Rare Vampire

Chapter 26

I sat there in stunned silence.

I could feel everyone staring at me. 

I just need a moment to process all of this.

I need some space to think all this through.

The room was beginning to spin when a voice cut the tense silence, "We should all leave the room so Midnight can process what she's been told." 

I sent a grateful smile to Marcus who seemed to understand my state of mind as they all stood up to leave. He gave me a quick nod and left the room behind Rene.

I brought my legs up to the couch after slipping my shoes off, dried mud crusting of a little bit. I cuddled myself into the corner of the couch and leaned my head on my arms.

My parents loved me, my real parents genuinely loved me and if they were here they still would. 

My mum's sister took me as her own and didn't have a single problem with it, and her husband accepted that in a heartbeat. My life may have been a lie, but it was a lie made to protect me.

The secrets were endless but I was thankful for everything I've had throughout my life, for all the friends I'd made and everything I was privileged to have.

I've met a lot of people since I got turned into a vampire, I don't even know how it's possible that my feelings for Phil developed so quickly. I can't even make sense of James and Marcus. James saved my life and has been with me almost every step of the way, and Marcus I suppose has been helpful in his own unusual way, he's weird, but he comes through.

Rene has been the person to lighten the mood and make the toughest situations bearable, and she also saved my life.

I'm not mad at what's happened to me, I'm not mad at my parents for keeping my life a secret from me. I'm glad that everything went as it did, I wouldn't change who I've met and who I've become for anything in the world.

I smiled at my new found appreciation for everyone and everything and cuddled up closer on the couch and rested comfortably with my head propped up on the arm of it, my knees curled to my chest...

~~~~~

It was so warm, I cuddled further into the couch. 

My head was on something super soft, I shifted a little bit and felt the tell-tale sign of a blanket over me.

My eyes fluttered open and the room came into focus, I was still on the couch and I had a direct view of Marcus who looked like a deer caught in headlights.

His mouth was open ready to explain something but a large yawn escaped from me. I brought my hand to my mouth to cover my yawn and sleepily looked at Marcus.

"Who gave me the pillow and blanket?" I said as I stretched sitting up.

"Rene did," Marcus replied quickly.

I raised an eyebrow at his unnaturally quick response.

"Were you watching me sleep?"

"Keeping watch in case something happened while you slept, Rene's barrier locks out a dream-walk but you never know, plus you seemed worn out so we didn't wake you." He replied quickly again.

Why did he seem so nervous?

"Liar, liar, pants on fire. Hangin' on a telephone wire!" Rene called out from the bottom of the stairs.

Marcus was gone in a flash and I heard a distant 'oomph' as Rene's back hit a wall.

I approached slowly trying to make sense of the situation through my sleepy mind.

Marcus was red in the face and Rene was laughing into his hand. 

She mumbled something against his hand and Marcus was suddenly on the floor sitting cross-legged with his arms crossed over his chest. He tried to move but whatever Rene cast got him stuck in that position. 

Rene was cracking up even harder now and I was laughing quietly because I remembered sitting in that position as a child for school assemblies. 

"I didn't give you the pillow or the blanket," Rene said smiling at me in mischief.

"Then who did?"

"Rene don't you dare." Marcus bellowed.

"Marcus went to your parents and asked them for it, he put the pillow under your head and he tucked you into the blanket. Your father is convinced that you two are dating"

Marcus was scarlet, he was yelling obscenities at Rene who waved him off.

I turned a light shade of red and thought about where Phil was right now, were he and I even dating? Or a couple? 

The word was foreign to me, it never crossed my mind. I was more focused on trying to pass my calculus tests than to think about dating someone. 

Rene disappeared from sight and I heard her voice come from behind me.

"Solve fasciculos." 

Marcus got released from his position but couldn't find Rene, she was invisible somewhere and her laughter was moving around us like tinkling bells.

"He's also the one who suggested keeping watch and never traded shifts. He stayed with you on his own for the last few hours."

Her voice sounded from behind Marcus who furiously whipped around to grab thin air.

"I'm going to kill you!" He roared.

"Only if you find me." She taunted.

Marcus gave a frustrated yell and stormed towards the study room. I heard a slight squeak as he sat down on one of the wheelie chairs.

"Where's Phil?" I asked when I saw Rene pop up in front of me.

"He's upstairs in one of the guest rooms. Marcus told him your address and he came back grumbling about how there weren't many options at the market."

I knew that almost nothing would be open in this weather, I thought shaking my head.

"I'm gonna head up to talk to him, and ask my parents if we could stay the night," I added hearing the rain outside.

I trudged up the stairs and went looking for my parents first. I found my mum reading a book and my dad cleaning a small pistol. 

The scene was so strange.

My father glanced up to acknowledge me and my mother put the book down.

"Can we all stay the night here? The weather is terrible."

"You don't even have to ask that question, bug. Of course, you and your friends can stay, but I want that vampire in the farthest room from you." My dad said waving the gun around.

I felt my cheeks warm up. 

"Dad it's not lik-"

"I'm just messing with you kiddo, and you're old enough to make your own decisions." He said cutting me off.

"Don't listen to your old man." My mother said playfully bumping his shoulder.

"Who you calling old?" I heard my dad say as I left their room.

I smiled to myself, loving that their relationship was still as playful as it was when they first met.

I walked to the guest door and knocked before letting myself in.

"Hey, Ni-"

Phil stopped mid-sentence when we heard a scream of fright come from Rene downstairs.

My shoulders tensed but then I heard a deep voice belonging to Marcus. "Got ya!" I heard him say as he chuckled.

I heard running footsteps and Rene squealing in fright. "Night help me!" I heard a thud and Marcus laughed louder. I listened carefully and realised that Rene was cursing about how walls shouldn't appear out of nowhere. I felt laughter bubbling up inside of me as I stepped into the guest room with the widest smile, I'm glad I met Rene and Marcus.