Chapter Twenty-Eight
Aila
I can’t stop screaming.
I have fallen into a horror movie, one of those films with a jump scare that goes viral for its terrifying effectiveness.
Theron is crouched over my mom, pumping her chest with two linked hands. She’s lying in a pool of blood.
And then just like that, as the sun hits his face, he is no longer the devastatingly handsome hunk who loomed out of the darkness that night at Harry’s Saloon. Nor is he that thirsty bloodsucker who took such pleasure in draining my veins as he pounded himself into me.
He is a monster.
The second the sunbeam hit his face, he morphed into a repulsive creature. A huge beast, its mouth gaping and screeching, fangs dripping, red eyes bulging, perched for flight.
But it’s Ben who reacts first, because I am suspended in shock.
“Ameeliaaah!”
Like he’s triggered by the sound of Ben’s shout, Theron collapses to the floor.
I have to contain this. I might be a useless, unemployed, bad news myōp, but I know this could be the end of Landslide forever. And if Theron was giving my mom CPR when Ben and I came in, I want to know how she got injured.
Pushing Ben aside as he blathers over my mom, I order him to go get help.
“You aren’t related to my mom yet. I’m her daughter. Get back into the truck and fetch the closest person you have to a doctor around here. Go!”
“B…b…but that—that thing. What’s happening?”
I don’t know if Ben is in any condition to drive, but I don’t care.
“You’re in shock, Ben. Snap out of it. Go get help—now!”
He is still puttering around, turning circles in the kitchen.
Laying my mom’s head gently on the floor, I stand and start opening drawers looking for towels.
Finding what I need to staunch the blood, I have one last thing to do before I sit back down. Gripping Ben’s arm, I pull him to the door and push him through it.
“Hurry.”
“But that monster…” He keeps looking back as if he expects Theron to rise up like one of those zombies from the “Thriller” video.
“It’s not a monster, Ben. You’re in shock.”
Not waiting for him to start the truck, I close the door and go back to my mom.
She’s lost a lot of blood, but it’s a fresh wound. I press a towel over the deep cut really hard, trying to keep the torn pieces of her scalp together.
Would Theron bash my mom over the head when he could just as easily suck her dry? That makes no sense. That’s why I am sure he was trying to help her. He must have heard us coming but still decided to stick around.
Shifting closer to Theron’s unconscious body—which isn’t so easy with my mom’s head on my lap—I use one hand to push his helmet back on. I don’t want to see his monstrous face.
But something stops me.
Theron never lied to me. He never tried to put on airs about what he was underneath his glamourous outer shell. I am feeling something right now, but what is it?
Yes. I feel protective over him. I guess we’ve gone full circle.
That sallow face, all ragged and ancient, and the poisonous fangs dripping pale yellow poison. Under the thin skin, I can see the traces of the great hunter and warrior Theron once was. But it must have been a very long time ago.
Gently brushing back the long, shaggy hair, I push the helmet over his face and wait for the Riders to arrive.
The front door opens. The helmet-wearing Rider who enters turns his back to me so I can read that label on the back; the colors. It’s Shadow, and he’s carrying a first aid kit in his hand. That’s it. That’s all they can offer my poor mom. A fucking first aid kit.
Kneeling down, he breaks open a set of surgical equipment and spreads it out on the floor. Then he snaps on disposable gloves.
“Go around the house and make sure the drapes are closed. And lock all the doors.”
I don’t want to leave my mom with him. Not when there’s blood involved.
“Do you think Theron did this? Did Piers lie about us? About me and my mom?”
I have to know. Just like he did at university and then again at my college, Piers was never satisfied to simply let us walk away and disappear. He always had to try and ruin our lives on top of it all.
What did he say to Theron? And was it enough to make my vampire lover want to kill us?
Shadow jerks his head. “Do as I say. Check the window drapes.”
I do a thorough job. Shadow is one scary ass dude.
He doesn’t bother looking up when I come back.
He’s got a full syringe and he’s cleaning the wound with clear liquid.
“Saline water. When the scalp and skull are free of dirt, I will set the sutures and close the cut. A course of antibiotics should knock any infection on its ass. Go find me an electric shaver.”
I am worried about my mom and Theron. Damn these unemotional monsters!
“Um… are they going to be alright?” I find a shaver in the bathroom cabinet and think I deserve a few answers by way of thanks when I present it to Shadow.
Shadow begins to shave off my mom’s hair around the wound site.
“Amelia’s skull is intact. Either she was running away when she was attacked, or she was unaware of the intruder.
Unfortunately, too much traffic has eradicated their scent.
” Breaking off from his task, he glances at Theron.
“It was wise of you to put Hunter’s helmet back on.
He will wake up once his humanity has recovered. ”
“You make Theron looking human sound like a smokescreen.”
Using a can of antiseptic, Shadow sprays my mom’s poor shaved head. “The human mask of the Riders is as much a part of us as the monster is. Two sides of the same coin. You, Aila, will have to learn to love both if you want to be with Hunter for any length of time.”
Kneeling next to my mom, he begins to close the wound.
“Think of it like this. After years of always wearing makeup in front of a partner because you are afraid of what their reaction will be if they see the real you, isn’t it nice to be able to show your natural face once in a while?”
I can relate. “Sure, but which one is the real Theron? The man or the monster?”
And which one am I in love with?
Shadow shoots a critical look at me as he winds a bandage around Mom’s head. “You must love both, or none at all.”
Showing me the pharmaceutical names on the glass ampoules, Shadow shoots painkillers and antibiotics into my mom’s muscles. He is remarkably thorough and calm. “Help me carry her to the couch. Amelia will be fine lying there until Ben comes back.”
After showing me how to position my mom’s head so that she isn’t lying on the suture stitches, Shadow does a vampire sprint and fetches her a blanket.
I get a fright when I see Theron stirring. I am trying so hard not to think of zombies and ghouls right now.
Shadow goes to help Theron up, removing the helmet and supporting him by threading Theron’s arm over his neck.
My vampire lover has gone back to being that eye-catching hottie from Harry’s Saloon, surrounded by deepening darkness now that the sun has sunk below the forest. He slumps back into the armchair with his eyes closed.
Shadow jerks his head towards the couch. “Sit next to your mom, Aila. Make sure she doesn’t fall off the couch if she begins to wake up.”
“Hunter!” Shadow is back in boss mode. “Tell us what happened.”
Leaning forward, Theron runs his hands over his face like he’s checking to see if he’s back to being gorgeous.
“Fuuuck. Every fucking decision we ever made this summer has gone to shit.”
I wish I could offer him a cup of tea or a stiff brandy, but Theron is going to have to come out of his unconsciousness without it.
He looks up. “How long was I out?”
Shadow points at my mom. “Long enough for Amelia to get stitched up.”
“Well, that’s good…” He’s mumbling, acting defensive and unsure of how I feel about him.
Theron avoids making eye contact with me, like he’s embarrassed about the full-on flash of inner monster that I got.
“What happened here, Theron?” I need to know. My belief in him is unshakable, but I need to hear it from his own mouth.
“Long story short. I tracked Piers to tell him you were happy to sign the NDA, all the way to the jetty. Kelly, his new squeeze, told me Piers had taken the quadbike off-roading.”
I interrupt. “Off-roading? Never! Piers’s idea of outdoor sports involves martinis and a spa pool.”
“My thinking exactly.” Theron gives me a lopsided grin, and just like that, all memories of monsters are erased from my brain. I give him a little wink to let him know nothing has changed between us.
He perks up, but I can tell that things are still serious.
“I tracked Piers to the Farmers’. Mikey had told him how to find Ben’s farm.
I cut across the forest. Saw quadbike tracks in the driveway dirt.
Came inside…” Theron checks with me to see if I am okay with what he’s saying.
I nod, so he continues. “And I found Amelia lying in the kitchen. So I started CPR.”
I want to hug Theron, but Shadow is looking ten shades of pissed.
“Did you smell Piers in the room?”
“All I could smell was copper, Shadow. But how about we don’t let that get in the way of forming the opinion that Piers did this. Where’s Ben?”
“I managed to get him off Landslide by telling him to go with Vince to fetch the doctor. He was ready to panic after seeing you with the sun on your face. Luna had to give him a Valium.”
Jumping up, Theron begins to pace.
“Shit. I checked, I promise. But the fucking wind lifted one of the curtains. I got a face full of sunlight as he walked in.”
“I told Ben he was in shock, Theron,” I offer by way of comfort. “We should stick to that story. I’ll back you up.”
The two Riders say thanks.
“Where are the others?” I can tell from the way Theron is moving that he wants to put the sunshine event behind him.
“They are combing the island looking for that snotty shithole.” Shadow fills us in on what the Riders are doing to try and stabilize me.
“Luna has to keep playing the part of the kind innkeeper. She’s serving drinks.
I got Celia Heiner into the inn kitchen, and we’re offering menu items for those who don’t want to cook their own supper.
Just trying to make this appear normal.”
“Kelly and the kids?” Theron interrupts.
“Shit! You said they were at the jetty?” After Theron nods, Shadow disappears.
“You’re giving me a crick in my neck, Theron. Please sit down.”
He sits down on the floor next to me, sliding an arm around my shoulders. We sit like that for what seems like a long time, listening to the heavy breathing of my mom on the couch behind us. There’s a bloodstain on Theron’s jeans. That makes me sad.
“It’s a mess. I’m struggling not to see this as all my fault.”
“Heh. I wondered how long it would take for you to blame yourself.” Theron kisses my cheek, and the rough scratch of his beard scruff makes me shiver. “We should have listened to you from the start, darlin’. And that’s on me.”
We forgive one another, and this time I know our reconciliation is going to last a really long time.
“What’s gonna happen to Piers?” Leaning my head on his shoulder feels so good.
A low growl as Theron hears something outside. But it’s only Shadow.
He comes in with no helmet. The summer sun has finally gone. “Kelly and the kids were still on the jetty. She’s hysterical, insisting that Piers must have dirt planted his quadbike and demanding we call nine-one-one.”
“If only.” Theron grins, standing up and stretching like a jungle cat. “You okay to stay here with Amelia, darlin’? Vince should be back with the doctor in a bit. I better go help the Riders find Piers.”
Giving my mom a loving pat, I stand up, too, but it’s not to say goodbye.
“You mustn’t hurt Piers. You have to restrain yourselves. If one hair of his head goes missing, you will lose Landslide and everything else. No indemnity form can stop the Jordan lawyers from squeezing until you’ll wish you were dead. My mom’s alive. We’ll sign his contracts. Leave it at that.”
“Lock the door after we have gone, Aila.”
Sliding the bolt across the door, I go back to sit with my mom.
I know I won’t feel safe until Piers Jordan has left Landslide.