The Ambrose Clique - now published on Amazon

19 - Our Dying Wish

- updated -

A woman stood in the door frame, her face tight with shock. She had wavy, dark brown hair that fell past her shoulders and a gentle looking face that was mainly covered by large, white sunglasses. Her face was round and soft, but her smile was frozen.

Aurel and I pulled away from each other swiftly.

"Never did I think I'd see a Laurence exchange blood with a human. Not unless they're turning them, anyway," she commented. She stepped into the room, moving reluctantly.

"Evelyn," Aurel announced. I recognised the name but couldn't place her face. She had the same grace as Aurel and Jasper. A vampire.

"Ana would not have wanted this."

"He let her die as a human, who knows what she would have wanted? I haven't seen her for over a century. Why are you here?"

"To see you, dear. To convince you to reconcile with your father before the feast. Jaspar doesn't need strain from the both of you, it's his birthday too. Your father just wants you to be who you were born to be."

Aurel scoffed in response. "Whatever. I suppose I should introduce you to May. May, this is Evelyn, my sister's mother. Evelyn, this is May. She's my, uh, girlfriend."

Evelyn shared my shocked expression, the both of us were completely taken aback. "Girlfriend? A human girlfriend? You haven't changed since I saw you last."

"I don't know who you expected me to be."

"I'd like to speak to you and Jasper. Perhaps we can speak at your next meeting with Thea?" We looked up, alarmed. "Relax, I know Thea from old. Is there a reason I shouldn't know about them?"

"No. Fine," Aurel sighed. "The next one is tonight. We have some information we need to talk over."

I stayed silent throughout the exchange, vampire meetings and family fights weren't my forte.

"You're coming too," Aurel directed to me. "I want you to be there."

Evelyn sighed but nodded slowly. She shot me a look of disgust and turned to leave, before adding over her shoulder.

"You're excused from first lesson, teachers orders. You need to sort this out."

I knew she was talking about me, but I couldn't bring myself to retort before she strode out of the room.

"I wonder how she knows Thea?" Skye looked to Aurel.

"They're both old," Aurel replied, studying her nails apathetically. "They'll have met somewhere down the line. But I only know Thea from here, not from Evelyn."

"Why would she know to excuse us from psychology?" I asked nobody in particular.

"She's the new psychology teacher," Daisy announced as she entered the room. "Lori had to leave because she had a breakdown. Turns out Katy was her niece. Evelyn applied for the new job. Thea isn't happy about any of this, she was real tense when we spoke this morning."

As she took a seat beside Skye on her bed, she caught my eye and smiled hesitantly. I opened my mouth to apologise as the guilt hit me but she shook her head, as if she knew what I was going to say.

"It's okay May, something's happening." She eyed Aurel, who shook her head slightly. "Tonight, then."

"Do you really think it's a good idea to say anything in front of Evelyn?" Aurel asked, her tone dubious.

"I don't see any other choice. It's vital that she finds out soon."

"I'm right here."

"Sorry, May." Skye turned towards me, chewing her lip. "I thought that maybe, after we all talk this through, you could start taking lessons with Hazelle? It's the safest option for you."