The Rules of the Red - 2nd Edition |✓|

Chapter Twenty-Two, Part One - To Die For

Later that night, the limousine pulled up before Claudia's trailer. Just from the look on his face, I could tell Ethan was worried, but he refrained from asking about what happened back at the castle. I knew he could feel my loneliness as if it were his own, but he was just as tired of asking questions, as I was of avoiding them.

"Naomi..." Ethan laid a warm, supportive hand on my arm before I could let myself out of the limo. "About earlier--I'm sorry. I don't wanna fight. And I know what you're feeling, but, you aren't alone. I just want you to know that."

"Thanks," I said quietly. "And I'm sorry too. I know I need to be more open with you. I'll work on that."

Ethan paused, then nodded, and I knew our conversation about the Council would be picked up at another time. For tonight, he was determined to leave things on a good note. "You sure you aren't mad that I'm not coming with you? It's just--I know he's the reason you're so upset, and since I don't wanna go to jail tonight, I think it would probably be better if I stayed away."

I smiled. "I understand. And as much as I would rather go home and watch Golden Girls with you, I have to be here for him. Claudia's sister really needs this, and Tidus could die..."

"I get it," Ethan assured. "Call me tomorrow, ok?"

I smiled, nodded, kissed his cheek, and said good-bye. Then I was outside, standing in front of Claudia's trailer, watching the lights of the limo as it pulled away from the curb and disappeared up the street. There was a chilliness to the night air, but I embraced it. It took the edge off the heat from all those mixed emotions I was feeling.

"Hey." At the sound of Claudia's voice, I turned. She stood, barefoot, on the porch, still wearing her purple gown, but now with an ugly, brown, afghan draped about her shoulders. She hugged it, tightly, to her body, appearing awfully fragile for a Witch. "You're late. I was worried you weren't gonna show."

"Yeah? Me too," I said, as Claudia stepped down from the porch and onto the lawn.

"Can we talk? Before we do this?"

"Sure."

She led me to the dusty, rusted pickup that was leaking oil in her driveway. With the click of a key that had been hidden in the folds of her blanket, she unlocked her truck. I opened the door to climb inside of the passenger's seat, but paused before sitting.

"Oh crap, sorry." Claudia brushed chip crumbs from the seat.

"So, what's up?" I said, after Claudia started the engine, cranked up the noisy heater, and turned up the radio. Clearly this was a conversation she wanted no one else to hear.

"Well..." Claudia took a deep breath. "Here's the thing. There's a teensy-weensy, slight chance this could go south and something bad could happen to Tidus."

"I know," I said heavily, leaning back in the seat. "He already told me."

"Yeah, never mind killing him--that's not what I'm worried about. He's a Vampire--they're known for rising from the dead. The problem, is that there's so much evil in this ring that I'm worried it could leave a residue; that it could infect him. Tidus could go back to being the Vampire he was when he was first turned, and trust me--that's not someone we wanna meet. It may not seem like it, but Ti's Humanity is... fragile. I'm scared this might break it."

"Ok, so, if there's a chance this could cause Tidus to lose his Humanity, then why go through with it? Why put his life at risk?"

"Because I love my sister," she said. "And because Tidus knows that he owes her. Our family--our lives--were stolen because of him. Angel's a sweet girl, she didn't deserve what happened--"

"And what is it that happened to Angel?" I asked quietly. "What did Tidus do to her?"

Claudia paused and closed her eyes as she traveled back to some painful, distant memory. "It's not what he did. It was his protégé--the first and only Vampire Ti ever created. His name was Quinn. We met a couple years ago, back when my family was still alive. After one date with him, I was convinced I was in love. Little did I know that was just the Glamour talking. Um, Glamour--"

"I know what it is."

"Right. So, I took Quinn home annnnnd... he killed my parents. He would've finished off Angel too if Tidus hadn't shown up when he did. He was like this... dark knight. He saved my sister, but it was too late for our parents. Anyway, Angel was forced to leave our clan, and I knew I couldn't stay in The Order without her, so I left too. Tidus struck up a deal with my grandmother: if he killed Quinn and took in my sister, they'd be even, and she wouldn't get the Hunters involved. So, that's what he did..."

Suddenly the picture was clearer, and I understood things much better now. This was why he was so protective of Claudia, and had wanted to handle Lillian in such a delicate manner. Tidus had personal stakes in this.

"My sister died because of mistakes that Tidus and I both made. Now do you understand why he has to do this?" I nodded, feeling sorry for the girl that I had once thought I hated. "But I'm not an idiot," Claudia continued. "I know there are serious risks to what I'm about to do, which is why I have to know that if something goes wrong, and if anything happens to me..." Claudia took another deep breath before finishing what she had to say. "If anything happens to me or Tidus, will you make sure the Romaines continue to take care of my sister? I know I have no right asking you this--especially after how I treated you--but Angel needs them. No matter what happens, she needs to be protected, and I know you always do the right thing."

"Alright," I said, though I knew this would be a heavy burden to bear, if it ever it came to pass. "I'll watch out for her. I promise."

"Thank you." Her shoulders slumped in relief. "I don't think anyone really understands how important this is to me..."

"Well, that's not exactly true," I said, making a spur-of-the-moment, monumental decision to reveal something that I had kept closer than any other secret. "A few years ago, I lived with this really amazing foster family--they were the best people I've ever met," I said. "They even considered adopting me. I was sixteen, and they had two biological kids around the same age--Danny and Callie. Those guys--they were like my real brother and sister. I'm telling you this, Claudia, because they were my family, and I destroyed them. I made a mistake-- just like you--and people got hurt."

I didn't tell Claudia about how a popular jock named Kyle Preston assaulted Callie at a party, or that I shifted and ended up killing Kyle and hurting Danny in the process. And I certainly didn't mention the worst part about that day–seeing Danny rushed away on a stretcher with two medical attendants racing against time to get his heart and lungs working again.

"I do know how you feel, Claudia," I said, "which is why you can trust me to ensure Angel is taken care of. You don't have to worry."

Silence.

"You know he loves you, right?"

"What?" Her question was so left field, I wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"Tidus. He loves you--I can tell."

I looked down at my hands in my lap, squeezing them around my clutch, trying to release some of the tension. But it didn't work. The pain was still there. "I'm not going to hurt him," I said quietly.

"I hope not," Claudia said, in a tone filled with hidden meaning. "Because anyone close to Tidus is close to my sister--and I will destroy anyone who hurts them." Claudia shut off the ignition and climbed out of the truck, pausing one last time before closing the door. "We're all in the backyard. Just go around, through the gate."

Through the dirty windshield, I watched her stride across the lawn to the small gate at the side of her trailer. Once she disappeared from view, I turned my gaze overhead, to the swirling greyness of the Harbor sky, wondering if it was really possible to be friends with your enemy.

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