To Kiss a Killer | boyxman | (OLD VERSION)

Chapter XX - The Slayer

"So what are you going to do?" Julius may as well have roared. "Turn me in with Bobby? You wouldn't actually escort your own father to his death now would you?"

I anticipated my dad's answer. For a minute that seemed almost too long, they stared at one another, the hatred for father and son dramatically changing the air pressure in the room. And finally when it seemed the mood would only go further downhill, my dad snapped his fingers together, a sign towards me and Jackson. "Come on, boys," he said, "Pack your belongings. I'm taking you away from here."

"What?" Jackson reacted, "But, dad, we can't leave."

My dad impulsively broke into anger at him while I made sure to keep my mouth shut. Dad could be scary. "I said pack your things now, Jackson!"

Jackson bit his defiant tongue; however, when it came to following orders, he crossed his muscular arms and glared menacingly at our dad. Clearly a sign that he wasn't willing to listen to a word bound for him, at least not from my dad.

Meeting my gaze next, my dad held my eyes with some kind of message I couldn't draw out. It was apparent he was telling me something, but I couldn't be sure as to what. The look in his eyes was one I knew meant something. But what? "Raeden, are you going to defy me as well?"

Without second thought, I rose from my seat at the dining table, only to receive a look of abhorrence from Julius. "Don't you move!" he ordered me, "Fredwolf, you can't take these kids away from me. What will they learn traveling from city to city like you? That's no life for a teenager. Wind Ridge needs them to protect its nightly borders."

My dad nearly exploded, I could see the fuse ready to burst behind his eyes. "Slaying isn't the kind of life for a teenager!" he yelled so long my ears rang. "Especially if you're sending them on dangerous missions to kill vampires... you were supposed to know nothing about!" His voice dropped to a snarl, "How did you know about Demiesius and Dominick? Tell me and I won't call the Public to take you into custody."

Julius was silent.

When Julius continued to hold his mouth shut, my dad neared him and I thought for a moment he was going to strike his own father, but he only reached for my arm and tugged me to get around him. "Go get your things, Raeden," he said, guiding me towards the stairs. "Jackson," he said next, "Don't make me force you."

And as commanded, Jackson followed. He stormed up the stairs after me, rushing for his room, but before he could slam the door, I stopped it with my foot, crushing it. Ouch. Ignoring the pound of pain pulsing through my foot now, I met Jackson's eyes as he dogged back at me. "Can I borrow your cellphone?" I asked, trying to sound normal.

"Why?" he questioned, opening the door a little to peer down the stretch of hall leading to the empty staircase.

"I just need to call a friend real quick. Remember I lost my phone?"

Without second guessing my purposes, Jackson went to his bedside and unplugged his charging cellphone from the wall, handing it over before closing the door on me. I went back to my room with haste and shut the door gently, screaming at my memory to recall Dom's phone number. I knew he was supposed to be sleeping, and he essentially needed the rest, but I needed to tell him what was going on. I couldn't just leave without a word.

After figuring I dialed the right number, the phone rang a total of three times, and Dom's tired voice answered with fatigue. "Who is this?" he asked in a gruff and ultimately tired accent.

"Dom, it's me, Raeden."

He sounded awake now and a rustle as if sitting up from under his coverings could be heard from his line. "Raeden, what's wrong?" he inquired as if already knowing what was happening over here. In a way I guessed he did. "Are you alright?"