by Elle A. Rose
***
The ringing of my desk phone has interrupted my daydream. “Hello, this is Amber Harris.”
“Hi, Amber. Sorry to call you at work. This is Judy.”
I was not expecting to hear Judy on the other end of this phone. “Hey, Judy. What can I do for you?”
“Well,” I can hear the nervousness in her voice. “I kind of had a question to ask you.”
I drum my fingers on my desk while I wait for her to go on. I hate when people beat around the bush. I wish I could hear her thoughts. No matter the distance once I have made that initial connection, I am able to read anyone’s mind. I try to tune into what she wants; however, I hear nothing but static. “Judy, you will have to tell me what you need, and I will do my best to help you out.”
“Well, see, I understand you and Christopher are very close. And well, ummm, I think he is afraid to hurt you so he hasn’t said anything yet.”
As the phone goes silent, I am truly wondering what she wants. Why has she waited to call me at work to talk about this? “Judy, what are you talking about? Can this not wait until I return from the office?”
“I’m sorry I called you at work. I didn’t want to just show up there. And since the rest of the household is asleep right now, with the full moon and all, it was my only chance to talk to you.”
Now I am worried. Why does she feel the need to sneak behind my brother’s back? “Go on.”
“Christopher and I have been talking lately, and we want to break away from the family. I want what Olivia and Isaac have. What they were able to give to you and Chrissy.”
Chrissy? Did she just call him by a nick name?
“We’ve talked about going out and having a family of our own, however.” She pauses again and my mind wanders to all the information I know of regarding werewolves and their pups. I get werewolves can have children, but I guess I never thought of bloodwolves as still being fertile. I have also never heard of vampires having children.
“Hello, Amber? Are you still there?”
Shoot, I must have missed what she just said, “Yes I’m listening.”
“I was saying that we haven’t said anything to the others yet, but I don’t think Chrissy is as concerned about Isaac and Olivia since they have you. Still, without your blessing, without you being willing to let go of him, I don’t think he will follow through with our plans.”
Did she just say “our”? This whole thing sounds like something she wants. “Look Judy, this is a lot to take in. I would like to talk to you more about this, just not now while I am at work.” I think that sounded very human of me. I know Lisa is listening and wondering who I am talking to. If I had known which direction this phone call was headed, I would have blocked Lisa’s mind from the very beginning, and told Judy what I really was thinking. I wish I could communicate with her silently.
“Of course. Yes, we can talk about this later. I will assume it won’t be tonight. Chrissy told me that the full moon affects you differently than the others. I’m presuming there are a lot of differences between you and the others.”
Hmm, I do believe there was something implied with that statement. “Yes, we will talk later. I’ll see you once I return to the house.”
I slam the phone down before she replies, and instantly regret it. The phone has broken into lots of plastic pieces. Before Lisa has a chance to check out the breaking noise, I place a thought in her mind that the noise was all in her head. Also, I make sure to implant the thought, that when she looks at my desk, she will see a whole and working phone, and not the bits and pieces of what is left of it. For that matter, I will have to make sure that is what all my coworkers will see if they enter our office. I will need to replace the phone before tomorrow morning. It is going to be a long day. I am grateful I did not break my desk too.
“Hey, who was that on the phone? It sounded like they were upsetting you.”
I would rather not talk about this with Lisa, “Oh, it was no one important.” I sense that response did not satisfy her query. I need to think of another topic to get Lisa’s mind off my troubles. “Did you say you’re seeing Nathan again on Thursday night? Do you know where he will be taking you?”
Lisa giggles, “Nice way to change the subject, Amber. We’re going out on Thursday, and all I know is it will be dinner and something after that. He claims I will like the surprise.”
“That’s wonderful, Liss. I’m glad to see he is making you happy.”
“Lunch time, ladies! Hey, Amber, how are you? Did you have fun Friday night?”
“Hello, Karen. I’m just wonderful. How are you? Yes, I had a really good time Friday night. How about you?”
Karen walks over to spin my chair-which to do so, she needs my help. I lightly give myself a push and she thinks she has set the chair and me into motion.
Along with the movement she squeals, “I had the best time ever! Boy is your brother a great dancer.”
“I do believe Christopher had as much fun as we did. Well, ladies, what’s for lunch?”
Standing up, Lisa starts to walk towards the door. “I think I want a salad from somewhere. Karen, did you bring your lunch or are you coming?”
“No, I didn’t bring my lunch. I didn’t make it to the store this weekend to grocery shop. Amber, will you be going with us?”
“No, you ladies go ahead. I’ll see you when you get back.”
As they turn to leave, I hear Karen say, “Does she ever eat lunch? I see how she keeps that figure of hers.”
Her comment makes me snort. If they only knew the truth about me.
I need to do some digging on bloodwolves. With a quick double click of the mouse, I pull up the internet on my computer to find the phone number to the blood bank. I know a few vampires in the area, but none that I know as well as Sarah. Since she is one of the older vampires I have met, I really hope she will have some knowledge on bloodwolves. Dialing the number on my cellular phone, the phone rings two times before a female picks up.
“Thanks for calling Save a Life. How can I help you?”
“Hi, yes, may I speak to Sarah.” As I request to speak to Sarah, I remember it is the first day of our lunar cycle. Sarah will not be in the office right now or for that matter, at all today. The girl on the other end confirms my realization.
“Sarah is out of the office right now. Would you like me to connect you to her voicemail so you can leave her a message?”
This is the downside to being the only vampire in the world to sleep during the night. I give a small huff in frustration before responding. “Yes, that would be great. Thank you.” Without another word from the girl, the phone line rings four times before Sarah’s voice comes booming into the ear piece. I leave a short cryptic message for Sarah to return my call upon her return to the office, and then I try to busy myself with work.
9
One Big Step
As I dive back into work, thoughts of Lance immediately pop back in to my mind. I believe my family moving in with me has helped to stir the dust of reminders that I tried to lock away in the depths of my memory. Now that I am thinking about him, it is hard not to want to relive the past.