The Witch and Her Vampire

Twenty-Six

Carina's P.O.V.
Finally, finally, I got around to visiting my old home and Uncle Billy and cousin Jake, who I hadn't seen in years.

After Uncle Billy and I had said all our greetings and caught up on some things, he told me that Jake would be coming in shortly, any second now as a matter of fact.

When I heart footsteps on the porch, I hid behind the kitchen door and waited until it swung open, before I hopped out with a yell of, "BOO!"

The man—no, still a boy—in the doorway was so startled that he jumped nearly a foot in the air and instinctively swung his fist back. Easily, I ducked under the arm and skipped out in front if him.

I took the time to study him as he froze in complete shock; he still had the same tan skin I remembered, his long hair fell neatly past shoulders much like my own did (though mine was very messy), and he wore a simple t-shirt, ragged jeans, and a large pair of boots.

He wasn't too much taller than me, I noticed, his 5'11 only a few inches taller than my own 5'6.

Finally, he spoke.

"C-Carina?!" spluttered Jacob, looking so completely and utterly astonished. "Is that really you??"

"No, it's Harry," I corrected jokingly, and he seemed to overcome his shock as he surged forward and swept me up in a hug, lifting me clear off my feet as he spun around happily.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and laughed, enjoying being close to him after so long.

After a long few moments he set me back on the ground, brown eyes alight as he looked about eagerly. "Is Harry here too? How did you get that scar? What's happened to you?" The last two questions were said with an earnest concern that only my cousin could ever be capable of, and I found it didn't bother me that he was all but interrogating me.

"Ah, no, he's not here." I watched Jacob deflate slightly. "He's decided to stay in London with his girlfriend and help her family through the death of one of their sons, and get himself some much needed rest."

"I thought you two were inseparable?"

"We were. But sometimes you need to part ways." I shrugged. "And as for the rest...well, you'll want to sit down." He didn't move. "I'm telling you, this is a really long story and you're the first person I'm telling, so sit." This time he plopped himself into a chair, and I began the tale from first year.
__________________________
When I finished, it was already long into the night—past midnight at least, I guessed, and my poor cousin was sitting there in shock.

The light atmosphere had became very sober and the silence was killing me at the moment as he processed everything.

"So, Dad was right," said Jacob slowly. "You were fighting in a war."

"Front lines," I agreed quietly.

"And you were tortured."

"A couple times, yes."

"Uncle Sirius is dead."

"Yes."

"You tortured people?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay?"

His next question startled me, for I thought he would hate me, but in the dim light from the moon shining through the window, I could see his brow furrowed in a way I had always known him to do when worried or thinking. "Not really." I let out a breath and offered him a weak smile. "But I will be. I'm staying with the Cullens."

"Yeah, I know they're back." His tone indicated his slight irritation. "They haven't tried talking to me a single time—all Edward has done is told me to keep off Bella." He liked her, I knew. "The only ones I ever got along with were Emmett and Jasper, and even they haven't talked to me."