by Donna Flynn
Jess spent the rest of the day talking about our date Saturday, and although I tried hard to get as worked up as she was, in the back of my mind all I could think of was Aidan and how much I missed him. I couldn’t help feeling that in some way I was betraying him, even though he had insisted I date other guys. Yeah, that’s how in love with him I was. And sometimes, regardless of what the movies, poems, and fairytales say, love sucks.
*****
When I arrived home after school, I sought out my mother, wanting some of her wise advice to guide me. I found her in the kitchen, just finishing a batch of cookies, and sat down at the counter, grabbing a warm chocolate chip cookie off the plate. Somehow she always seemed to know when I needed comfort food and, after all, chocolate was a girl’s best friend when she was feeling down. And right then I needed some solace. “Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, honey. How was your day?” she asked with her usual good cheer.
I took a bite of the warm, gooey cookie and allowed it to work its magic over me. “MMMM,” I said, earning a smile of appreciation. “Uh, Chad asked me to go to the movies on Saturday. Would that be okay?”
“Who else is going?” she asked worriedly, not that I held that against her given the disaster with Scott.
“Jess and Josh, Chris and Taylor, and Chad and myself.”
“So, all couples?” she asked, watching me closely. “Is this like a date thing?” She sat next to me, and I laid my head on the counter to avoid looking into her all-seeing eyes.
“Yeah, I guess,” I muttered.
“Sweetie, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. We do not want you to do anything that does not make you happy.”
“But I want to make Dad happy. Maybe if he sees I am really trying with other guys, he will believe me when I tell him how I feel for Aidan,” I explained.
“Oh, honey, believe me, he knows exactly how you feel about Aidan. That is the problem.” She moved her hand over mine and patted it.
“This sucks, you know.” I lifted my gaze to hers. “I didn’t ask to feel this way about Aidan, and it isn’t my fault he’s a vampire. The fact is, he too wants to wait for me to be older before he acts on the feelings we have for one another. I mean, what is that all about anyway? He is so worried about offending Dad that I’m the one being hurt.”
“Aidan’s hurting too, sweetheart, but he’s noble enough to ignore that pain and give you the time you need to mature.”
“Yeah, well, that sucks!” I snapped.
“Sometimes we don’t really understand things until after we get through them, but I promise you in the end it will all be worth it. I know you care for Aidan and it hurts that you cannot be together right now, but there’s time for that if you choose that course,” she said, pulling me into her arms for one of her motherly hugs.
I hugged her close, her warm vanilla scent soothing to my scattered emotions. I was lucky to have her. “You’re the best mom in the world. I’m so lucky you found me.”
“Oh, I think it’s the other way around. We were lucky to find you,” she said, softly releasing me from her arms. “Now, let me get to making dinner or you will starve tonight.”
“I doubt that one missed meal would hurt me,” I teased.
“What kind of mother would I be if I allowed my only daughter to go hungry?” she said with mock horror.
“Alright, alright,” I said walking to the door. “I love you, Mom,” I called over my shoulder.
“I love you too, my dear, sweet girl,” she called back.
I went to the library to see my father. I wanted to explain to him that I was going to try to date human boys for a while, hoping to appease him. He was talking on the phone as I walked in and held up his finger for me to give him a minute, so I took a seat on the sofa and waited for him to finish.
“Yes, I think that would be fine. Do not worry; we can handle it. Listen, I’ll call you later, Katie just came in.” His voice lowered considerably and he looked as if he would rather not talk with me in the room, and I realized immediately whom he was talking to. “Yes, she’s doing okay. Let me call you back in a few minutes.” He looked up at me and smiled. “So, you are going on a date, huh?”
“I hate when you two do that.” I did not know exactly how it worked, but my parents could hear each other’s thoughts if they wanted to, and it always made me nuts.
“So, Chad seems nice,” he said, brushing off my complaint.
He knew Chad and his family well, so he was just making small talk.
“He’s very nice,” I said, a little flatter than I had intended.
He frowned at my lackluster response. “You don’t have to marry him, but give the guy a chance. It’s only one date.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I walked to him, gave him a hug, and he kissed my forehead before letting me go. “I love you, Dad.”
“Not as much as I love you, sweetheart.”
I started for the door but could not resist turning to add, “By the way, tell Aidan hello for me when you call him back.” He looked startled for a moment but then shook his head, and I walked out feeling much better about my upcoming date with Chad. If nothing else, I was getting out of the house and making my parents happy, so that made it worth it.
*****
It was not until I heard Paul and Beth making plans to follow me on my date later that week that I realized why everyone had been so calm about my going out with Chad. They were sending Paul to keep an eye on me.
“Paul, please tell me you aren’t going to follow me?” I cried out in protest. He looked at me as if I was crazy, which was not unusual, but was really aggravating. “I am so not going on a date with my brother as a chaperone, it would be too humiliating.
“We will keep our distance. No one will know we are there, but we have to protect you,” he said, his tone brooking no argument.
“There hasn’t been one threat against me that’s been credible! I think you are all overly cautious or had bad information or something,” I argued.
“That may be, but my instructions are to keep you safe, no matter what, and that is what I am going to do,” he said glaring at me, his expression, letting me know the discussion was over.
Aggravated by his over-protectiveness, I flopped down in my seat and finished my meal as quickly as possible without upsetting my mother, then excused myself and went to my room.
After a valiant attempt to finish the mountain of homework I had brought home with me, I lay on my bed with my ear buds firmly in place, shutting off the rest of the world until I drifted off into a deep sleep.
Lost in sleep, I heard a voice called to me in a tone so compelling I was unable to ignore its demand that I get up and follow it. I moved from my bed and walked from my room, down the stairs, and out of the front door. I felt the cold night air on my warm skin as I exited the house and shivered. I made my way across the driveway then walked through the entrance of the garden. I knew immediately something was very wrong. A fast-moving figure darted towards me, its features to blurry too make out, but I felt the evil that flowed around it and knew I was in danger. My brain screamed for me to run, but I found myself locked in place and unable to answer its pleas. A dark, wicked laugh filled the air. A hand shot out, grabbing my arm. Long, jagged, dagger-like claws buried themselves deeply into my flesh. So deep I could swear I felt them scraping the bone. Instinctively, I yanked my arm away, screaming in agony at the pain that radiated up the limb as the claws sank deeper into my flesh in an attempt to maintain its hold. The laughter grew louder, the evil in the air more prevalent, and I screamed again.
“Katie, wake up,” my mother’s voice called out, pulling me from my dream. I forced my eyes open to find her in the doorway, staring at me with concern. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just a bad dream,” I told her, unwilling to share my weird nightmares with anyone.
“Are you sure?” she said worriedly.
“I’m fine, Mom. It was just a dream,” I assured her, despite the fa
ct my heart was racing and my arm was aching badly.
“Well, get ready for school and I’ll get your breakfast on the table,” she told me, but I could tell she didn’t really believe me. In fact, I could see fear and worry in her eyes before the door closed behind her.
I, too, was very worried. My dreams were steadily growing more disturbing and real. I wrapped my arms around myself, gasping at the warm sticky feeling and searing pain that met my fingers. I pulled my hand away from my arm and looked at the blood on my fingers, staring in disbelief at the large gashes in my arm, exactly where I had been injured in my dream. I scrambled from bed and went to the bathroom, staring at the wound in the mirror with horror. It should have been impossible for anything in my dreams to harm me, but there I stood, bleeding from a wound just like the one I had sustained in my nightmare.
“Okay, be reasonable,” I muttered to myself. “Obviously I did this to myself while I was asleep.” Yeah, that was it, I thought. I had been so caught up in my dream I had clawed myself.
Carefully, I cleaned up the wound and wrapped it with a bandage before seeking a shirt with three quarter-length sleeves that would hide the injury from my family, who I knew would question me relentlessly if they saw the wound. The last thing I needed was one of them at my bedside every night to make sure I didn’t hurt myself while I was sleeping…
Chapter Fourteen
As I got ready for my date Saturday night, I was tense and out of sorts. The date hadn’t been my idea and now that the night was upon me I wanted nothing more than to cancel and stay home, but I couldn’t. I’d promised Aidan I would live and experience all the things other human teenagers did, and my parents had been so excited that I was dating that there was no way I could disappoint them by pulling out.
The doorbell rang as I walked off the last step, as if reminding me there was no backing out. I forced my feet to move to the door, opening it to find Chad standing there looking so nervous it was adorable, and I couldn’t help but smile
“You look great,” he said, his voice quivering slightly.
“Thanks, you too,” I said, feeling somewhat nervous myself now that he was there before me. I mean, aside from Scott, I had never been out on a date before so I wasn’t exactly sure what the protocol was.
My father cleared his throat from the doorway of his office, then strode toward us with a stern expression. He said a polite hello to Chad, made small talk about his family, and gave his “home by eleven o’clock” speech, then mercifully allowed us to leave before he could embarrass me anymore.
After a short drive down the mountain that we filled with polite, meaningless chatter, we met everyone at Kelly’s to eat before the movie as planned. We talked as we ate, laughing often, and to my surprise, I found it easier than I would have believed to just relax and enjoy the evening in Chad’s easy company.
Jess, who was thrilled to have me dating and hanging out with them once again, made lots of little suggestions about future dates we should go on. I nodded and seethed inwardly, wanting to throttle her for pressuring Chad and myself, but knew she was only doing it because she wanted me to be happy. Unfortunately the only person who could bring me that happiness was Aidan, but I couldn’t tell her that, so I bit my lip.
The movie theater, which aside from Kelly’s was the only other source of entertainment in our tiny town, was packed with other local teens as we entered. We found ourselves being stopped often to say hi and exchange small talk. With our stomachs full from our dinner no one wanted snacks, so we broke free of the crowd and went directly to find our seats. It wasn’t long before the lights dimmed and the movie began: but, to my utter disbelief, it was all about a vampire and a young girl who fell in love but couldn’t be together because of how very different their lives were. As I watched their tragic love story unfold, tears rolled down my cheeks.
Chad, seeing my upset, put his arm around me, trying to console me. “Do you want to go?”
He was sweet to ask, but I just had to see how it would end. Would they get their happy ending? Would love conquer all? “No, I’m okay,” I told him.
He leaned back in his seat but kept his arm around me, glancing at me now and then as if assuring himself I was okay.
The movie ended sadly, with the female dying tragically and the vampire walking into the sun to end his existence, unable to live without her. I clutched my hands on my lap wondering if that was the destiny Aidan and I would suffer, even though I knew it wasn’t logical. The lights came up suddenly and I brushed the tears from my eyes embarrassed to be caught bawling like a baby, but thankfully Jess’s were red and puffy too, so I wasn’t the only one looking like a fool.
“Let’s get out of here,” I said, grabbing her arm and leaving the guys to follow behind us.
“Wow, that was so beautiful. He gave up his own life because he couldn’t be with the woman he loved. Do you think Josh would do that for me?” Jess had a sappy look on her face, and I wished I felt it was romantic, like she did, but I was in love with a vampire, and I wouldn’t want him to end his existence if anything were to happen to me. I would want him to live and find another who could make him happy.
“Would never happen,” a voice said in the back of my mind.
“Hey are you alright?” Chad asked when he caught up with us.
“I’m good,” I told him feeling badly for making him so worried.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, taking my hand and leading me through the crowd to the exit.
Chris joked around as we walked to the parking lot, acting like a vampire and trying to put us under his spell so he could suck our blood. I did not find it amusing like everyone else did, but I really could not be mad at his antics. He didn’t know that vampires existed and that the members of my family were all vampires, or that I was hopelessly and totally infatuated with one.
I noted, though, that Josh did not join in their revelry. He stood off to the side, watching them act like fools, while Jess stood in front of him, wrapped in his arms and smiling contentedly. His eyes met mine, the brown liquid gaze holding me captive for a moment as if probing my mind before he blinked and looked down upon Jess with a smile at something she murmured.
I was relieved when Chad noticed the time and remarked that it was getting late. It was clear he didn’t want to upset my father by returning me home later than my curfew, and I was thankful for his consideration. Everyone else decided to call it a night since we were leaving, and he took my hand to lead me to his car. Jess yelled goodbye from across the lot, and I waved as I got in the front seat of Chad’s vehicle. Chris honked his horn as he pulled out, and waved, and I couldn’t help but smile. It was good to be with my friends again even though it meant I was on a date with someone I merely liked. But I wasn’t sure if I would go out with anyone again. It was just too hard.
“Man, that was a tough ending for a love story. Can you imagine giving up so much for one person; she would have to be everything to you. I can’t imagine that kind of love.” He blushed. “I mean like now, when we are so young,” he hurriedly added. as if afraid he had insulted me.
“I understand completely,” I said, letting him off the hook.
It was dark and had grown foggy, so Chad was focused on the road and the car was quiet. I was staring out of the windshield when the figure of a man appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the road. I screamed for Chad to stop and he slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. We were going too fast, so he swerved to avoid the man, but the car took on a life of its own and began traveling off the side of the road and down the ravine. It bounced up and down, tossing us around before slamming into a giant tree, bringing it to a crushing halt. My first thought was to get out, but agonizing pain shot through one of my legs, and when I tried to move I realized it was pinned under the dashboard. I turned to Chad, hoping he was in better shape than I was, but one look made it clear I was the only one alert.
“Chad!” I yelled desperately.
Blood trickled down hi
s face from a jagged gash he had taken to his brow and he didn’t move. I panicked, fearing he was dead, and reached over, ignoring the excruciating pain it brought to my own body. I laid my hand on his chest. The feel of his heart beating brought me momentary relief, and I began to look around once more for a means of escape.
The overwhelming aroma of gas penetrated my senses. I knew I was going to have to pull my leg free, but before I could react the door next to me was ripped from its hinges and rough hands pulled me from the car, ripping my legs from under the dash without care. Fire seared down my thigh, causing me to scream in horror as I was pulled from the vehicle, lifted in the air, and thrown against a tree. My body crumpled instantly. A pasty face appeared in front of me, gnashing its razor-like teeth in my face before lunging for my neck. I was helpless to do anything to stop the vampire, but a quick-moving figure knocked my attacker away before he could succeed in biting me. Even in the dark I knew it was Aidan. I was able to make him out, crouched in front of me, keeping my attacker at a distance. The vampire lunged for me repeatedly, but was blocked at every turn. Blood seeped from my head and slid down the side of my face, making him frantic and reckless. I put my hand to the wound trying to stop the flow, but the vampire was overcome with bloodlust and desperate to get to me.
Aidan attacked him when he lunged, pulling him far away from where I lay against the tree. They moved so fast that I could not make out who was winning the battle. My eyes were growing heavy and had almost closed when I heard an awful scream and looked up to see the attacking vampire’s arm fly through the air, its hand still clenching and unclenching as it fell with a thud to the ground next to me. I looked to Aidan, his vampire terrifying as he continued to tear the creature apart, his natural predator’s senses in control. The deafening screams of agony from his victim did nothing to stop his methodical dismembering of its body until the vampire was nothing more than pieces on the ground, its hands clawing the dirt uselessly.