“Geez, ok you don’t have to be so rude. Man, it must be a vampire thing to be so moody. You ever heard of double sided tape by chance?” I continued babbling. Maybe if I annoyed him enough he would give up and leave me alone.
“I have your friend here,” he answered. My heart stopped. Since I only had one friend, I knew exactly who he was talking about.
“Oh, my God. You bastard, you had better not touch one hair on her head.” Immediately after saying it, I wanted to take it back. It sounded like a cheesy line from a movie.
“You know what I want, so let’s trade,” he said. This threw me for a loop. I actually didn’t know what I had to trade but there was no way I could tell him that. He had my Kimmy.
“Tell me where and when,” I said with as much courage as I could muster.
“Be at your 7-eleven exactly twelve hours from now, waiting in front of the pay phone for my call.”
I looked at the clock beside my bed, it was seven thirty at night. It was a strange request.
“But why would you call me on the pay phone when you have my cell phone number? And why twelve hours, why not when I get there I’ll get there?” I made valid points.
“Are you kidding me, just be at your 7-eleven tomorrow morning.” He hung up. I couldn’t even argue the point that I was trapped in the labyrinth with no way out, no ride, and no way in hell I was getting by a vampire, wizard and werewolf. Besides, it would kill me to leave Nelly. Even if I did happen to find a way out, I had no idea how to drive a stick shift. At least I had enough time to learn, or walk for that matter.
I decided to take my chances. I started stripping as I grabbed some jeans from a bag and pulled them on as fast as I could. I wondered how Nelly got my size right. The jeans fit better than any I owned at home. I pulled on a short sleeve t-shirt, threw my hair into a loose bun and put on some tennis shoes. I grabbed my purse and started out for Ezra’s room, dreading what was to come.
I found his room pretty quickly and hid my purse behind a plant in the hall in case things went south maybe I could lie my way out. Yes, Emily, lie to the mind reading vampire. That sounds like a great plan. I had a feeling this was going to end badly.
I opened the door slowly and peeked in. No Ezra to be found. I pushed the door open farther and stepped in. I saw keys on the mantle of the fireplace, grabbed them and ran out feeling like I was being chased. Some sick feeling inside me made me want to giggle. I picked up my purse on the way out and located the living room. I backtracked my way out and crept up the freaky stairway to the empty shack. It was pitch black as I exited the stairs. I ran out the shack’s front door, straight into some dude. It scared me so bad I struck my best ninja move and started chopping him with my hand.
“Ow, would you please stop?” I recognized his voice. He was Robert, my father. He looked pretty young to be my dad. My mom must have robbed the cradle with this one. With a head full of strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes, we could pass as twins. Except for our fashion sense. He wore a polo tucked into some khaki pants, with tennis shoes.
“Oh, my dear, I am so sorry, sir. I was just dropping some things off for the new missus of the house for my Aunt Nelly. I was in a hurry to get to work.” I was holding my breath, hoping to God he was as stupid as he looked.
“Oh, I didn’t know Nelly had any family. I apologize.” Bingo, he was an idiot. I gave him the biggest smile I could muster. It was dusk outside, I was hoping that would help me hide my identity, if he would take one good look at me he would know I was his daughter.
“You have a nice day, sir,” I said and took the opportunity to leave. I got all the way to the car I could still feel his eyes on my back. Hopefully he wasn’t checking out my ass. That would be an awkward discussion when he finally discovered that I was his daughter.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get your name.” Dammit to hell, he was annoying me.
“Ah, my name is Tasha,” I answered, unlocking the car.
“Tasha, what a pretty name.” Oh dear God, please say my Father is not hitting on me. I smiled in response and opened the door.
“Can I ask why you are taking Ezra’s car?” he asked.
“Well, my car broke down so my Aunt Nelly asked Ezra if I could borrow his. We’re kind of dating anyways so he really didn’t mind.” I was laying it on thick. Feeling like I was sinking quickly, I added, “I’m very sorry but I am very late, I must go. It was very nice meeting you.”
I turned back to the car and felt my heart drop as he replied, “It was nice to meet you too, Emily.”
Chapter Thirteen
I had my hand on the opened door and decided there was only one thing to do. I was a good teenager; I never snuck out, never broke curfew, so why I thought I would be able to escape from my own flesh and blood is beyond me. But none the less, I tried. As soon as the door slammed, I was hitting the lock button like it was my life line. And it was, if I didn’t get to Kimmy, Damon would kill her and I could not live without my Kimmy Bear. I rammed the key into the ignition as Robert banged on the window. He was yelling but with all the adrenalin coursing through my veins I couldn’t understand a word he said.
“Ezra’s not going to be very happy with you banging on his window like that, Robert. He loves this car,” I informed him. I hit the clutch and threw the stick into the R position. I hit the gas and flew backwards, then stomped on the brakes and threw it into first. This time the car died. Fuck, I really should have paid attention in Driver’s Ed when we learned how to drive a manual. My argument to the coach who taught the class kept replaying in my mind
“Coach, seriously what are the chances that I will ever be in an emergency situation where I will have to drive a manual car without help?” Bad on me. I turned the ignition again and the car purred.
“Come on, baby. Don’t embarrass me in front of my dead beat dad,” I said to the car. I hit the gas and zoomed down the street. I was changing gears like I was playing a racing game in Chucky Cheese, feeling like I was on top of the world. As soon as I got on a real road, I decided I had no idea where in hell I was at. I noticed the GPS on the dash and started poking at the screen before I finally gave up. I grabbed my phone and hit the map button. Current location to home, and bam three hours and nineteen minutes I would be closer to saving Kimmy. Thank Jesus for technology. Ten minutes into my drive, my phone started ringing. I didn’t recognize the number so I answered, thinking it could be Damon.
“Hello?” I answered, smiling. I had just done the impossible. I escaped the house of freaks. I felt dirty, I had stolen a car. It was a good feeling, I was quite proud of myself.
“Emily, I’m trying to stay calm right now, but your dad just told me that you stole my car. Please tell me he’s lying.” Ezra sounded much calmer than I would have been if someone stole my car.
“I can neither deny nor confirm that accusation,” I replied.
“Emily, please don’t mess with me. Where is my car?”
“What the hell? Please do not worry yourself about me, Ezra, I’m ok.” I was getting annoyed, so I hung up. Three seconds later, my phone started ringing. In my mind I imagined it being Gavin saying, ‘Emily, where are you. I need to be with you. I’m your protector.’ No such luck, Ezra. I decided I had a few hours to burn. I was bored.
“Yes, Ezra, how can I help you?” I answered.
“Seriously, Emily, where the hell are you?” he yelled.
“You guys are big FBI, Men in Black, supernatural cop dudes and you can’t even find your car. That’s pretty sad.”
“Emily, turn around right now, please.” He was trying to stay calm but he was cracking.
“Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you read my mind and figure my location then Axle can track me with his nose, while Gavin and Robert fly on their broom sticks,” I yelled as I hung up. Game over. I couldn’t turn my phone off in case I got a call from Damon. I turned up the radio and jammed out. The car had a very nice bass system and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The closer I got to being back home, the m
ore nervous I got and the more phone calls I received from Ezra. I finally saved his number as ‘Blood Sucking Bastard’ so that I knew not to answer. Thirty minutes till I got home I got a call from an unknown number. I had to answer.
“Yellow,” I answered.
“Emily, Ezra is freaking out, you need to tell me where you are at,” Axle said.
“You know what I can’t figure out, Axle? Why in the world would you all worry so much about this guy finding me? It’s not like I can really do magic so why does it even matter? You want to know what I think? I think Robert has some shameful daddy issues and feels like he can make it all better by being my knight in shining armor. I don’t need to be saved, Axle, so if you guys wouldn’t mind, please leave me alone.” I hung up. I saved his number as ‘Dumb Dog,’ turned up the volume and kept my foot on the gas pedal. I pulled into the 7-eleven at midnight. I was getting tired and wanted to get this over with. There was no way I was waiting seven more hours to see this bastard. I hit the last number he called me from.
“Yes?” He answered on the first ring.
“Look, I’m kind of a wanted woman and I have some serious freaks looking for me right now, so I need to move the deadline up to, let’s say, right now,” I replied, hoping he would accept my offer.
“Sorry, you are going to have to wait till morning. That’s the deal, you better learn how to hide,” he said and hung up. I had hung up on everyone throughout the day but now I realized how annoying it was and almost felt bad. Thinking it over, I was hoping maybe he was hungry and that’s why he wanted to wait till night time to meet. Where in the hell was I going to hide for a few hours? Better yet, sleep.
The first place Ezra would look for me would be either my house or my mom’s house. So I needed to think of the last place on earth they would every think I would be.
Vicky would be the ideal place, since I hated her guts. As much as I tried to make the car pull out and go to her house, the worse my stomach felt. It would be a cold day in hell when I hung out with Vicky on my own free will.
There was only one other place I could think that wouldn’t drive me completely crazy but just enough that no one would ever find me. I went into the 7-eleven and got some beef jerky and a Mountain Dew. I figured Ezra would probably oppose me eating in his car, but since he wasn’t around to object I ate my jerky as I headed into the pits of hell.
I didn’t have many friends. No one in this town could understand me except Kimmy. And since she was in the hands of a killer, I couldn’t very well call her to hang out. I pulled into Harold’s driveway and turned off the car. I banged my head on the steering wheel before I climbed out and headed up to the front door. Harold lived in a quaint neighborhood. He had a small brick house with some dirty white plastic chairs on the front porch. I knocked on the door, still thinking I should leave. Maybe turning myself in to Ezra wasn’t such a bad idea, after all. A tiny lady opened the door. She was wearing curlers in her gray hair and was in her house coat, as my momma calls it.
“Can I help you?” she asked, looking as if I had woken her up. I could smell cigarette smoke from inside. Ew, nothing I hate more than people who smoke in their house.
“Hi, ma’am, I’m looking for Harold. Is he home?” I asked as sweetly as possible. Sweet southern girls are everyone’s weakness.
“He’s at work right now,” she answered, annoyed. I didn’t blame her, if some crazy girl had woke me up in the middle of the night looking for my son I would have shot her.
“Why is he working the night shift?” I asked. She gave me an uncertain look. “Sorry, I work with Harold, my name is Emily.” I offered her my hand but she just stared at me like I was a creature from the dark.
“Someone called in sick. They needed an extra body so Harold volunteered.”
“Ok, sorry to bother you,” I said and turned and briskly left. I felt like the biggest loser. The one night I needed a place to hide out, and Harold wasn’t even at home.
It only took me three tries to get the car backed up and back on the road. I was learning that I could go forward with few problems or grinds but backwards was a pain in the rear for me. I decided I really needed some sleep, no matter what it took. I reluctantly drove over to Vicky’s’ house and knocked on the door. I almost laughed when her mother answered. She would never make fun of me again now that I knew she still lived with her mother.
“Hi, Ms. Kenner. I am so sorry to wake you, is Vicky home?” I asked.
“Honey, you didn’t wake me. I have a disease, so I don’t sleep at night. My doctor calls it insomnia, I call it men. Please come in.” She was a big woman, with short, crazy looking black hair. She had a few greys mixed in. She was wearing red lipstick that was smudged. I couldn’t understand why she was wearing any lipstick at all at this time of night.
They had a plain home, pictures of Vicky scattered the wall. She was an only child. Her mom looked like an older Vicky except much nicer. I couldn’t see where Vicky had learned her awful ways. “I’m sorry to barge in like this in the middle of the night, but I had a pipe bust and I needed a place to stay. I was wondering if I could stay here tonight,” I boldly asked, praying Vicky wasn’t home. I had a chance with her mom here.
“Of course, honey! Vicky isn’t here tonight. She’s staying at some boy’s house tonight. You’re welcome to stay in her room.” She was such a sweet women I didn’t know where she went wrong with her daughter.
“Thank you so much.”
She showed me to the room and said good night. Vicky and I were friends until the first grade. She kissed Nick Roberts on the playground one day in front of the entire class. This wouldn’t have been such a bad thing except he was my boyfriend at the time. Before that we actually liked each other, I had spent the night at her house before. I thought she had bought the house when her mom moved. That was the story she told people so they didn’t know she still lived with her mother. I went to the bathroom to clean up before bed and grabbed a comforter from the hall closet on my way back. There was no way in hell I was sleeping in the same sheets Vicky slept in. I threw the blanket on top of the entire bed and crawled on top.
I fell asleep fairly quickly and slept hard. I woke the next morning at six am, thanked Vicky’s mom for letting me crash and left. I was afraid I would see Ezra leaned up against his car when I opened the front door. I peeked out, surprisingly enough no Ezra. Maybe my luck was turning around. I got in the car and glanced at my phone. Twenty missed calls, a new record. I decided to talk to Ezra to burn some time since I still had an hour before I had to meet Damon. The phone rang three times and I thought he wouldn’t answer.
“What?” he finally snapped, maybe I woke him up.
“What are you doing?” I asked nonchalantly.
“I don’t have time for your games, Emily. Where are you?”
“Seriously, you haven’t found me yet? This is too easy,” I answered, smiling. There had to be a catch, there was no way I was outsmarting four supernatural dudes with big bad powers.
“Ezra, do you already know where I am?” I looked around for any cars hanging out that looked like they were filled with too much testosterone.
“Emily, if I knew where you were at, you would be dead,” he said and I was hoping he was joking.
“Touché,” I answered. “So where are you at?”
“I am at home, waiting for your return.”
“Bullshit. Where are you for real?” I asked, growing tired of his shenanigans. I heard a beep and looked down to see Damon calling.
“Oops, got to go.” And I hung up. “Hello, Damon.”
“I’m ready,” he said and I had a thought of Ezra lying on the bed as he said that. I shook my head to clear the thoughts.
“Ok, its go time, where do you want to meet?” I asked, still feeling courage seeping through my pores. I am not usually a courageous person so I wasn’t sure where this bravery was coming from. I guess having a bunch of hot body guards around twenty-four/seven was growing on me.
“I’ll text you the address, you had better come alone,” he warned.
“I stole Ezra’s car. I’m as much of a criminal as you are. Plus, now he probably will kill us both if he gets the chance.”
He hung up on me. I waited a few minutes in silence till I finally got the text. I punched the address into my phone and waited for the directions to load. It was only ten minutes away. I got the car out of the driveway on the first try. The house we were meeting at was just down the street from my mom’s house. I pulled in next to a black Range rover. I turned the car off and took a deep breath. It was finally hitting me that I would finally be face to hood with Damon. The mystery man would be revealed, and I wouldn’t have anyone to protect me against him. I felt myself hyperventilating and had to get out of the car quickly.
Chapter Fourteen
I wasn’t sure if it was nerves or bad luck but I tripped getting out of the car. I gracefully fell flat on my face. I rolled over and lay on my back for a minute, just staring at the sky. After I decided I was being a big baby, I got up, brushed myself off and started walking to the door. Was I supposed to knock or should I ring the doorbell? Should I smile when he answered and wait to be invited in? I thought seriously for a moment about kicking down the door and going in loaded, but the problem with that is I had no weapon. Plus, this dude was a vampire, and it seemed impossible to sneak up on a mind reader.
With my luck, I’d kick the door and nothing would happen. That would be embarrassing, to kick and kick until I gave up and used the doorknob. I was just about to knock when the door swung open, kind of like it does in a scary movie before someone gets killed. And this is the part of the movie where I yell at the person not to go into the house. Then they go in and die and I say ‘told you so, idiot.’ I was about to be the dead idiot. I had to keep thinking of Kimmy as I pushed open the door. I walked in and it took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Dare to Bleed (Emily Sullivan Series) Page 9