“Betha and I will start calling everyone,” Alastair said. He squeezed Mom’s shoulder and left the room, taking his coffee with him. Betha followed.
Mom left the table and went up to her room while I called the funeral home and scheduled my father’s service. Later that afternoon, a couple of my mom’s closest friends, including Uncle Ted, arrived to lend their support. It was hard watching my mom break down over and over and over again. I wished there was some way to take all of her pain away.
Not knowing what to do with myself other than cry, I took the liberty to take all of the Christmas decorations down. I didn’t know what to do with the presents other than hide them in the hall closet. I knew no one wanted to open them because presents were meant to be happy, and we were far from ever being happy again.
The day before my father’s funeral, I decided to take Valencia up on her offer. Even though I had my family, I felt alone. I needed my friend to help make me forget, or at least make me laugh. I grabbed my cell from my nightstand and called her.
“Calla. Thank God. I wanted to give you some space, but I’m so glad you called.”
I burst into sobs. “I still can’t believe he’s gone.”
“I know, honey. Please let me come to you. You know I’m off work until the Monday after New Year’s. We can drink margaritas every night.”
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Yes, please, please come. I need my friend.”
“Done. I’ll book the next flight I can get on.”
“Thank you. I’ll pay you back for your plane ticket.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re my best friend, and I want to be there for you.”
I tried to lighten the mood. “But this means you won’t have a date with Chance now.”
She chuckled slightly in my ear. “Please. I was only going to go to Unicorn and hope he noticed me.”
“Of course he would. He always does.”
“You’re more important.”
I smiled tightly. “Thank you.”
“Let me jump online and book the next flight I can get. I’ll text you the schedule.”
“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at the airport.”
After I pressed the end button, I opened up the text messages and sent one to Draven. I hadn’t heard from him—not like I’d expected my father’s doctor to call—but I remembered I still needed to thank him. Okay, I wanted to thank him. I wanted to see if he’d respond to me—to find out if he truly was only being a good guy. It was weird to be thinking about Draven right now, but it was better than continuing to cry.
Thank you for everything you tried to do for my father.I know you did what you could, and I’m grateful. Also, thank you for making me laugh the other night at Maxwell’s That was needed too.
There was no reply. Looking outside at the shining sun, I figured he was sleeping given he seemed to only work the evening or night shift. But by the time I fell asleep that night, he still hadn’t texted or called.
V had texted me that she was taking the first flight out of Seattle and would arrive in Anchorage at eight-thirty in the morning. I was excited to see her, even on this dreaded day, and then I realized it was the first time a smile had graced my lips since my night in the bar with Draven. And just as I thought of him, a reply text arrived.
Sorry for the late reply. Crazy night in the ER. I wish I could have done more. Please let me know if you need anything from me. I’m always here for you, and I love seeing you smile.
I read his text no less than ten times and debated if, in my six am, pre-coffee state, I was reading the words wrong.
I’m always here for you and love seeing you smile.
The moment I saw Valencia walk out the doors, I hurried out of my mom’s car, rounded the trunk, and flew myself into her arms.
“Thank you for coming.”
“I would have been here sooner if you’d let me.”
A tear slid down my cheek as I pulled apart from her. “I thought I could handle it.”
“Your father died. It’s okay to want help.”
I nodded and opened the trunk for her to put her suitcase in. “Thank you.”
On the way back to Burn Falls, I told V everything. From the attack to distracting myself with how hot my father’s doctor was, to the moment I watched my dad take his last breath. It surprised me that I didn’t cry as I relived everything, but my tears were dried up.
She smiled tightly as I pulled the car into the driveway. “I’m here to do whatever you need me to do.”
“Again, thank you.”
After V met my family, we went up to my room so she could unpack and we could get ready for the funeral. Even though she let me get dressed and do my makeup in silence, just knowing she was there was enough to give me hope that I could get through this day.
The sun glistened on the snow as we gathered at the grave site, an organist playing classical music to drown out the sniffling of our family and friends. Everyone was local because the only living relative my father had was his mother, and she was in her nineties and not able to travel from Ireland.
My brother was the first to pay tribute to my dad. “On behalf of my mom, myself, and my sisters, Calla and Betha, we’d like to thank you for joining us here today. My father was hard working, kind, and generous. He always had time for everyone despite his long hours at his distillery. He ran O’Bannion Burn, knowing he had a responsibility to the local community, and each and every employee was family to him, to us, and I think that shows with the number of people who have come here today. But to us, he was a devoted husband,” Alastair nodded over to Mom who began to sob, “and a loving father. He was our hero, and we’ll never forget him.” He struggled on his last words and took a moment to gather himself as my own tears streamed down my face. “We love you, Dad. Rest in peace, and I hope there’s a bar in heaven where you can have your O’Bannion Burn.”
He came to sit back beside us, and Mom enveloped him in her arms as he broke down.
It struck me that this was the end. This was the place I’d need to come to talk to him, to ask for his help like I had many times before. I also sobbed because he would never walk myself or Betha down the aisle when we got married nor see if Al carried out the O’Bannion name by having a son of his own.
Once we were back at the house, my mom’s friends and V took charge of the food, and I busied myself fixing drinks for anyone who wanted one. I knew it was part of the celebration of Dad’s life for people to be here, but I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave.
I was emotionally drained.
V was asleep the next morning when I woke and went downstairs for coffee. I’d expected everyone to still be asleep given the day before, but Mom was sitting on the couch surrounded by papers.
“Morning, Mom.”
“Morning, honey. Did you sleep okay?”
I shrugged. “The best I could, given the circumstances.”
Mom reached for her coffee and took a quick sip. “I’m glad you’re the first awake. I need to speak to you about something before your brother and sister come down.”
“Sure. Can I get a cup of coffee real quick?”
“Of course.”
After making a cup, I returned to the living room and sat next to her on the couch. “What is it you want to talk about?” I had no idea what it could be. Was she going to go back to her ways and degrade me for being overweight? Blame me for my father’s death again?
She took another sip of her coffee. “I want to apologize for all the hateful words I’ve said to you. I know it wasn’t your fault that your father was attacked or died.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
“I’ve been hard on you all these years because you’re my firstborn. I wanted you to settle down and start a family.”
“That can still happen.”
“I know it can. I just want to
see you healthy and smiling like you used to do.”
“I think I’m going to start running again when I get back to Seattle.”
“Actually, that’s another thing I wanted to speak with you about. For as long as I can remember, your father had always said that he wanted you to take over OBB when he died—”
“I’m sure he was joking,” I stated.
Mother shook her head. “He wasn’t. And I know you have your life in Seattle, but I could really use your help here in Burn Falls. Alastair and Betha have many more years left of college, and there’s no way I can ask them to drop out. Your father wouldn’t want that.”
I stared at her speechless. “What are you saying?”
She placed her hand on my knee. “I’m meeting with our probate attorney after you leave to go back home, but I want you to stay. I want to give you OBB, and I want you to run it just like your father wanted.”
I stared at her speechless again.
“I know this is a lot to think about, but I can’t run the business. I have no clue what to do, and there’s no way I’ll ever sell it.”
“I wouldn’t let you sell it.”
“I could really use your help with everything now that your father’s gone. Would you consider moving home? You can stay here as long as you need to. I just … I just don’t think I can manage life alone.”
A tear slid down my cheek. “I need a little time to think it all over. I have my job back in—”
“Yes, I know. That’s why I wanted to mention it sooner rather than later. I know you’re going back on Sunday, but I wanted you to know that I need you.”
My mother had never told me that she needed me before. But was I ready to run a business? Become the heiress of O’Bannion Burn?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Seattle – 2003
It took me seventy-one years to finally make it to the west coast. Since 1932, I’d been going town to town, moving every ten or so years. I decided on Seattle a few months ago because it was the fastest growing major city in the United States, and I felt as though I could easily hide who I was and who I was running from in a large city.
I was working as an attending at Seattle’s Hope Haven. Compulsion helped when it came to interviews and getting people to believe that a young guy like myself had enough schooling and was training to be an attending and not an intern or resident. I also controlled when I could and couldn’t work, so if the sun was still out at the start of my shift, I’d compel who questioned me to forget I wasn’t in the hospital when my shift started.
“See you tomorrow, Dr. Webster,” Dyana, one of my interns, said as she closed her locker.
My current alias was Dr. Robert Webster. We’d just finished our shift, and each of us were getting ready to go home for the night. “Have a good rest of your night,” I replied, tying my shoe.
I grabbed my messenger bag and then walked to exit the building. Most nights at three in the morning there were just a few people roaming the streets, and I’d be able to run to my apartment in less than five minutes.
Tonight was different.
“I said drop your weapon!”
Hearing the shouts stopped me mid-dash a few blocks from the hospital.
“Looks like you’re outnumbered.” There was laughter, and my ears perked up even more. I bolted toward the voices. I didn’t know why.
“This is your last warning,” the first voice warned.
When I rounded the corner, staying in the shadows, I saw two police officers. One was on the ground, blood seeping from his chest, and not moving. I couldn’t hear his heart beating and knew he was dead. The other cop was surrounded by five men, his gun drawn, but I could tell he didn’t know what to do because he was, in fact, outnumbered.
Since I’d left Renzo’s mob, I’d never killed another person. But I knew that these five men weren’t innocent, and I knew that if they tried to follow through with their threats, I’d step in. I’d compel them to leave, and then I’d compel the cop and make up a cover story for his fallen partner.
“You’re going to end up like your partner,” the second voice said, laughing and nudging his head toward the downed officer.
“Backup will be here—”
“You’ll be dead before they arrive,” second voice chuckled again.
I watched as the group of men each pulled guns from their waists, and the moment I heard the click of a gun cocking, I went into action before I thought of the consequences, snapping each one’s neck. It took three-seconds to take them down, and then I turned toward the cop. He was shaking, clenching his gun in my direction.
“Fre … Freeze,” he stuttered.
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
He looked at the dead bodies and then back up to meet my dark eyes. “H … How … How’d you …?”
I told him the truth, knowing I’d compel him to forget I was even here in a few seconds. “I’m a vampire.”
He blinked. “A vampire? How are you—”
I smirked. “That’s a long story we don’t have time for.”
“Vampires aren’t real.”
I moved to him and gently forced him to lower his gun. “They are.”
“That’s … That’s so fucking cool.”
I was just about to make him stare into my eyes when his statement stopped me. Usually, people were scared. They always assumed they could outrun me and then I’d have to chase them, causing more fear because they thought they’d be my next victim when, in reality, I was only stopping them from running away to make them forget they knew the truth.
“Cool?” I asked.
He smiled. “Yeah. You’re super strong and fast and will live forever.”
I knew I wouldn’t. Eventually, Renzo would catch up to me and rip my heart from my chest. “Let me guess. You want me to turn you?”
After I used compulsion on people to get them to calm down (usually the women I slept with), they would beg for me to turn them because they wanted to become a vampire too before I compelled them to forget I was a vampire. Humans didn’t realize what it actually entailed. I hadn’t seen daylight in almost seventy-five years, I could never make a city my forever home, I’d never have a family, and I could never get close with a human because, eventually, I’d have to watch them die.
In short, I was living a nightmare.
“No,” the young cop stated. “I want you to help me.”
It was my turn to blink. “Help you?”
The sirens were just around the corner. “Working the streets aren’t safe. I would have died tonight if it wasn’t for you, and my wife is pregnant with our first child.”
“You’re a rookie,” my gaze lowered to his name on his chest, “Officer Ellwood?”
“Second month on the job.” His green eyes lit up.
Police cars skidded to a stop, and before I could make him forget, I ran away.
When I woke the next evening, I knew I needed to find Officer Ellwood. I wasn’t sure what would happen—what had happened while I was sleeping the day away. Did he tell everyone that there was a vampire in town? Did people believe him? What was his cover story about the five dead men whose necks I snapped? I’d never left someone uncompelled, but the moment he told me he was going to be a father, my world stopped. It always did when I saw children or pregnant women because it would remind me of Mary and what I almost had.
And what I’d lost.
Once I made it to the hospital, I rummaged in the break room, searching for a local newspaper. I flipped through it, not seeing any story about a vampire, but there was one about the rookie cop who was the sole survivor in a gang attack in the city.
The story stated that Officer Ellwood and his partner, Officer Roth, engaged in a physical altercation that resulted in the death of everyone except Officer Ellwood. It concluded that the investigation was still underway.<
br />
I read the story again to make certain there was nothing about me. Was he serious the night before when he’d asked me to help him? How would I help a cop? Take down every bad guy in the city and potentially out myself? Granted, there was always compulsion, but if I wanted to fight crime, I would have become a cop and not a doctor.
I heard the light footsteps before Andrea pushed the break room door open. “EMS on route with a thirty-four-year-old hit and run victim. Three minutes out.”
“On my way.” I set the newspaper down and went to start my day.
Another shift was done. We were able to save the hit and run vic as well as help a few more patients who came into the ER with various ailments. Still, in the back of my mind, I thought about the previous night and how I was going to track down Officer Ellwood and find out what he’d told people. Given the story, I figured it wasn’t the truth. If that were the case, there would still be time for me to compel him. If he told anyone that there was a vampire in the city, I was certain word would get back to Renzo and he’d come to Seattle in an instant.
“I can’t believe Seattle has a vigilante. That’s freakin’ awesome.”
My ears perked up as two nurses entered the locker room.
“What are you two talking about?” Dyana asked.
The blonde nurse responded, “The news that was on in the break room earlier said that some guy helped an officer last night take down five men.”
I stilled, waiting for them to continue.
“What makes him a vigilante?” Dyana proceeded to question. “Sounds like a hero to me if he helped save a cop from five men.”
“Same thing,” the redheaded nurse stated. “They’re asking people to come forward if they have any information because they want to thank the guy.”
Never going to happen.
“Maybe he’s like Batman, and no one will ever find out who he really is. He could be Dr. Webster for all we know.” Dyana laughed.
“Heard that,” I replied, and shut the door to my locker with a little more force than I’d intended.
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