Night After Day

Chapter 42: Beginning of Escape Attempt 2.0

"C'mon open up!" I knocked frantically on Jason's door and paused again to hear footsteps.

"You don't have to shout." He beckoned me in and I rolled my eyes.

"So what happened?" Jason walked over to the fireplace and began packing a small bag.

"She wanted to know where I go to wipe my nose."

He gave me a strange stare and I sighed, elaborating. "She wanted to know why I was with you."

The only sound was the crackling of the fire.

"So what did you say?"

"I told her that we were drinking tea."

It was like his brain just froze. "And.... She... Believed you?"

"Probably not. But my heart didn't lie so...."

"My faith in your abilities grows every day..." He muttered and I couldn't help but beaming. But the complement didn't last very long. "But how did you manage to keep your heartbeat so calm? We definitely were NOT drinking tea."

I froze. Charlotte... The spirit. She didn't want me to say anything. And it wasn't something I was comfortable with. But being... Possessed? Was that something I should keep to myself?

Jason looked as though he was staring straight through me and into my soul. Which made me uncomfortable.

"You're hiding something."

I shook my head. "All that matters is that Angeline does not suspect anything."

He didn't seem very convinced.

"Look." I stood in a way that was very familiar. How I used to stand up to my sister when she channeling her classic older sibling evil vibes. "Are you ever going to get a better opportunity than this? I know what I'm signing up for. And it's not like I'd ruin my own escape with it so near. You're going to have to trust me in this."

Jason looked shocked. "You've changed."

I blinked, realizing what I had just said. "Yes... I suppose I have. Got a problem with that?"

The hybrid smiled. "Not at all." He turned and set down the bag on the bed. "Now I've spread a message that this is going down. Everyone is meeting in the forest down the back of the grounds, past the training centre. We have to be there too, but there's the problem of getting you there. I suggest you take this-" He threw me a tiny blue orb.

"The antidote?"

"Yes. That's the second last one I have. The other is for research purposes when we get back to Riley. Which means this has to go down in the next twenty hours, before Angeline gives you another and realises you've already had one."

I nodded and Jason passed me a glass of water. While he continued I swallowed the antidote, wincing at the taste. "We need to get you down there, but no one can see you. I'm a familiar sight around here but you aren't. Anyone sees you and word will reach back to Angeline faster than you think. We need to sneak down there, and back."

I nodded, feeling the nervous butterflies in my stomach growing. "I'm following you."

He looked at his watch. "It's better we go now. Vampires are stronger at night. Daylight is our best chance."

I nodded again, all the bravery I thought I had suddenly seemed very far away. "So sneak into the forest to meet up with fellow... Werewolves?"

"Yeah." Jason seemed to have gotten everything together so we stood there awkwardly. "This is really going to be your first time meeting your new family."

I pulled back a little. "I hope you remember my terms."

He sighed. "Yes yes I know. You want to see your human family. Sure. But right now we really need to go."

***

"Try breathing a little louder-" I didn't catch the end of the sentence because he caught sight of the terror on my face and decided to keep his trap shut. Thank god. The stress of creeping through the house had magnified in the past hour as we made our way through the halls. Blood stained white hair kept on haunting my mind, reminding me of the consequences if this went south.

Jason opened the backdoor, and I relaxed a small bit, until I saw the figures.

I caught hold of his sleeve and he nodded, signalling that he had already seen them.

Four vampires were patrolling the grounds, every now and then they would move off to a different spot but there was something unnerving with how they moved. They stood completely still and observed carefully.

I held my breath and then felt Jason grab my hand. Despite myself I was comforted by the gesture and then we moved forward.

One of the vampires made his round around the training centre and as he walked it went like clockwork. He went one way and we followed just behind.

I found myself thinking about scents. What if the wind direction changed? At that moment we were downwind of him, so he couldn't sense us. But that could change at any moment. The other three vampires continued around the house and I became very aware that I was holding onto Jason's hand very tightly. I let go and he gave me a slightly amused look.

We made it to the tree line with no accidents and continued into the darkness.