hugs me back fiercely. I take in his warmth, the faint whiff of Old Spice. It feels so wrong to leave him and run off to the countryside where there won’t be any vampires stalking me in the night.
To be completely honest with myself, though, if I were ready to be in the thick of everything, I would have stayed by Alex’s side.
My aunts must be where I’m meant to go now. There, I’ll find the peace and quiet I need to think and figure out what to do next. I won’t be sidelined for long. That’s a promise to myself.
“Okay,” I decide. “I’ll call a lawyer once I’m at Samira and Marionne’s. You won’t be stuck here for much longer, I promise.”
Dad squeezes me tighter. “I wish I didn’t have to let you go.”
The security officer stands aside to let me in the elevator, and when the doors lock me inside and it begins to descend, I start to cry.