The Trouble with Evie

Chapter 24

"Did you know that I turned eighteen three days ago?"

Brad stared for a moment, then nodded. I was stunned into silence as I stared at Brad. He opened his mouth and then huffed.

"I don't know why she told me a different date, but when the cops cleared the apartment and I collected your things, I found a note for me. She told me your real birth date and that I had to keep it a secret, and that we should never stop moving. I had to keep you a secret."

"The caseworker?"

"Just another mindless human that knew nothing. She was more interested in getting you off her books than your welfare. I'm sorry, Evie. I didn't want to keep this from you, but the letter sounded like your mother was scared of something coming to get you. She said that I had to keep it a secret, even from you. Your mother wanted you to enjoy your childhood as much as you could."

"That makes no sense. Why did she hit me? Why was I the one she blamed for all her problems?"

Brad had a blank expression on his face as he looked at me. Sadness soon gripped him. He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out, just a wordless shaking of his head.

The Nephilim was standing behind Brad, giving me a dark smile. Yeah, I knew what he was thinking. I was a problem. I was the reason she was living a life on the run, taking whatever work she could find which clearly was something that she didn't like doing.

"What about your job?"

"I had to quit, not long after you moved in. Do you remember when I said that I'd just got the okay to work from home?"

I nodded warily.

"They said that there was no opportunity to do anything other than the job that I had. I had to do my job or quit. I accepted it because I thought that you'd be alright. You'd lived an independent life with your mother, so I figured you were used to looking after yourself. Getting to school had never been a problem in the past. I thought that your mother was just being well, you know, the drugs."

Pressing my lips tight with a grim smile, I nodded again. Yeah, mom and her drugs.

"When I came home that afternoon, I was all set to tell you that life was going to be just like what you were used to, just in a different setting. I'd just walked in the main gate, and I was standing at the entrance looking through the mail when one of the other residents was complaining about some creepy guy hanging around the building asking if there were any new tenants."

Brad looked at me directly. The heaviness of his mood was a little startling.

"New as in young girls. She was going to call the cops. She was adamant that this guy was a pervert looking to abduct someone and it hit me like a wrecking ball. You were new to the building, and you were young and female. He was looking for you. Your mother's letter and this guy, it put a lot of fear in me. So, I formed a quick plan that had us leaving the next day. I didn't pick anywhere. I didn't tell a soul. Once I had you and our stuff in the car, I sent an email to work telling them that I had to quit, giving them the caseworker lie."

"But all your stuff."

"It was still there until a month ago. The building manager has sold it all and wired the money to my account. We've been living off the inheritance. Between what my parents left your mother and me, it's kept us going and doing exactly as she wanted. She was very specific about the money. It was to be used to move us and to keep you from being found. Never stop, always move, be vigilant."

"What did she know?" I hissed at the Nephilim.

Eddios, who was sitting next to Brad, turned and looked at the empty space, then curiously looked back at me.

"Clearly more than she let on. Having never met your mother, I cannot say what she knew. I also lack the ability to see into the past. You can let your anger consume you if that is what you desire, but your emotions are pointless. Your uncle did what was asked of him. Bear him no ill will, Evelyn."

"The boy?" Brad asked.

"Yes, the Nephilim boy is here permanently because of this morning."

With a heavy sigh, I settled back into the seat.

"I'd like to talk about this later if you don't mind."

Brad nodded silently. It was better that we were alone.

"Will Drakkus believe me if I say it was an accident, that I acted unknowingly and in self-defense?"

"Nope," Eddios said curtly. "Once he figures it out, he's going to start preparations. The only thing that is going for you at the moment is this,"

His index finger tapped on the document from the Heritage Trust. The paperwork had been submitted and accepted. We were the official, legal owners of this house and land.

"In their confirmation that you are legitimate descendants of Niko, Drakkus has to accept that you are the legal leader of the vampires in this town."

"But don't expect him to hand it over," Jess said.

"No, he won't do that. Not in a million years. What you do next will define you as a leader and will set the tone for the future. He will expect that you will be full of bravado, and he will anticipate a confrontation."

"I would expect that, too," I said. "But you sound as if you think I should consider an alternative."

"All I know is that he has seen how you fight, how you stand your ground. He might have only had a few days to learn about you, but I promise that he has had every single one of his followers watching you. His thirst to know the enemy will never be quenched. This is how a leader will win the war. They learn their enemy, so they understand them. They search for their weaknesses, their strengths, and anything that they can use to their advantage. I would suggest that you do the same. Also, you will need to learn how to rule. The vampires that I have brought with us, they will give you useful information. Listen to them, Evelyn. They are here to assist you. They want you as their leader."

"They don't know me."

Eddios smiled.

"My dear, you are a Corbin by blood. They already knew you long before you were born."