The Crimson Amulet (Original Version) (Wattys2015)

Chapter Fourteen

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Chapter Fourteen

Back at Home

Does Meriada think that Selena's the one? I continued to think until about an hour or so later; lying in bed, trying to fall back asleep with my closed eyes. I had a lot of trouble falling into slumber when I was in new surroundings. My eyes shot open, and I turned my head towards the dull wall on my left. I sighed, staring at my left side once again, looking at the empty spot where Simon usually laid by me. All I wanted was for him to be there with me. Minutes passed. I couldn't fall back asleep and I was bored. I spun my head towards the clock on the bedstand near the bunkbed and looked at the time: 6:21 am.

If Simon was here, at least I'd have someone to talk to, since practically everyone else except for Victor was sleeping. I knew I could just walk to Victor, but it was so early and I didn't feel like getting up. Plus, this was the Vampire World; I didn't even know if Victor was in the castle. In the meantime, I had grown accustomed to Simon coming at night and lying near me. Most nights he usually crept in from the balcony, but last night he didn't come. Maybe it was because I wasn't in my bed. I felt the coldness of air of where he usually would have his arms around mine.

Shaking my thoughts away, I closed my eyes for what seemed to be five minutes when Maddie began calling all of us to get out of bed so we could get home before school. I remembered that I slept in some fancy nightgowns that Mrs. Vapherson had given the girls. I stared down at my lacy, beige nightgown that went down until my mid-calves. The sleekness of it gave me a warm feeling. Never had I owned anything that expensive.

Victor led Vlad out of the room to somewhere off in the castle, and I presumed they had gone to the bathroom I had seen earlier. The girls were left to change in the room. Since I had nothing else, I was left with no other choice but to wear the street clothes I had from the previous day.

After changing, we all decided we would go back, quickly shower, brush our teeth, and eat breakfast once we were back at the house. Afterwards, the three of us and Maddie were back in our current house; which was now the old place. It wasn't the same without Selena; I felt as though there was a gap in the air. As I came from my room, my body and teeth clean, I slipped into black blouse, along with black pants and black shoes before I went to investigate where the shouting that had started five minutes ago had come from. For some reason I was feeling in a gothic mood. I heard the yelling coming from my parents' bedroom.

"Why aren't you telling me where Selena is? Where the hell have you been the past day? Why have you suddenly moved here, and without consulting me too, or Veronica? Where is Veronica, by the way?" my non-biological dad yelled.

"I can't tell you. Even if I do, you won't believe me. Plus, you will be incredibly mad," Maddie said.

"Of course, you can. I'll believe you, and promise I won't get mad."

"No, you won't. You will be mad at Veronica! I just know it!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Stop with the excuses, damn it! Tell me!"

"Selena might be a vampire, alright?" she confessed, I asssumed without thinking it through clearly.

"A vampire? Might be? What are you talking about? Vampires don't exist!"

"I would argue on the contrary. Vampires do very much exist! See, I knew you wouldn't believe me!" she yelled again.

"You must be a madwoman! Vampires don't exist!"

"Yes, they do!"

"How do you know? Prove it to me."

"Please don't get mad when I tell you this."

"I won't. Now, what is it? How do you know vampires exist?"

"Because Veronica slept with one," Maddie confessed sadly.

"She what?" It was as if his voice made the entire house shake. "Did she do this during our marriage?"

"Yes, but only once," Maddie lied. I knew she didn't want him to know only two of us were his; that would only make things worse.

"What are you trying to say?" my stepfather demanded.

"Selena isn't yours," Maddie lied, trying to stay calm. Selena was his, only Victor and I weren't, but Maddie knew we couldn't leave my stepfather with a child vampire; Selena would kill him, especially because she was a newborn and wouldn't be able to control her thirst yet.

"What? I thought we were supposed to be honest with each other!"

"I'm sorry, male vampires can be very seductive. He lured her in. She fell into his trap," Maddie explained. I knew for a fact that my mother loved my father more than she loved my stepfather, Maddie just didn't want my mother to lose her only cover.

"Is that where Selena and Veronica are now? With him?"

"Yes," Maddie said, trying to hide her dishonesty.

"Is he a−"

"Yes."

"Did he bite−"

"No."

"What do you mean Selena might turn into a vampire? What happened to her if he didn't bite her?" my stepfather concerned, trying to understand the situation.

"She might be dead. She might be a newborn vampire. Some men came-I trying to stall-couldn't for long. So, I told Victor and Daniella to get Selena and Vlad and run-but they waited-we went to the basement-I locked everything-but somehow one of the men-I had my flashlight. He followed us-I attacked the man so he would be distracted and the kids could escape-when I looked-the other one had Selena-that's why I brought her to her father," she cried.

"Do you know where the spies are...when they'll be back? Why were they after the kids? You think he can bring her back, don't you?"

"Yes, I'm hoping it does. She'll be a vampire, but she'll be with us. I prefer that to her being dead," Maddie said, "I don't know. I don't know when they'll attack again, that's why it's not really safe for the children to stay at the last house. That's why we moved here."

"What are we to do?"

"I don't know. I don't know what to do," Maddie said.

"While I'm speaking truthfully, Victor and Daniella aren't yours either," Maddie confessed. I had a feeling Mom was going to kill Maddie once we rescued her. I guessed she assumed since she was speaking the truth, she may just as well speak it.

"What do you mean, they aren't mine?"

"Only Vlad is yours," Maddie lied.

"I don't believe this!" my stepdad exclaimed.

"When you first started dating Veronica, she already had Victor," Maddie explained.

"I know that, but what about the rest of them? Is that why she broke up with me and then came back to me?"

"Yes."

"I can't believe she had affairs while we were married! I'm leaving!" There was the slam of a door.

"Wait! Please come back!" Maddie yelled and chased after him, but my stepfather stormed out of the room.

I heard him mumble, "I can't deal with this right now," as he stormed out of the house.

Maddie knew Mom was going to kill her. Maddie wasn't deeply hurt, but she was scared of what my mother would do to her. Besides, I knew that when our mother met our father, there wasn't anyone else. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise? No one would be snooping around, trying to figure out what we're up to. Besides, she just married my non-biological father to protect us.

"Can you drive us to school?" I asked Maddie.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm not feeling up to it. Ask your brother to drive you."

"Okay," I said and went to ask Victor after I grabbed my backpack, running to the garage. He was just opening the door to his new car. It was a "gift" from our father. "Hey, can you give me a ride to school?"

"Sure. Hop in," Victor said, starting the engine.