Thicker than Blood - Book One (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter Eighteen

Heya lovely readers!

New update and it's early ;) You can thank Alirah for that! 

Enjoy the chapter and vote and comment,

Love,

Robin

About twenty minutes later I found myself seated on the couch in the living, cradling Hayden against my side protectively. Nathaniel had his own arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders, his posture tense as he stared at the red haired woman as if she was a rattlesnake.

Elliot was holding Missy to him just as tightly, easily picking up on the tense atmosphere.

Deirde had asked for a moment to slip on dry clothes and had appeared downstairs to sit down in the large leather chair. She was now wearing a soft white dress and a towel wrapped around her shoulders to dry her hair.

Jake stood across from her, his back turned to everyone as he stared out the window. All I knew was that Deirde meant tears or sorrowful and that this was in fact the woman that had made Jake a vampire.

The woman he'd fallen in love with so very very long ago.

I didn't know if he'd seen her again after he'd made Nathaniel and Missy. I didn't know the manner in which he'd left her to save his siblings but I knew that it was hurting him, a lot, to see her again now. Did he still love this woman?

I couldn't imagine this incredibly beautiful vampire loving anyone but herself. Even now, dressed so innocently as opposed to that dangerous look before, she looked like a woman very sure of herself. Ready to wrap any man around her little finger.

Eliza and Jessica could learn a lot from this woman.

Hayden shivered and looked up at me, 'What is going on? Why is she so sad?' He whispered but I knew everyone but maybe Elliot could hear with their vampire ears. His eyes were so big and luminous that you could almost drown in them.

Sad? I looked back at Deidre but I couldn't see it. She looked composed and very put together, despite the wet hair and non existent make up. There was a soft smile playing on her lips and her silver eyes looked cold and sharp not sad.

I shrugged and offered: 'Want to go play upstairs Giant?'

'No!' He shook his head in defiance, 'I want to know why she's so sad! And I want to know why Jakey is sad too!'

I would have smiled at how Hayden called Jake but Nathaniel stiffened beside me at the words. When I looked up I saw Jake look at my baby brother as well, a smoldering look on his face that I couldn't quite place.

Missy seemed very thoughtful and I think she was talking telepathically to Nathaniel. The way her forehead had creased just a little bit...

I didn't quite know how to respond to Hay because all the vampires in the room would hear what I said anyway. I wasn't sure I wanted that.

Then the thought crossed my mind that Nathaniel thought I might have some talent in the telepathy department. So I gently reached out with my mind towards Hayden.

It wasn't easy because I didn't know exactly how to, with Nathaniel it was all so very instinctive and easy as if there was a line I could follow. But as I focused on the vibrant energy of my baby brother I send the thought: 'Hay, I don't know why they are sad but it's private. We shouldn't intrude... You know how you hate crying in front of other kids? So do they.'

I hoped he realized that it was me and that I had in fact reached him... But I had no reason to worry because he suddenly started bouncing in excitement. 'You can do that too Amy? Can you read my mind? What am I thinking right now?'