by Tara Shuler
"Ow!" Kai howled.
"Sorry!" I gasped.
"’S ok," he said."What happened?"
"About what you’d expect," I said. "He said if he ever found you, he’d kill you. And…"
"And what?" he questioned.
"And he said he doesn’t want to hurt me," I replied.
"I see," Kai said through clenched teeth.
Suddenly, I was overcome with emotion. This was all too much to handle. On one hand, I had sweet, gentle Kai. He was kind and loving, and he’d been treated unimaginably by his mother. He loved me more than his own life, and I knew I was everything to him.
On the other hand, it was now plain to see Max loved me, too. I remembered the electrifying sensation I’d felt when he kissed me, and I realized I had some type of feelings for him, too. It wasn’t love – not like I had for Kai. But it was tangible – real.
How could I have feelings for someone so revolting? This guy wanted to kill my boyfriend – Kai, who was kinder and gentler than anyone I’d ever known. He made my family and me fear for our lives and leave our home. And because of him, Jamie’s life had been uprooted, too.
Maybe Max was right. Maybe if it wasn’t for Kai, I could love him. But Kai wasthere. He loved me, and after all he’d been through in his life, I couldn’t hurt him. I promised him I would never leave him, and I wouldn’t. I wanted to be with him.
Kai’s phone rang again, and my number popped up on caller ID. I refused to answer it, and I told Kai not to answer it, either. For the next several hours, the phone rang every five minutes. He was persistent, maybe even desperate.
Around midnight, the calls finally stopped. I went to take a bath, and I took Kai’s phone with me. I checked the voicemail.
"You have 47 new messages."
I listened to each and every one of them while sitting on the edge of the bathtub with the water running.
"Alice, it’s Max. Please answer. Please talk to me."
"Alice, please call me back."
"Alice…"
I could hear the pain in his voice in every message, but I could not call him back. No matter how much he was hurting, or how much I wanted to try to make it better for him, I would not call him back. I saved every message, but I could not return his calls.
I set the phone on the bathroom counter and sank down into a tub full of hot water and bubbles. I closed my eyes and sighed. This was really far too much for me to handle.
I heard a knock on the door.
"Alice, it’s me,"I heard Jamie call.
"Come in, Jamie," I said, pulling the shower curtain closed.
I heard the door open, and Jamie walked in. She sat down on the toilet lid.
"Did you listen to the messages?" she asked.
"Yeah," I admitted.
"Kai was afraid that’s what you were doing," she muttered.
I sighed. He knew me a little too well.
"Is he mad?" I asked.
"No, he’s not mad,"she replied. "Not at you, anyway."
"Is he okay?" I asked her.
"I guess so," he answered. "About as okay as someone could be under the circumstances."
"Do you want to listen to them?" I asked her.
"I am curious," she admitted.
"The phone is on the counter," I told her. "You can listen if you want."
I closed my eyes and tried to relax as much as possible as Jamie went through the messages one by one.
"Wow," she finally breathed. "He really cares about you."
"I know," I whispered.
"Kai’s going to bepissed," she mused.
"I know," I groaned.
"So you’re going to let Kai listen to them?" she asked.
"Of course," I said. "I wouldn’t keep anything from him."
"Then why did you come in here to listen to them?" she wanted to know.
"I just wanted some privacy," I told her.
"You might have a hard time explaining that to Kai," she said.
"True, but I hope he will understand," I sighed.
"I’ll let you get back to your bath," she said, and I heard the door click shut behind her.
A few minutes later, there was another knock at the door.
"Alice?" Kai called.
"Come in," I answered.
He came in and closed the door behind him. I heard him walk over and sit in the floor beside the tub. He was just outside the shower curtain, and I heard him sigh.
"You talked to Jamie," I acknowledged.
"Yes," he agreed.
"You can listen to the messages," I told him. "Phone’s on the counter."
"I already have it,"he said.
I pulled the shower curtain back a bit, and he had his knees up and his arms were straight out in front of him, resting on his knees. His phone dangled from one of his hands, and he rolled it over, turning it around in his hand. His eyes never left it.
"They’re pretty bad," I told him.
"I figured they would be," he nodded.
"You can just delete them if you want," I offered.
"No," he said. "I want to hear them."
"Do you want to wait until I get out of the tub?" I asked.
"Yes," he agreed."I’d prefer it if you were with me."
"I’ll be out in a few minutes," I told him.
Without looking at me, he stood up to leave.
"Kai?" I stopped him.
"What," he said without turning around.
"I love you," I told him.
"I love you, too,"he said quietly, never turning to face me. Then he was gone.
I quickly finished my bath and changed into my brand new nightgown. Thankfully, Jamie had been shopping. I hadn’t been able to bring any clothes with me, and it felt good to get out of the dress I had been wearing since the party.
I headed into the bedroom Kai and I would be sharing. It was a three-bedroom house, so we couldn’t have our own rooms. I was sharing a room with Kai. Jamie and my mother were sharing a room. Will had his own room. We were all sleeping on air mattresses until we could get furniture.
Kai was already lying on our air mattress when I walked into our room. He still held the phone. He didn’t look at me. I padded across the carpet and lied down beside him. It was surprisingly comfortable.
"This isn’t bad for an air mattress," I said.
"I told Jamie you like soft beds, so she got a pillow top to go on ours," he said.
"Oh," I nodded."Did you listen, yet?"
"No," he answered, still refusing to look at me. "I was waiting for you."
"Are you ready?" I asked him.
He nodded silently. I saw his jaw clench several times, and he took a deep breath and started to listen. As he played each message, his eyes got narrower and narrower. His eyebrow furrowed heavily, and I could hear his teeth grind together several times.
When he’d finished listening to all of them, he closed the phone and clenched it tightly in his hand. I could hear the plastic start to crack and pop under the intense pressure, and I placed my hand gently over his. He loosened his grip.
"I told him I don’t love him," I said gently. Kai hung his head.
"I know," he sighed heavily.
"I don’tlove him," I assured Kai. "I love you."
"Why did you listen to the messages in the bathroom?" he wanted to know.
"I just wanted some privacy," I told him.
"Why?"
"I don’t know," I answered truthfully.
Kai bit his lip. He still hadn’t made eye contact with me.
"Answer me truthfully. Do you have feelings for him at all?"
I had to be honest. I couldn’t lie to Kai.
"Yes," I said softly.
He winced, and I heard the phone crack again.
"Kai, look at me,"I pleaded.
He looked toward the wall.
I placed my hand on his face and pulled his gaze toward me.
"Look at me," I repeated.
Finally, he sighed and looked my way, but he
refused to maintain eye contact. He would glance at me, but quickly look away again.
"I know you’re upset," I said. "I would be, too. But you have to know that Idon’t love him. I only love you."
"I don’tknow that, Alice," Kai finally said. "I don’t know that at all. I’ve never known why you love me in the first place. I still don’t. I’m nothing. You could have anyone you want. Why do you want a pathetic loser like me, anyway?"
"Kai, I’ve told you before," I insisted. "You’re not a loser. You’re a smart, sweet, beautiful, incredible person. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. I love you so much it hurts!"
"Then why does it seem like you’re drawn to the hunter?" he growled, seething with disgust at the word.
"I don’t know," I admitted. "It’s hard to explain."
"Try," he snarled, his teeth clenched tightly again.
"I thought for a long time it was just a physical attraction," I attempted to explain, and he winced at hearing I found Max attractive. "I thought we were just friends, and that I found him attractive. But then things changed when…"
"When what?" he demanded.
"When you left all that time," I sighed.
"You mean after I left because I caught you with your tongue down his throat in the elevator?" he shot back at me.
I bit my lip and looked at the wall. Now it was I who trying to avoid his glaring gaze.
"Yes," I finally said.
"I see," Kai said."So you fell for him while I was away."
"I didn’t fall for him," I began. "Things just changed a little. You…"
"Do you have any idea what I did while I was gone?" he interrupted.
"No, how could I?"I asked, surprised.
"I sat on the beach for the better part of two weeks waiting for you," he answered. "I thought you knew me well enough to know where I’d be. I thought you’d come looking for me. I finally gave up waiting for you to come, and I didn’t want to miss giving you a gift for Christmas. And what do I see when I come home but you at the front door hugging that hunter!"
"I didn’t invite him over," I explained. "He just showed up to give me a Christmas gift."
"That box you had in your room?" he asked. So he’d seen it.
"Yes."
"The one you put a bunch of your favorite possessions in?"
"Yes."
"I see."
His jaw clenched again, and I could literally feel the pain coming off his body in the form of heat as his blood pressure rose.
"I can’t do this anymore, Alice," Kai finally said.
He stood up, and I jumped up after him.
"What do you mean?"I gasped. "Where are you going?"
"To give you what you want," he snarled. "I’m going to let Max kill me so you can have your life back!"
"Kai!" I shrieked."No! Don’t do that! Please!"
I grabbed his arm, and he jerked away forcefully. He turned toward me and looked down into my pleading eyes. For a moment, he melted. His face turned into jelly, and I could see the intense love for me in his eyes. He embraced me, planting a kiss on the top of my head and taking a deep breath, apparently smelling my damp hair. I closed my eyes, enjoying the closeness.
"I love you," he whispered softly into my ear. "Always."
With that, he was gone. Before I could even open my eyes, he’d disappeared. I hadn’t even had time to plead with him or restrain him. He was just gone.
"Kai!" I screamed, collapsing to the floor and covering my face with my hands.
"Are you okay?" I heard a voice say.
I looked up and saw Jamie and Will standing in my door, both looking extremely worried.
"Kai’s gone!" I shouted through my sobs.
"Gone?" Jamie asked. "Gone where?"
"To find Max," I moaned.
"What?" Jamie gasped. "Why?"
"He wants to die,"I groaned, shaking my head.
Will kneeled beside me and put his arms around me, and Jamie plopped down in the floor in front of me.
"Don’t worry, we’ll find him," Jamie assured me.
"He left his phone,"I cried, motioning to the damaged phone he’d tossed onto the bed.
"He’ll come back,"Will said.
"He won’t," I said. "I’m certain of it."
"Call Max," Jamie said at once.
"What for?" I asked her.
"Ask him not to hurt Kai," she suggested.
"Why would he listen to me?" I questioned. "He thinks with Kai out of the way, I’ll want to be with him."
"Tell him that’s not true," Jamie said.
That could work
, I thought. Max wouldn’t want to risk any chance he had of being with me, would he? I had to try.
With trembling hands, I picked up Kai’s phone and dialed Max’s number. He answered after just one ring.
"Alice?" he asked.
"It’s me," I said.
"I was beginning to think you’d never call me back!"
"Max, I have to talk to you about something serious."
"What is it?"
"Kai’s coming there," I said.
He sat in stunned silence. I guess this was better news that he’d ever hoped for.
"Listen, Max," I pleaded. "If you hurt Kai, I swear to you that you will never hear from me again. I will hate you until my last breath, do you understand me?"
"Alice, I…" he started to say something.
"I’m serious, Max,"I said. "You know how I feel about him. And you know what it would do to me if anything happened to him, right?"
"I do," he said softly.
"Then don’t hurt him," I begged. "It will kill me."
I heard him gulp.
"Fine," he said. I could hear that his teeth were clenched.
"Fine?" I verified."You won’t hurt him?"
"You have my word,"he snarled. "But I want one thing in return."
"What?" I asked.
"I want you to come home," he said quietly. "Be my friend again."
"You mean act like none of this ever happened?" I questioned.
"Right," he said.
"You want me to bring my entire family back where you or your father could slaughter us all at any time?"
"I promise you, I won’t hurt any of you," he said. "I won’t tell my father about you."
"How can I trust you?" I asked. "You’re a hunter!"
"Alice, listen to me," he said firmly. "Do you believe I care about you? Can you hear it in my voice?"
I thought for a minute before I answered, "Yes."
"Then do you really think I could hurt you?"
"No."
"Then come home."
"And I have your word you will never hurt Kai or any of us?"
"You have my word,"he reaffirmed.
I gritted my teeth, but finally said, "Okay, fine."
I hung up before he had a chance to say anything else. I looked up at Jamie and Will.
"Get packed. We’re going home."
Chapter Thirteen
Really Home
When we got home, Max was waiting for us. He was sitting in the swing on the front porch. Kai was nowhere to be seen, and I was breathless with fear that the worst had happened. As soon as Jamie put the van into park, I flew out the door and up the steps.
"Where is he?" I demanded.
"Relax," Max said."I haven’t seen him. I’ve been waiting here for almost two days."
"Where could he be?"I muttered.
"Listen, before you go inside," Max said. "I wanted to… apologize."
"For what?" I snapped.
"Well… I…" he mumbled.
"Spit it out," I hissed.
"I kind of damaged some stuff… some paintings," he admitted. "I assumed they were his."
"No…" I whispered, remembering the painting he’d done of the mother and child. "Please tell me you didn’t damage the painting of the mother and child."
"I don’t remember one like that," he said.
I raced upstairs to Kai’
s room, and a stack of canvasses lay in shambles in the middle of the floor. My eyes darted around the room, and I spotted the painting of the mother and child in a corner, partially hidden by a table. I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t ask how Max knew which room was Kai’s.
Nothing else appeared to be touched. Maybe Kai hadn’t come home, yet. He didn’t have a car, so maybe he couldn’t get back here as quickly as we could in the van. Surely, that must be it.
Jamie was helping Mother and Will bring their bags inside, and Max was offering to help.
"No," my mother told him. "I think you’ve done quite enough, hunter."
"I’m sorry," he said quietly, hanging his head.
Max’s phone rang.
"Dad?" he answered after looking at the caller ID.
His face turned pale, and he sat down with a thud on the porch step.
"Max?" I asked.
"Dad, don’t do anything!" he shouted into the phone. "I know him!"
Max listened for a few moments, and I desperately strained to hear the other side of the conversation. Damn it! Why is my hearing failing me now of all times? I thought.
"Dad, please," Max begged. "Just wait until I get home. I’ll explain everything."
He stood up and snapped his phone shut.
"I have to go," he said to me.
"Kai?" I breathed.
"Yes," he nodded."He’s at my house. He told my father he’s a vampire and that he was there to let me kill him."
"Oh, my God!" I gasped. "Your father knows about him, now! Will he kill him?"
"No, I don’t think so," Max assured me. "He wants me to do it. It’s almost my birthday, and he thinks this will be good practice."
"Practice…" I whispered, almost passing out.
I sat down on the step to avoid fainting.
"I won’t hurt him,"Max promised. "I’ll figure something out."
"I’m coming with you!" I shouted, jumping to my feet, and then falling back to the step when my knees buckled.
"No!" Max insisted."I won’t have you in harm’s way. I won’t risk anything happening to you."
"But… Kai!" I shouted.
"He’ll be fine,"he assured me. "I will find a way to get him out of there."
"But…" I tried to argue.
"Trust me, Alice,"he said, looking deep into my eyes.
I was quiet for a moment, and then I said, "I do."
"And for that reason, I won’t let you down," he promised.