Vampire Bride

Chapter Nineteen - Part One

Charlie

Utter joy rushes through my body when The High Council plane's engines hum to life. I sit in the same windowless window seat, Maxwell's statue like body next to me. As we soar into the sky, I can't help but to be glad that we're leaving the Posthotel Rattenberg behind...forever preferably.

Maxwell's ice-cold fingers graze my cheek pulling me away from my wandering mind. "Yes?"

With a flick of his wrist, my phone comes into view. His fingers clutch down on it, leaving fingerprints on the screen. With manic relief I harshly rip it out of his hand and instantly turn it on. Dread and fear turn my annoyed attitude into something more, much more. "Thirty-six missed calls...fifty text messages. I didn't think it was possible to make things worse, but congratulations, you've done it." Under my breath I mutter. "That's definitely something to be proud of."

"I strive to excel at everything."

"I'm sure you do." I say in a hushed whisper. I want to be angry, but sadly that's not the first emotion that bubbles up to the surface. Humor is and that's not funny. That's a serious matter I'll have discuss with myself one day.

The flight back seems to take longer than it did to get to damned Austria to begin with. Maybe because it has something to do with the impending doom that's waiting for me at home.

Thinking that turning to my phone for comfort would settle my nerves is one of the worst ideas I have. One after the other is the same message said many different ways. 'Charlie, I'm worried about you. Please call me.' Fifty missed texts from Dave. I sigh to myself. Way to go, Maxwell. I thought I would be able to blow him off...not anymore.

When that familiar bumpy landing alerts me of our arrival some of my tension is released. Nonetheless, I still have to endure the car ride back home. Unlike leaving for Austria, coming back is different. We're accompanied by Grace this time. She sat several rows away from us on the plane, but now she sits to my right, sandwiching me in between her and Maxwell. As if life could get any better or worse for that matter.

Grace stays silent, staring out the window, refusing to acknowledge either of us. Even when the car pulls up outside my house and I tell her goodbye, she just waves her hand sheepishly at me. Maxwell, on the other hand, offers to walk me to my door, but I decline. "Maybe you can see what's wrong with Grace instead." My hand goes to his shoulder. I pat it lightly before grabbing my luggage from his hands. "Don't worry, I won't get jealous." With that said, I walk away, leaving him behind.

Halfway to the front door, I start tapping at my phone. With one short message sent to Morgan saying that I'm home and I'll see her at work tomorrow, some of my regrets go away. My limbs start to feel heavy as I walk through the house. The loud thump of my luggage as it hits the kitchen floor makes me realize how off my senses are. It's already quite late and most of my day was spent on a plane. I decide to go to bed to ease my jetlag and to get some rest for the storm that's brewing for me tomorrow.

Surrounded by the plush comforter, my body loosens up. My eyelids close automatically, my head nuzzles into the pillow, and my feet wrap themselves in the excess blankets at the bottom of the bed. Sweet dreams of nothingness occupy my numb mind. Occasionally, my fingers tug the blankets closer to my body without my brain telling them to. An imaginary chill nips at any exposing skin.

The morning sun streams in through the windows and night has passed and day has come. I stretch my muscles awake with a whisper of rise and shine as I get ready to face the music.

Once I get into the parking lot outside work, a smile comes to my face. I'm back in my comfort zone instead of being surrounded and tested by vampires. The silence in the office building at first is overwhelming, but within a short period of time I grow accustomed to it. Sinking into my large office chair, my hands skim the top of my desk.