The Beast Within

by S. C. Stephens

  Her face fell as she realized what that meant for our impromptu plans. “Oh…that complicates things. I guess we won’t be able to…” Her cheeks flushed with color as she looked away. “Well, maybe we can still get together later. I could sneak out and come over? Their room is soundproof, right?”

  “Uh, yeah, it is.” That could actually work. If it was late enough at night, Nika would be asleep, my parents would be asleep. So long as no one woke up, we might actually be able to spend the night together. Holy shit. I might be losing my virginity on prom night. I genuinely hadn’t seen that coming.

  Arianna squeezed my arm tight. “Okay, then. We’ll just have a date after our date.” She giggled like the idea was cute. So much blood was traveling down my body that I thought I might pass out. I was making a plan with my girlfriend to have sex next weekend. Holy crap…I had a girlfriend.

  I spent the remainder of the day running through different scenarios in my head—really good ones, and really bad ones. On the good side was an amazing night of intimately connecting with Arianna. On the bad side was Nika, or my parents, walking in on us. I had no idea how my parents would react if they caught us, but I was pretty sure they’d be upset. But they’d have to wake up and open their door to hear us, and that rarely happened. Nika was the larger concern. If she woke up, even just a little bit, she’d feel what I was feeling…and that would mortify us both. I’d have to talk to her soon, let her know this was really happening. Oh my God…this was really happening.

  After school, I thought about mentioning it to Nika…but with Arianna and Trey joining us for our shopping trip, there really wasn’t a good way to tell her. All I could share with her was the fact that Arianna had said yes. She was my girlfriend—fully and completely. Nika’s smile was small, supportive, and not surprised when I told her, and I figured Arianna had already filled her in on the news.

  “Congratulations, Julian,” she said, wrapping me in a quick hug. I could feel she meant it, but I could also feel the lingering pain that was always buried inside her, like a layer of sludge weighing her down. After separating from me, Nika pulled Arianna in for a hug. “Congratulations to both of you.”

  As Arianna squealed and my sister laughed, Trey bumped my shoulder. “Dude? I thought you guys have been going out for months? What is she talking about?”

  Tossing him a smile, I nodded toward my car. “Come on, I’ll explain on the way.”

  As we headed to the department store where Arianna had already found a dress, I couldn’t stop thinking about prom night. I was almost numb with joy over everything that had happened today. Arianna had told me she loved me. I’d told her I loved her. She’d agreed to be my girlfriend. She’d offered to share herself with me after the dance. If I could pick a day to repeat forever, it would be this day. No…the night of the dance just might trump today. I’d pick both days, one right after the other for eternity.

  Trey and I left the girls to it while we went looking for suits. There was a tux shop a couple of doors down, and it took us about twenty minutes to get everything we needed. Sometimes being a guy was easy. When we were done, we sat outside the dress shop and waited for the girls to finish up. I swear to God we waited three hours. I debated talking to Trey about my upcoming plans with Arianna, but I knew he wouldn’t stay silent about it. He’d say something inappropriate at the wrong time, and Nika would find out before I was ready for her to know. I needed to tell her in private first.

  Standing and stretching when the girls finally emerged, I asked Arianna if I could see the dress. She held the bag tight to her body. “No way, not until prom.” Her eyes sparkled with playfulness, and, for multiple reasons, I couldn’t wait until next weekend. Turning away from the playful look on my girlfriend’s face, I turned to Nika. “So, what color did you end up getting?”

  Nika raised her lip in amusement. “Blood red.”

  My face matched hers. “I should have guessed that.”

  She shrugged. “The dress spoke to me. But Grandma will need to alter it. It’s a little too long.”

  As Trey yawned, Arianna flung her arms around Nika. “We are going to be so hot! This will be the best night ever.” Her eyes locked onto mine, and there was an intensity in the greenish-brown depths that stole my breath. Yes, prom night was definitely going to be a night to remember.

  MY BROTHER AND I needed to talk to Gabriel soon. Arianna had surprised Julian by shaking up his plans and agreeing to be his girlfriend before prom…so now, the timer had been set. They’d be ramping up their relationship, and eventually they’d start sleeping together. I did not want to still be emotionally tied to Julian when they finally had sex. Hopefully, I still had awhile, like Julian had ensured me. Hopefully that was enough time to create some sort of…cure. Hopefully Gabriel was around this weekend so we could ask him about it. He hadn’t been around much though. He didn’t like to leave Halina alone with Hunter for long, and Halina didn’t like to leave Hunter on his own, so I hadn’t seen either vampire in a while. Gently folding my prom dress, I shoved it into my backpack. I really hoped Gabriel was there today.

  Once I was ready, I headed downstairs to join my family. Julian was both sad and elated as he picked at a frayed seam on his bag. I had to assume the happiness was because Arianna was now officially his girlfriend, and the sadness was because he wouldn’t see her again until Monday. If my own love life was going better, I would have found Julian’s devotion sweet. Now, it just reminded me of what I didn’t have anymore.

  We were having dinner at the ranch—it was Grandpa Jack’s birthday—and as soon as Dad was finished with his nightly project, scouring the online classifieds, we were heading out. Leaning against the counter, Dad stared at the website on his laptop with a determination that most people didn’t have when they looked through the personals. But he wasn’t looking for a job, and he wasn’t looking for a date. He was looking for “Blood Wanted” ads.

  Dad was right about Hunter’s father still being out there, still being a threat, and so long as he was, our family was a target. Everyone in our nest was keeping an ear out, waiting for any sign that Conner had recovered enough from the emotional blow of Hunter’s conversion to resume killing our kind. Hopefully, he was still too distraught to be hunting. My shoulder still ached sometimes from where Connor had shot me with an arrow. I didn’t want to be in danger like that again. I didn’t want to be on the run again. I just wanted a normal life. Well, as normal as my life was ever going to be.

  Smiling, Dad stopped on an ad. “Hey, Em, grab my phone. I think I found one.”

  Mom picked up Dad’s cell phone and handed it to him, then leaned over his shoulder as she read the ad. I tried to read it, too, but couldn’t see anything from my angle. Dad dialed the number, then stood up. He’d changed into his ranch attire after work—dark blue jeans and an untucked button-up shirt. With the slight stubble across his jaw, he reminded me of one of the ranch hands that helped during the busy times. Mom often referred to Dad’s ranch look as “incredibly attractive.” She giggled whenever he put on a cowboy hat. It was embarrassing.

  One hand casually shoved into his pocket, Dad waited for the person on the other end to pick up. When they did, he said, “Hi, I saw your ad online for donations…for the food drive? Is that still going on?” The other person cheerily told Dad that it was, and she could take down his information if he wanted to stop by with “food for the hungry.”

  Tilting his head, Dad said, “I was actually wondering about the recipients. I’m on a special…all-liquid diet, and I would love to donate food to people with my same condition. Do you accept liquid meals?”

  The person on the other end hesitated, then said, “We do have special-needs clients who would greatly appreciate your offer.”

  Dad exhaled in relief. “Good, I think we’re on the same page. I just wanted to warn you about a group who is opposed to ‘all-liquid’ diets. They’re going around answering ads like these. You had any problems lately?”

  There was a sm
all gasp on the other end. “No, no we haven’t had any…issues. But we’ll be extra cautious. Thank you for the heads-up.”

  Dad said goodbye and hung up with a smile on his face. “No problems at that one either. I don’t think Connor’s active yet.”

  Julian’s mood darkened. “At least around here. He could be active somewhere else.”

  Dad nodded, his expression also darkening. “I know, and trust me, if he is killing, no one feels worse about it than me, since I let him go, but, our family is my top concern right now.” His pale eyes swung around the room, soaking in all of us. When his eyes finally settled on Mom, they were carefree again. “Now, let’s go wish my dad a happy birthday.”

  The drive to the ranch was peaceful, with Julian staring out the window, lost in thought, and my parents having a quiet conversation about how much longer Grandpa Jack could do as much around the ranch as he did. Not that any one of us could stop him from having a hand in just about everything out there. Alanna would have to tie him up to keep him down. But Grandpa Jack was pretty sprightly for being in his sixties. I was sure he’d be running the place for years to come.

  A sense of familiarity washed through me as we approached the wrought iron gate. The family name proudly forged into the black metal gleamed in the spotlights as the gate creaked open to let us inside. Cobblestones thudded under the tires as we drove toward the massive home. The ranch house was an impressive sight, one that could be featured in a “unique and amazing home” magazine. Arched peaks and tall chimneys soared into the air, up to four stories in some places, while rooms beneath the earth extended down just as far—a structural diamond protecting the mythical creatures inside. The lights were on, and I could feel two of my grandmothers, Imogen and Alanna, shuffling about the kitchen as they prepared for tonight’s festivities. Halina was still down south. With Hunter.

  Driving past the main doors of the house, Dad headed for a dome-like building with a car-size hole in it. He drove the car straight through the space to get to the garage on the other side of the building. After Dad turned and parked the car, we all grabbed our bags and climbed out. Marveling at how clean the air was, I inhaled a deep breath and stared up at the red brick home. More spotlights bathed the bushes and gardens along the bottom in a warm glow, while the bright moonlight above cast its blue-gray light upon the tall spires and towers. I preferred the muted light of the moon to the softly humming man-made lighting. It was natural, peaceful. The way the moon blanketed the sleepy pastures surrounding the ranch was almost sensual. In my opinion, no lights should be turned on outside when the moon was at its fullest. When nature was putting on a show, why try and compete with it?

  Mom and Dad were all smiles as they walked around to the back of the house. They loved coming here; we all did. It was a sanctuary, a place where we were free to be ourselves. Grandpa Jack was sitting on the living room couch with Grandma Linda when we entered; they both looked tired, but they stood up when they noticed us. Dad was shaking his head as he walked over to Grandpa. “You don’t have to stand, Dad. I’m sure you’ve had a long day.”

  Grandpa swished his hand. “It’s all right. I’ve been sitting here for far too long anyway.”

  Dad lifted his eyebrow at him. “I highly doubt that.”

  As Grandpa chuckled at his son, I stepped into his side and wrapped my arms around him. “Happy Birthday, Grandpa.”

  Grandpa patted my back, then gave my head a light kiss. “Well, it sure is now.”

  As I gave Grandma Linda a hug, and Grandpa embraced Julian, I felt Imogen and Alanna zipping into the room. I glanced over at the pair as I helped Grandma Linda sit back down; even though she tried to hide it, her leg was bothering her more and more recently. The seemingly youthful vampires who had just blurred into the room were physically near identical—jet-black hair, ice blue eyes—but their different styles defined them. Alanna was a rancher’s wife, right down to the crisp denims and tucked in flannel. Imogen was a prim and proper lady with a tight bun, high-collared blouse, and long flowing skirt.

  Both Grandmas hugged me simultaneously, then moved on to Julian. “Welcome, children,” they cooed, kissing his cheeks.

  Julian grimaced under their affections, but it was an act. He loved it. “Ugh, guys, I’m sixteen. The kissing needs to stop.” He smiled at them as the pair laughed.

  Just as I was about to tell Julian that he shouldn’t complain about kissing, I felt something that just about made my legs give way; it was like my entire world had just crashed to a stop. The blip on my internal radar that was Halina had just started to move, fast, toward us…and Hunter was a half-second behind her. My head jerked around to where I could feel them streaming closer, and my body surged with adrenaline. Were Halina and Hunter coming here? I hadn’t seen Hunter in months. I wasn’t sure if I even could see him right now. I’d said my goodbyes, made my peace with the fact that I’d probably never see him again. I wasn’t ready to fall back into the pain I’d tried to bury for months. But God, I wanted to see him so badly my chest ached.

  As Grandpa Jack asked the suddenly tense room what was wrong, Julian blurred to my side. Tossing his arm around my shoulder, Julian comforted me in silence while Dad answered Grandpa. “Great-Gran is on her way here…and Hunter is with her.” In my periphery, I saw Dad turn to Alanna. “She’s coming to the party? I thought…I thought she was busy and couldn’t make it?” He seemed disappointed that she’d changed her mind, but I knew it wasn’t Halina he had a problem with.

  I couldn’t see Alanna’s reaction—I couldn’t pull my gaze from the spot on the wall that was directly between Hunter and me—but I heard the surprise in her voice. “That’s what she said last time I talked to her. She wasn’t going to be able to make it because she didn’t want to leave… She must have convinced him to come with her.”

  Forcefully turning my body away from the wall that had me enraptured, Alanna brightly proclaimed, “Dinner is ready. Shall we eat?”

  Food was about the last thing I wanted right now. I wanted to pace. I wanted to count the seconds as Hunter streaked toward me. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to know why he’d agreed to come here tonight. I wanted to know why he hadn’t come back before this. I wanted to know if he still loved me… I had so many questions, and none of them were going to get answered by me sitting down to a plate of steak and potatoes.

  Wriggling out of Alanna’s grasp, I murmured, “I’ll be right back.” I knew none of them would let me go, but I had to try. I couldn’t just sit here and wait. I’d go crazy.

  Just as I was about to blur away, Dad zipped in front of me and grabbed my forearms. Eyes wide, he stared me down. “No, Nika. Stay here and have dinner. Great-Gran and Hunter will be here soon enough.”

  My eyes watered as I started shaking. “Dad, please, I need to go. I need to see him, talk to him. I just…I need to. Please?”

  Sighing, Dad shook his head. “I’m not going to let you run deep into the countryside on your own. It won’t take them long. We’ll wait here, together.”

  I felt like I was beginning to hyperventilate as I stared at him. Wait? The word sounded impossible…and long. Not knowing how to ask for what I wanted in a way that wouldn’t sound like childish whining, I instead told him, “Fine,” and strode to the table.

  There was an unnatural silence in the room as all of us focused on the feeling of Halina and Hunter rushing toward us. Alanna brought out the meal while the rest of us sat and waited. Noting the empty spot where Gabriel typically sat, I asked, “Is Gabriel with Grandma?”

  Alanna paused as she set down a platter of T-bones—way too many for the scant amount of people eating food tonight. “Yes. He’s been bouncing between Grandma, the ranch, and California, but he was with Grandma last night.” Turning her head away from me she added, “He doesn’t like to leave her alone for long.”

  I knew why he didn’t like to leave her alone, and a sharp ache cracked my body. Hunter. Gabriel didn’t trust Hunter, and Halina wouldn’t leave him. Here
I was trying to forget about Hunter, and it suddenly felt like he was the focal point of everything in my life. No one was even talking, because all anyone wanted to talk about was Hunter. Julian was the one who finally broke the silence.

  As Alanna unloaded a couple of large baked potatoes onto his plate, Julian said, “Has Gabriel had any luck studying Uncle Ben’s blood?”

  My eyes snapped to Julian’s, then Alanna’s. While Gabriel’s original nest lived in Los Angeles, that wasn’t the reason Gabriel had been visiting California. He was studying Ben. Ben had just a trace amount of vampire DNA in him. Just enough to make him impervious to compulsion. It was something that had us all mystified.

  Alanna shrugged as she loaded up her husband’s plate with a giant helping of green beans. “You know Gabriel…when he discovers something fascinating, he has a hard time letting go of it. Poor Ben has been poked and prodded quite a bit, but…I’m not sure what, if anything, has come from it.”

  Dad’s eyes turned speculative as he watched his mother. He didn’t like Ben being turned into a guinea pig. Not much he could do about it from up here though, and Dad wasn’t comfortable heading down south right now. Not with Connor and Hunter on the loose.

  Once Alanna had filled the plates of everyone who was eating, she started pouring glasses of blood. Aside from Grandma Linda and Grandpa Jack, we all got some. I could tell from the smell that it was fresh, but even though my mouth watered, I didn’t drink it. I couldn’t. My appetite was gone. Everyone else around me dug in while I sat in silence and waited. Dad encouraged me to eat, Julian nudged my elbow, but the desire wasn’t in me. All I cared about was the fact that I was about to see Hunter. It filled my every thought, superseded every need.

  When Alanna brought out the birthday cake, my plate was still untouched. I sang the song, because I didn’t want to be rude, but my heart wasn’t in it. As Grandpa blew out the sea of brightly shining candles, I tensed in anticipation. Halina was almost here. She was almost to the door, and Hunter wasn’t far behind her.