Chapter 14 #4
“And he bought that threat?” Caleb says in a disbelieving tone.
“He had no choice. I had two branches impaling his son's neck and another branch holding Alistair's mangled ribcage apart whilst my fist was around his beating heart.” I say in a dead tone.
I take a deep gulp of my drink to force down the rising bile in my throat. The fact that I was capable of that still makes me feel sick. Thankfully my link to Alistair remains firmly shut off.
Everyone is silent. Seemingly in shock I guess.
To be honest I can’t even believe I did it.
Caleb leans back in his chair deep in thought.
What is up with that guy? He’s so intense all the time.
I wonder if brooding is just his normal state?
My dad looks at me with a supporting smile as he hugs my mum close to his side.
I see emotion in his face that looks almost a little like pain.
The same expression I’ve seen my mum have the last couple of days. Pride mixed with worry? Regret?
Penny’s voice is the first to break the short silence.
“I’m shocked that his heart was even beating! I thought vampires were meant to be dead? Like a living corpse or something.” She says exasperatedly.
“That’s zombies!” Chuckles Lukas. “Although I’m pretty sure Zombies don’t exist!”
“Could you imagine!?” Izzy pipes in.
They start a debate on how vampires and Zombies are different, but it sounds to me like they’re just really enjoying taking the piss out of them.
Before long we start yawning and the night looks like its drawn to an end.
Caleb stands up muttering something about final patrols before disappearing into the darkness.
Within moments I sense he’s on all fours and prowling in a circle around the ranch.
Penny and Jason tell us all goodnight and go into their cabin.
Izzy does the same then it’s just my mum and dad, Lukas and me.
My dad is the first to speak. “Gwen and I are going to take a midnight wander. I think we need some time just the two of us.” He kisses her tenderly on the cheek as they stand and walk into the trees.
“Goodnight sweetheart.” My mum calls back.
“Night mum. Night dad.” I smile as I watch them go. I feel so lucky to have both parents again. It makes me feel whole and secure.
Lukas and I sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes but another yawn tells me I need to get some sleep.
Then it occurs to me. I have no idea where I’m sleeping.
Is my stuff still in the jeep the other side of the clearing?
Why didn’t I think of this sooner? The buzz from the alcohol has me giggling to myself.
“What’s so funny?” Lukas asks.
“I’ve just realised I have no idea where I’m sleeping.” I chuckle.
“Oh right.” He stands up and gestures for me to go with him. “We grabbed all your things earlier and put them in your bedroom. I’ll show you.”
We walk into the house and up the wooden staircase. The large landing has three doors coming off it. One on each wall. With another staircase to the third floor going up behind us. Lukas opens the door on the right-hand side and holds out his arm inviting me to go in.
“There’s an en-suite just on your left which joins onto my room.
I hope you don’t mind sharing?” He tells me apologetically.
“There’s a lock on both doors so we won’t walk in on each other or anything and besides I’ll be able to hear when you’re in there pretty easily so err…
” He scratches his head as he realises how that came across.
I hold my hand up to get him to stop. “It’s fine. Don’t worry.” Although the idea that this guy is gonna hear me on the loo every day is a bit awkward. “Just try not to listen too much, OK?” I say it as light-heartedly as possible.
“Yeah no of course.” He genuinely seems nervous. “Umm… good night then.” He smiles and closes the door behind himself.
I go across the room and slump onto the bed taking a look around.
It’s a really nice room with cream walls and exposed beams. The bed is a double with loads of throw pillows in shades of green and pink.
They match the curtains which makes the room look feminine and quaint.
There’s a cow hide rug across the floor and the chandelier is similar to the one’s downstairs just on a smaller scale.
All the furniture is wooden and a fur throw is stretched across the bed.
My bag is on top of the dresser and I grab my phone out of it.
Surprise, surprise it’s dead so I plug it in to charge on my bedside table.
I rummage around in my bag some more to find something to sleep in but it all needs washing.
I sigh and open the draws to the dresser out of curiosity.
Lo and behold clothes! In my size! Going through all the draws and opening the wardrobe I find everything I could need.
Underwear, t shirts, jeans, shorts, jumpers.
You name it. It’s all simple and plain which is just my style.
There’s also a pair of trainers, converse and fur lined boots.
Next, I find toiletries and a little make up.
Did the girls sort all this? I can’t believe it!
I pull out a comfy short and cami set to sleep in and throw them onto the bed.
Then take a look at the bathroom. The wood floor continues through and there’s another cow hide rug in the centre in-front of a huge roll top bath.
There’s also a stone walled walk-in shower which I immediately decide to try out.
Checking that the door into Lukas’s room is locked I strip off and get under the hot water.
I hadn’t realised how grimy I was. There’s a whole shelf of bottles for everything I need and after I’m done, I don’t want to get out.
Closing my eyes and letting the water cascade over me feels heavenly.
I struggle to lift my eyelids as the hectic day catches up to me.
I reluctantly turn the shower off and wrapping myself in a towel I remember to unlock Lukas’s door before heading back into my room.
Once in my PJ’s I snuggle into bed and grab my phone. I’m hit with countless missed calls and texts from an unsaved number. As I skim read it’s obvious they’re from Cassey. Each one is getting more and more angry. How many days has it been since I gave her an update? I immediately call her back.
“SO SHE’S FUCKING ALIVE THEN! I HAVE BEEN GOING SPARE! WHERE ARE YOU?!” She screams down the phone and I hold it at arm’s length.
I guess I deserve that.
“Hello to you too.”
“Oh don’t give me that! It’s been 4 days!
I’ve not spoken to you since you went on your date with Alistair, then he shows up at my house and steals my phone!
You and Gwen haven’t been home since and I’ve been obsessing over the news just in case you pop up as a missing person or worse!
” I can hear her crying through her anger.
“I got myself a new phone straight away. You’re lucky I know your number by heart!
And now you just ring and say Hello! I mean… ” She sniffs.
“I’m fine. My mums fine. We’re with my dad and the pack on Yellowstone.” I explain.
“Wait. What?” Her utter confusion has me laughing.
“It’s a long story, but things are actually pretty good now.
” I go on to tell her everything from the restaurant to the details of my new bedroom.
It takes hours but she’s silent as she lets me go on.
Only asking the odd question and shouting the occasional swear word.
There’s tears as I realise how much I miss my best friend and not knowing when I’ll see her again.
She’s adamant that she’s coming to visit but I don’t want to risk her being in danger.
We talk long into the early hours of the morning until Cassey gets called down for dinner.
It works out I’m 7 hours ahead with the time difference.
I yawn and we spend several minuets saying goodbye with promises to talk again tomorrow.
With heavy eyelids I eventually hang up and snuggle down into my thick, cosy duvet.