Sunder

by Tara Brown

  Judith leaned over and asked, “Who is that boy?”

  “Briton Thorlackson.”

  “He’s a Thorlackson? That’s what he said—Thorlackson?” Judith’s tone changed slightly.

  I looked at Judith frowning. “Yeah, who is he?”

  She smiled, looking at the same group Briton had been looking at. “Oh, his family comes and goes. They are one of the founding families that started Wolfville, back in the day.”

  I shrugged. “He must have been gone for a long time. That suit is tailored and his shoes are croc. Who wears that here? Let’s be real. Not to mention, he seemed to be missing your small-town manners. He’s a jerk!”

  Judith reached over and took one of my hands and squeezed it. “His family is known for being rude and snooty. Thank God he doesn’t like you. You won’t have to talk to him and be polite. This way you can avoid him, you should anyway.”

  I sighed. “Small-town boys aren’t really my thing.”

  My father laughed. “She’s a city girl through and through, she doesn’t do polite.”

  I stuck my tongue out, making them both laugh. I stole one last glance at Briton. I would have liked to watch him like a hawk, even if he suddenly seemed to be ignoring me, but I had to regain some semblance of self-respect. I needed to avoid him altogether.

  A voice interrupted my avoiding stalking him with my stare. “Would you like to dance?”

  I looked up to see someone who looked like a guy I knew back home—a hot one. Yay, dumpy town had two hot guys. It was a miracle. And this one seemed polite—also a miracle. He was dressed nicely, wearing dress pants and a blue shirt with a navy-colored tie. I smiled. “Sure, why not?” I took one of his hands and let him lead me onto the dance floor.

  “I’m Josh Michaels.” His voice was uneven, like he was nervous. I suspected he was. His hands stayed stiff like a board against my back, afraid to move. I liked that he was more like me, less confident, not asshole-ish like Mr. King of the World over there. “Judith is actually my distant cousin.”

  “Liv Daniels.”

  He grinned, revealing a very handsome smile. “Nice to meet you, Liv. I actually heard all about you. We knew you were coming. I had heard you’d be here by the first week of September when school started. I didn’t know you’d be so pretty though.” His cheeks reddened, like he didn’t mean to say it. Against his dark hair and dark-green eyes, the blush of his cheeks gave him an adorable look. He really was handsome but in a normal guy sort of way.

  I laughed nervously. It felt like an eighth-grade dance, but it made me completely comfortable. Regardless of the fact I was still fighting the urge to stare at Briton.

  The whole night was starting to feel like an eighth-grade dance.

  I’d already been asked to dance by the mouth breather and turned him down. Then I’d asked the hot, popular guy to dance and was of course shot down. Can you say karma? Finally, I ended up dancing with the guy who’s probably friends with all the girls but was cute enough to still make me blush and nervous in an innocent way.

  I looked down, enjoying the waltz amongst all the other people. It felt amazing to dance in my beautiful dress and, thankfully, dancing seemed to be equally as awkward to Josh as it was to me. The way he reminded me of my friend back home was eerie almost.

  “What grade are you in?” I asked, hoping he was in twelfth so at least I would have one friend when I started on Monday.

  He smiled when he spoke, “Twelfth. Same as you, right?”

  I smiled back excitedly. “Yay, yeah the same.” It was weird he knew about me, small towns were so crazy.

  “Awesome. But you must be kinda bummed about starting at a new school for senior year?”

  I nodded. “I’m getting less bummed. I was pissed at first. My dad and Judith actually married last year and bought the house and renovated it, while my dad and I lived in Chicago. He stayed for me so I wouldn’t have to move in the middle of the year. I would have been here by the start of the year, but our school’s senior trip was scheduled for the end of September. We were going to Greece. So I stayed and started the school year there and went with all my friends to Greece. I tried to weasel out as much time as possible there, but Dad laid down the law and I had to come here before Halloween.”

  Josh winced. “Yikes.”

  “Yikes is right.”

  His eyes shone. I liked that about him. “Well, I think you’ll like it here. We have a great senior class. Everyone’s cool.”

  “Cool.”

  I wasn’t certain yet that I was going to like it, but knowing him made it better. It didn’t take away the urge to go home and curl up with my phone and Facetime my friends. In fact, talking to him made me miss home even more.

  Chapter Four

  Briton

  Briton had been hesitant to just walk over and start the conversation, but he knew it had to be done. He swallowed the last of his drink and stood up with Miles following him. They made their way to the table as boldly as they could, without being offensive. Wolfville wasn’t his territory anymore, he had to be cautious.

  As he neared the table, he came upon Liv dancing and talking with a boy. He tried not to focus on it as he walked up to the men and gave a slight nod. From the distance he did it, it wouldn’t have been seen by anyone normal. But up close and with sharp eyes, it was a subtle bow.

  “Jamie, Phillip, Samuel, Anthony, Jane, nice to see you all again.” They eyed him up, trying not to make their annoyance at his being there obvious to anyone.

  “Please have a seat, Nicolai. Miles, how are you, my dear old friend?” Jamie greeted Miles by standing and shaking his hand and pointing to the chairs. No hand was offered to Briton. Jane gave him a filthy grin though, not that it wasn’t expected. She gave it to everyone, always had. She had been with at least two of his brothers, an image that still disgusted him.

  Briton sat and took a deep breath before speaking, “I go by Briton now. There are those who recall Nicolai in the world.”

  Jamie shrugged. “Why are you here?”

  “I need to ask for what you owe my family.” The words seemed to flow from Briton’s mouth with ease, but the reactions in the men’s eyes didn’t seem to be anything close to ease.

  Jamie spoke firmly, “Are you kidding me?” He looked at Miles, as though he were asking him.

  “I need your help, just as you once needed mine and my family’s.” His voice never broke, and he never looked away from Jamie’s eyes. That would have given the pack leader the impression he was weak.

  Jamie sat back in his chair. “Has something happened?”

  Briton nodded. “The hunters are stronger than ever.”

  “Tell us what has happened.”

  Briton took another deep breath. “I’m not kidding, I think they’ve killed them all. I know I do not have a single living relation left. The fight and fire here claimed my immediate family, but as far as I have seen, the rest are gone too.”

  Jamie grimaced. “The men from your father’s family?” Family was a loose term.

  Briton nodded. “I’ve heard rumors that they came for them in numbers we couldn’t imagine.”

  Phillip spoke for the first time, “Well now, I think we can imagine that, lad.”

  Briton smiled bitterly and spoke through his teeth, “Yes, we can.”

  Jamie ran his hands through his light-brown hair. “Lord Briton, why come tonight of all nights?”

  “I didn’t want a fight. I knew the festivities would keep us all in check like it used to.”

  That made Jamie laugh. “Yeah, any other night and ya might have gotten something you didn’t want.”

  Briton smiled softly. “I need permission to be back here; I don’t have the numbers to just waltz into town, and besides, it’s not a fair thing to do. I would want the same courtesy.”

  “Of course,” Jamie offered his hand. “But I don’t understand what you want from us.”

  “I need protection, like the old days. I have not rested, not t
ruly rested, for a long time. I need to find out where the hunters are and if they’re coming here. I need the witches to see for me.” He looked at Miles and smiled. “And he needs regular doctor appointments too.”

  Miles rolled his eyes. “Bahh, I’ll outlive you all.”

  The Michaels clan laughed loudly.

  Jamie leaned forward and spoke softly, “Fine, but we don’t want your handiwork affecting the town, same rules as always. Have you tried to find others like us?”

  Briton nodded. “There are none who are born or cursed that I have seen, we are a dying breed. I’ve looked in Rome, London, Shanghai. I have checked all the usual spots and I’ve seen nothing. All that is left are the ones who are made by one of us. The dirty blood still live on.”

  Jamie frowned, looking worried. “Is it possible we are really the last?” Again he seemed to be speaking to Miles.

  “I don’t know.” Briton shook his head. “I don’t think so. There should be wanderers who won’t come around cities. They travel and spend their lives almost wild. I highly doubt we are the very last, but I am very worried about where the attention is going to be focused if they have killed the others. The hunters are relentless and we have not seen activity like this from them in a hundred years. They may come back here.”

  Jamie nodded as his brothers looked at each other fearfully. He looked around the table before he muttered, “Well, we all have the luxury to add to our population quickly. Is that something you have considered?”

  Briton thought for a moment and nodded hesitantly. “If I am the last of my kind, I don’t have to be. But I have never made one of the dirty bloods before, let alone a real one like me. You know what it takes . . . there are risks.”

  Miles grabbed his arm, interrupting. “Let’s take this slowly, lads. Let’s get Nicolai settled before we start negotiating and breeding.”

  Briton nodded. “Yes, I need to settle into the house.”

  Jamie’s face turned very serious. “Helena Whitburn has passed.”

  “Really?” Briton nodded slowly, taking it in. “How?”

  Jamie shrugged. “We’re looking into it. Was made to look like she passed in her sleep, but I think we all know that’s not possible.”

  Briton’s gaze matched Jamie’s hardened stare. “Who’s running the shop?”

  “Her daughter just got here from San Fran—guess she is.”

  Briton thought for a second. “Does she know?”

  “I would imagine she does. Does Betsy know everything? Helena was her sister, after all.”

  Briton sighed. “Betsy knows nothing. She has just always been one of the familiars for the guards. Helena was the one who held the spell. This may change some things for us if the daughter isn’t up to speed.”

  “Like I said, we’re looking into it. Maybe you could go see the daughter?”

  Briton nodded. “I will.”

  Jamie looked around at his siblings. “Well, welcome home, Briton. We will honor the original agreement made between our families back in the day.” He winked. “Hope you didn’t bring any trouble with ya.”

  “No one knows I am alive. They never have. Not since the fire. It was rumored the last of my bloodline was killed in the fire,” Briton grinned back at him, “but, I’m sure a bunch of brawny boys such as you, can take care of yourselves, if I have brought any danger.”

  Grins filled the air around him as he got up from his chair and walked out onto the dance floor to do the thing he had wanted to from the moment he saw her. He tapped the shoulder of the surfer-looking boy dancing with his Liv. “May I cut in?”

  The boy glanced at Liv, but she just stood there staring up at Briton with a scornful look. He didn’t wait for the young man to say yes or no. He slid into place, leading her around the dance floor like a master but trying not to gain too much attention. He looked down at her and grinned. “So, Liv Daniels, are you having a good evening?”

  She frowned. “I guess.” She didn’t seem as smitten as she had the first time she spoke to him. In fact, she seemed angry. Her head spun around as she looked at the boy standing in the middle of the dance floor.

  Briton gave her a softened look, struggling to keep his eyes above her neckline. “You guess?”

  She pulled back a bit. “Why did you say no, if you wanted to dance?”

  He shrugged. “Well, I wasn’t ready to dance then.” He looked down into her eyes, mesmerized by the azure flecks surrounding the black pupils. “I am now though.”

  “Whatever.” She looked at him as if studying him, “You sound funny, like the old people from here. Did you grow up here? Those shoes scream New York or Milan, maybe London.”

  He didn’t want to answer any questions. He smiled as he looked intensely into her eyes. “You just want to dance. You don’t want to talk.”

  Her eyes narrowed and she drew back a bit. “Are you kidding me right now? I don’t think I want to do either, dick.” She pulled from his arms and walked over to her family. He heard her mutter, “Psycho.”

  It hadn’t worked? It always worked.

  She walked to her seat, giving him a sour look. The boy she had been dancing with was back instantly. Briton ignored the millions of questions flying through his mind as he walked over to Miles and Betsy. “I’m not sure about you two, but I’m ready for bed.” He was ready to murder things, so leaving was a safer option. He had a plan forming, a plan he couldn’t exactly fight. He needed to leave before that young lady was over his shoulders and being dragged out. He had the oddest sensation. He would die fighting for her.

  Miles looked at him. “End of a long day, I guess.”

  Briton nodded. “One heck of a long day.” Or decade. He turned and took one last look at Liv who was still giving him a deadly glare. Her face seemed like a dream he’d had once, but he knew his last dream had been so long ago he didn’t recall it in any detail. Likely it would have been about sheep herding or picking grains.

  Miles stood next to him and whispered, “I have a bad feeling about that one. She isn’t what you think she is. She isn’t what she thinks she is.”

  Briton shook his head, whispering back. “I want her, it’s the oddest thing. My compulsion didn’t work on her though.”

  Miles nudged him. “She might be a Whitburn. Doesn’t work so well on witches. You need to give that one up.” He turned and walked back to Betsy.

  “I just have the strangest feeling about her.” Briton sighed and bowed softly not taking his eyes off her. She flipped him her middle finger, making a broad smile cross his lips. “Such an interesting town, this has become.”

  He turned and walked from the hall, with Betsy and Miles trailing slowly, chatting each other up.

  The drive didn’t seem to improve the fog the girl had placed in his mind, covering his brain and its functioning capabilities.

  How had the compulsion not worked? He was thousands of years old, his compulsion always worked. He stopped the SUV at the driveway and smiled at Miles. “You guys go on in, I need a drink.”

  Miles gave him a worried look. “Just one and then home to bed.”

  “Of course, old man. I don’t know about you, but I need a good sleep.”

  “Don’t drink locally, you know the old adage. “Don’t shit where you eat.”

  Briton scoffed. “Lovely advice, eloquent as always.”

  Miles smiled. “Come Betsy, let’s get inside. Who knows what manner of creatures lurk about at this time of night?”

  Betsy waved and called back, “Goodnight, Briton.”

  “Sleep well, Betsy.” He waved and drove off. “Why didn’t it work?” he murmured and drove back the way he had come from. At least it had worked on one person.

  He parked in the same parking space he had just left and waited for that girl. He sat back and smiled as he heard the door to the aging building open and close softly. He heard her footsteps closing on the parked vehicle.

  She opened the passenger door with an expectant look on her face. “Took you long en
ough.”

  He laughed softly, watching as she climbed into the truck, lifting the skirt of her dress and closing the door.

  He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. She ran her hand through his hair pulling him into her. He pulled back and smiled feverishly. “Let’s take a drive, shall we?”

  She nodded, breathing heavily. She looked like she was unable to fully sit back in her seat, like she fought the urge to jump on him and finish what they had started.