Astoria: Secrets, Lies and Vampires

by Theiler, Donna

  “Oh, that’s too bad.” Sami sighed.

  “We better get to class.” I said as I nodded my head towards the school. Everyone started off towards the school and Sami dropped the subject about Prom and dress shopping, as she began to talk about all the hot guys that she saw in Hawaii. I let out a sigh of relieve as we entered the school and the bell rang. Hopefully Sami would let the subject of everything ‘Prom’ drop, and if she didn’t hopefully Payton would be there to have my back again.

  After school Evan and I went to the beach. As we walked hand in hand I looked out at the Lighthouse. We hadn’t been back to it since that day Destiny attacked us. “Do you miss it?” Evan asked as we walked along the water edge.

  “No.” I said shaking my head. The Lighthouse was special to me at one time. But now it only reminded me of that day Destiny nearly killed me and Evan. And I wanted to put that day behind me, forever. As we continued our walk down Cannon Beach Evan tugged slightly at my hand to stop me. As I turned to look at Evan he leaned in and kissed me, much like he did that first day we meet here. As Evan pulled slowly away from my lips he looked into my eyes and whispered. “Can I keep you?” Looking back at Evan with tears in my eyes, I replied “Only if I can keep you.”

  Chapter 22

  It was the day before Prom. Exactly one month since Destiny had stalked me, and tried to kill me. One month since Levi had caught me with Evan. And one month since Evan and I had made love for the first time, and the last. Ever since that morning Evan hasn’t touched me in that way again.

  “We should be married first Emma.” Evan said as I tried to persuade him to make love to me one evening last week.

  “We’ve already done it once.” I said as I traced my fingers along his chest as we were laying on his bed in his room.

  “Yes, and it was a mistake.” The words were hurtful as he said them. I sat up and turned away from him. Angry he said it was a mistake.

  “Emma, I didn’t mean it like that.” Evan said as he reached for me. As his cool hands touched my skin I pulled away. “I just meant that sex doesn’t define a relationship.” I still kept my back to him. “Emma, sex with someone like me, a Vampire, isn’t safe.” He added. Now he had my attention as I turned back to meet his gaze.

  “What do you mean? Not safe?” I asked.

  “Look at how-” I could tell he was looking for the right word that wouldn’t offend me. “Rough sex was with me. Vampires have no control. You had bruises after our last time. I could hurt you, or worse. You could get pregnant.”

  “You did fine. The bruises, were-”

  “Emma!” Evan stopped me mid sentence. “If you were to get pregnant, it would kill you. Do you not understand that?” Now his face was showing seriousness.

  “Your mother didn’t die.” I added. Evan sat in front of me shaking his head. “Emma, no more sex, not until-” I didn’t even let him finish before I told him okay and kissed him. The look of anguish on his face was more than I could stand. It was as though he had already seen the future of what could happen if I was to have gotten pregnant. The rest of the night Evan and I lay on his bed talking about my parents, and what their dreams were for me.

  “My mother always wanted me to marry a doctor.” I told Evan as he stared at me contently. “I think she would have loved you.” I said as I entwined my fingers in his.

  “I don’t know about that.” Evan said. Still keeping his fingers entangled in mine. “Your Grandmother doesn’t like me, what makes you think your mother would?” he asked. I paused for a moment thinking of my mother and how beautiful of a person she was.

  “Because I love you, so I know she would have.” I said as I kissed him. Evan smiled as he began to tickle me. We rolled around playfully as I laughed uncontrollably. Evan stopped tickling me and looked at me with a serious gaze.

  “Are you angry with me for missing your Senior Prom?” he asked. I didn’t need to even think about the question before I answered.

  “No. As long as I am with you, missing Prom doesn’t matter.” I could see there was more to the conversation as Evan looked down. Evan looked back up at me and then sprang the news on me.

  “I think we should spend tomorrow night… apart.” I could see that this was killing him as much as it was killing me “Just to be safe.” He added. I just nodded my head without saying a word. The rest of the night we sat in silence, the only words that were spoken was when Evan asked was I ready to go home, and only then he spoke, I just nodded yes. I don’t know why I didn’t speak my mind with him. I guess out of fear I would anger him and he would disappear on me. So keeping my mouth shut out weighted what the outcome would be if I protested too much.

  Evan rode with me for my trip home, only this time he had me pull over about a mile before we reached the Reservation and he got out. Not sure why he wanted to get out of the car when I still had another mile to drive I pulled over as he asked. After letting him out of the car and I went along my way, still not saying anything to him. Once I got home and went straight for the kitchen to eat. Gran had left a note saying she was with Marie and she had left me dinner in the fridge. I opened the fridge door to find she had made pot roast, potatoes and carrots. As I grabbed the container out I looked at the grease that was floating atop of the bowl and my stomach began to boil. As bile rose in my throat I quickly ran to the downstairs bathroom and empty the contents that were in my stomach. As I sat on the cool bathroom tile I tried to make sure the feeling of nausea was gone before I tried to get up. When I thought it was safe I got a washcloth and ran some cool water over it and held it to my head.

  Just as I was putting the pot roast back in the fridge, trying not to look at it, afraid I may get sick again, I heard Gran walking in the door. “Emma, you home?” she yelled. Of course I’m home. Didn’t you see my car I thought? As she entered in the kitchen she was horrified to see me eating saltines instead of her pot roast. “I have Pot Roast in here for you.” She said as she went to the fridge to get out that nasty looking stuff again.

  “No!” I yelled as I ran to shut the fridge on her as she tried to open it. “I don’t feel too good, that’s all. Crackers will do.” I added, in a nicer tone this time. Gran ran over and put her hand on my forehead to see if I had a fever. When she found that I didn’t she looked me over better. “Gran I’m fine. I think it’s just something I ate.”

  “There has been a stomach virus going around here on the Reservation. Maybe you picked it up.” She said as she led me over to a chair to sit down. I didn’t know how. The only person I had been around was Gran. I hadn’t seen Levi since I went to his house and practically begged him not to tell Gran about seeing me with Evan. Marie hadn’t really been over either. And since Gran hadn’t been sick I doubt I picked up whatever this was from her. “Why don’t you go lay down in your room and I will bring you some soup.” I nodded and went off up to my room. I took out my phone from my back pocket and turned it on. I wanted to send Evan a quick text before Gran came up. Scroll through my contacts I found Evans name and clicked on it, typing out what I wanted to say.

  ‘I think you are right, about everything. My life without you would be like life without air. Sweet dreams. Love, Me’

  I looked at the text a moment before I hit send. A few minutes and Evan was texting with a reply.

  ‘Glad to see you are coming around to my way of thinking, because my life without you would be like life without blood. Pun intended. Sleep well. Love always Evan’

  I laughed out loud at Evan’s text as Gran walked through the door. “You sound better.” She said as she set down the tray of food. “What’s so funny?” she asked as I hide my cell phone under my pillow just in case Evan text back I didn’t want her to see his name show up on my caller id.

  “Just a joke a friend sent me.” I lied. I hated it too. All the lies I was telling lately was getting to me. Maybe that was why I am feeling sick. My nerves were catching up to me.

  “Oh.” Gran said as she felt my forehead again. I could see the
worry in her eyes.

  “I’m okay now Gran. I think it was something I ate.”

  “Okay. Get some rest.” She said as she left my bedroom with a worried look on her face. I could tell Gran knew I was lying, or at least I felt she could.

  The rest of the night my stomach felt queasy, but I didn’t throw up anymore. I tried to finish my soup since I was hungry, but the queasy feeling didn’t let me eat enough to ease the hunger. I finally drifted off to sleep with thoughts of Evan.

  Around seven the next morning I jumped up in bed thinking I was late for school, then I remembered today was Prom. Even though I wasn’t going to Prom I decided to take the day off also, one because I didn’t want to be harassed by Sami and Amy again on why I wasn’t going to Prom. Payton finally told Sami that the entire Blake family was going on an exotic vacation on some remote Island in the keys and I was invited to come along. And two, because Evan was taking the day off to hunt with his family, and we both needed to make sure to stay out of site so our story wasn’t a bust that we told Sami. Sami was still in shock as of last week that my Grandmother was even allowing me to go along with my boyfriend. So I wasn’t so sure she bought our story anyways. As I lay back down in bed trying to fall back asleep, my stomach began to rumble again, as bile rise in my throat again I quickly threw the covers off and ran towards the bathroom. After emptying everything in my stomach into the toilet I sat in the floor to weak to move. I lay my head on the toilet as I began to think about Evan. My thoughts for some reason returned to the night before on our conversation we had about sex. As I replayed the words in my head, one comment Evan said made me vomit again “You could get pregnant.” As I vomited again I began to panic. It seemed the more I panic the more I dry hived. Grabbing a wet wash cloth and wiping my mouth I quickly began to do the math in my head. Trying to add up the dates in my head of my last period, I added up that today was May 20th. My last period was the end of March. I completely skipped a period in April. How could I have missed this I wondered? I redone the math over and over in my head and I kept coming up with the same results. I was late. I was never late. Could I be pregnant? I wasn’t sure but I needed to go buy a pregnancy test, today!

  I hurried to my room and threw on the first clothes I spotted, grabbed my keys and my purse and my keys off my dresser. I saw that Gran was still asleep as I passed by her bedroom. I tried to be as quiet as possible so not to wake her, I didn’t need her questioning me as to where I was going so early. As I made my way out the front door and to my car, I kept trying to add up the dates again in my head, I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. I thought about calling Evan, but then I quickly dismissed the idea until I was positive I was pregnant or not. Shutting the car door I grabbed for my seatbelt fastening it as I started the car. The engine roared to life, and without taking the time to let it warm up I put it in reverse and backed out of the driveway.

  My drive to the drug store was a blur as I kept adding the dates in my head. I knew I was late, but I still couldn’t fathom I could be pregnant. As I pulled into the parking lot of Cox’s Drugstore I looked around to see if I saw anyone I knew. I didn’t think about how I would buy the test without seeing someone I knew. But hopefully since it was still early in the morning I wouldn’t see anyone I knew, or that knew Gran for that matter. I walked into the Drugstore and quickly looked around to see who was in the store. When I saw no one but the cashier attendant I made my advance towards the isle that held the pregnancy test. As I looked at all the different test that was available, all that were on the shelf seemed to be top notch and I realized that I needed to find one that wasn’t so expensive. My bank account was running very low since I hadn’t been working. But thankfully I hadn’t had to spend any money since I had gotten here. Gran had been covering all my expenses for gas and such since my move here to Astoria. The cheapest test would have to do. It was still a name brand test, so at least I could rely on the results being accurate. I looked around one more time before picking the test up off the shelf. When I didn’t see anyone around I picked it up and made my way to the checkout. I laid the test on the counter, as the cashier picked it up she gave me a weird look and then shook her head as she rang up the test. I handed her my bank card, trying to keep my eyes down and not look her directly in the face. Without saying a word to me, she ran my card and then handed me the receipt. As she began to bag my item in a plastic bag I stopped her. “Do you have a paper bag you could put that in please?” I asked, still not looking at her directly. “Sure.” She said with a smirk as she pulled out a small paper bag and put my item in the bag. As I took the bag I told her “Thanks” still looking down, walking quickly towards the door. Once I was in my car I let out a big sigh of relief. I made it out without seeing anyone I knew. And for that I was thankful.

  When I made it home Gran was still asleep, so I tried to be as quiet as I could still. I still needed to take this test without her knowing what I was doing. I went in my room and shut and locked the door behind me, pulling the pregnancy test out of the brown paper sack I began to read the instructions. Half way through reading the instructions I heard a tap on my bedroom window, paranoid that Gran somehow figured out what I was up too I stuff the test back in the paper bag and stowed the test away in my dresser draw before I began to investigate what the noise was outside, another tap on my window startled me as I shut the dresser draw. I walked slowly over to the window, as I did, all sorts of thoughts ran through my head. Was it Destiny back for revenge on me? Was it another one of Evan’s ex Vampire lovers here to find me and kill me like Destiny had tried? I didn’t know, but as I got closer to the window the tap startled me again. I slowly pulled back the curtains to see Evan face to face with me. He was hanging on a branch of a tree that was just outside of my bedroom window. I quickly opened the window “What are you doing here?” I whispered, looking over my shoulder to see if I could hear any noise coming from Grans room.

  “I’ve been trying to call you” He said in a panic tone. I looked over to see my cell phone still sitting on the nightstand where I had left it charging from last night. In my haste this morning I didn’t even think to grab it. “When you didn’t answer I had to come make sure you were okay.” Evan said in an anxious tone. “Meet me outside behind your house.” He added as he dropped down to the ground with ease. I hurried to shut the window and I grabbed my jacket and walked to my door. I opened it slowly, listening to see if I could hear anything before I walked out of my room. As I walked past Grans bedroom I noticed she was still sleeping. ‘That’s weird’ I thought to myself, Gran is usually awake by now. I didn’t have time to worry about that now, I needed to see what Evan was doing here, what was so important that he risked breaking the Treaty to come on the Reservation to see me instead of just waiting for me to return his call. As I walked down the stairs and tried to walk each one carefully, I didn’t need to wake Gran up now and then risk her seeing Evan outside of the house. That wouldn’t go over too well, Grans hatred towards The Blake’s out in public was obvious and I don’t know how she would react if she saw one of them on our Reservation, let alone in our backyard. Once I got to the door, I stopped to listen for any signs Gran may be awake, when I didn’t hear anything I quickly made my way outside, shutting the door with ease. On the front porch I looked both ways for any signs of the neighbors being outside, when I didn’t see anyone I ran off the porch and around the back of the house. Off in the distance, in the woods I could see Evan’s silhouette. Once he was in my view I ran as fast as I could towards him, running into his arms I squeezed him tight. Evan was careful not to hold me as tightly, so not to accidently crush me in his strong arms. I didn’t let go for a long moment, the feeling of safety I felt when I was with him I couldn’t explain, but when I was near him everything felt right, and I know he would never let anything or anyone hurt me.

  *****

  “Emma, are you okay?” Evan asked, as he held me out in front of him as he looked me over. I looked at him and wondered what was going on
that he felt he needed to risk everything by coming here.

  “What are you doing here Evan?” I asked.

  “I had a dream-’’ was all he got out when we heard a rustling noise behind us. Evan quickly pulled me behind him as he turned to seek where the noise was coming from. “What was that?” I asked. Evan hushed me with his hand. Evan looked around to see if he could find the source of the noise we heard. As Evan began to walk slowly towards the direction the noise came from, we heard the rustling sound again, it was getting closer. Now a low growling sound began to surround us, Evan keeping me in behind him holding onto my arm tightly, so tight that my arm was aching by his grip, I was too scared to alert him to my pain. “Emma, I want you to go back to your house, now!” Evan said in a low, but loud tone. I shook my head, not wanting to leave Evan alone to fend for himself to whatever was out here. “Now!” he growled at me as he let loose of my arm and nudged me towards the opening of the woods where I just came from, but before I could make a run for it, two large wolves appeared from out behind the trees. One stood directly in front of me and my only exit back to Grans. Evan quickly grabbed me again and hid me behind him protectively. The one that came out from behind us was solid black. On all fours he was taller than I was. It was huge, as it walked towards us growling, its teeth showing as its growling became louder. The one in front of us was just as large, it was gray with white tips on the end of its fur. Both started to surround us as they circled us growling. I grabbed a hold of Evan’s arm, my heart began to race. I could feel my temperature rising. I was scared as I held tightly to Evan’s arm, Evan held me behind him in a protective stance. A low hissing growl escaped his lips as he followed the two large wolves as they circled around us. “When you can, I want you to run.” Evan whispered, not taking his eyes off the two wolves in front of us as we circled with them. I shook my head, not wanting to leave Evan here alone to fight off these two large monsters that stood before us, but I wasn’t strong enough to fight them off either so I nodded my head in agreement when Evan began to tighten his fist. In a flash, the large black wolf ran at Evan. Evan protectively guarded me from any assault the large wolf would do to me if it hit me with its large paws. As Evan lay on the ground on top of me, the wolf that had just rammed at us growled as it walked slowly towards us. When it was close Evan yelled “Run!” as he stood up and hit the wolf hard with his fist. The black wolf flew in the air hitting a tree a few feet away. Yelping as it hit the tree it fell to the cold morning ground, laying lifelessly still. The gray wolf began its’ descend towards Evan as the black wolf hit the tree, I ran in behind a large tree as the scene began to take place before my eyes. The gray wolf ran full force at Evan, jumping up and on top of him before Evan even was able to turn from hitting the first one. As Evan and the gray wolf rolled around fighting, Evan was holding on to its mouth with both his hands to keep the wolf from biting at him. As they rolled on the ground fighting the black wolf began to stir, trying to get steady on its feet. As the black wolf rose up and stood on all fours, I screamed at Evan “Look out Evan, the other one is up!” Evan looked to see if what I was saying was true before he yelled at me “Run Emma, run!” I stood frozen in place as I watched the second wolf pounce on top of Evan. As the two wolves completely covered Evan, something inside me began to stir. My body began to shake. I could feel my temperature rising as though I had a high fever. It felt as though everything inside me was being ripped apart as the pain consumed me. I could hear Evan screaming at me to run, the wolves were growling as Evan was now up fighting them off. Although he wasn’t making any progress, as soon as he would knock one down the other was back up assaulting him. My body still shook and I doubled over as the pain from whatever was going on inside my body forced me to the ground. Evan was still yelling at me to run as he was fighting the two large wolves off of him. As I lay on the ground writhing in pain I watched as the black wolf knocked Evan to the ground. Evan lay listlessly as the two wolves began to make their descend towards him. As Evan opened his eyes, he saw me on the ground, the painful look in his eyes told me he knew what was going on inside me. As the wolves got closer I panic. And the pain over took me as I felt my insides rip apart. In a haze, I rose from the ground. My body felt different, strange. As I stood I kept my eyes locked on Evan, the two wolves that were surrounding Evan turned to see what the noise behind them was. The two wolves locked their gaze upon me as they turned their attention to me now. My peripheral vision told me I was no longer human as I stared deep into the eyes of the large black wolf. I could see the form that stood before them now. I was exactly like them, as I stood in front of them. My fur was solid white, my green eyes blared back at the black wolf. My heart was beating faster than a human heart does. And then I heard what sounded like Levi’s voice screaming out for me “Emma.” I quickly searched for Levi. Worried for his safety I franticly searched to find him to keep him from being harmed by these two large wolves, when I heard his voice again. “It’s okay, I am here.” Then I realized it was coming from the large gray wolf that stood close to Evan’s body. As everything seemed to be a blur I watched as Evan quickly rose to his feet and knocked the gray wolf into the tree next to him. The black wolf turned his attention back to Evan as he lounged at him. Evan grabbed the wolf around the neck, trying to fight the black wolf off from it sinking its large teeth into him, and ripping him apart. Still in a shock of what just happen to me I stood on all fours staring at the fight before me, when I suddenly ran at Evan and the black wolf. Running head first in to the wolf I knocked it off of Evan. The voice in my head that seemed to be from the black wolf was also familiar, but I couldn’t pinpoint who this voice belonged too. Levi, the gray wolf was still laying lifelessly on the ground. I was over whelmed with concern for both Evan and Levi. The black wolf was still coming towards Evan as I stood in front of him, protectively, just as Evan had done for me not moments before. Standing in a protective stance in front of the man I loved I began to growl, showing my teeth. “Emma I order you to back down.” the black wolf growled. As I tried to speak back all I could do was growl. How were they speaking to me I wondered. “We speak through our minds.” The familiar voice said. As I stared into the black wolfs eyes I realized that it was through telepathy was how we were able to communicate. I asked “Who are you?” the black wolf walked slowly towards me, pausing before he answered. “Gary.” As he said his name Evan jumped on to his back grabbing his head in his arms as Gary twisted and turned trying to snap at him with his teeth. As Gary and Evan fought, I could see Evan would lose and I ran in and jumped on to Gary, knocking him to the ground. Gary and I began to wrestle on the ground as we snapped at each other with our large canines. As Gary swiped his paw at me he knocked me into a tree sending pain through the side of my ribs. I fell to the ground in a heap. As I watched Gary descend towards Evan who was now laying on the ground writhing in pain. I screamed out in my head at Gary “Stop!” Gary didn’t listen as he continued his descend towards Evan.