Blood of the Pure [COMPLETE]

Chapter 9 - Part 1

Part 1

I woke up the same way I'd fallen asleep - alone in an empty house.

Half afraid, I went once more over the entire house, but there was no one else. I worried about Lea, if he'd run away in search of food. If Gabriel wasn't coming home, maybe the kitten had gotten hungry and escaped in search of someone to feed him. I felt sad at the thought he might never come back. Lea had become my only company and, in a way, my only confidant. After all, who could I pour out my sorrows to when my head was filled with demoniac problems?

On the other hand, the fact that Gabriel wasn't home made me feel relieved. I still didn't know how to face him. Out of all that had happened, his reaction had been the only thing I still couldn't understand.

I recalled one of our brief conversations and took a deep breath. Even if I'd managed to gather enough courage to talk to him it would almost surely be in vain. His rules about questions dictated that answers were only needed when the outcome could be changed. Which meant that if there was nothing I could do about it, he wouldn't dignify me with an explanation. And it was obvious there was nothing I could do to avoid his anger.

I got dressed as fast as I could and swallowed a yogurt before leaving for school. He wasn't home, but that didn't mean he couldn't simply show up, literally out of nowhere. If that were to happen I wanted to be as far away as possible. Somewhere in my mind a little voice kept insisting that it would be safer to face him surrounded by other Human Beings.

I arrived at school fifteen minutes earlier and the classroom was still empty. I looked at my chair and squeezed my hands together, trying to determine what would be worse — being at my desk when he arrived or arriving after him. I chose the last. At least if I got in the room after him we'd have four rows of chairs and desks between us. I ran back to the corridor and hid in the only place I felt safe - the girls' bathroom.

I anxiously waited for the first bell and, when I returned to the world of the living, the school was packed with people.

I couldn't help feeling nervous as I walked towards the classroom again and, before going in, took a peek inside. And there he was, in the back of the room, but he wasn't alone. Which would be rather normal, since there were always people around his desk. But this time I couldn't help feel surprised and worried about the company he kept. Steph was standing next to him and, by her expression, it looked like a serious talk.

I walked to my place, unable to avert my gaze. He looked calm, his face cold and expressionless like stone, although he was clearly paying attention to what she was saying. Steph seemed worked up. It was rare seeing her at school so early in the morning, but even more unusual to see that grave expression on her face.

I pulled my chair, still watching them, and someone sighed right next to me.

"You've noticed it too, hmm?" I looked up and gave her a smile.

"Morning. What's going on?" I asked and Joanne sighed again.

"Don't know, but nothing good, that's for sure," she answered and I couldn't push away the bad feeling that swept over me. What had happened?

"Did they get into fight?" I asked, half afraid, even though I knew better. Him getting angry would most certainly mean the end of someone's life. I'd learned that all too well, last Tuesday, when Steven had almost died.

"Don't know. All I know is that Tuesday, after school, we were all worrying about you, since you disappeared and didn't come to class. He came to us and told us you weren't feeling well, and that you'd gone home earlier. He assured us it wasn't anything serious and we went our ways. We were near the bus stop when Steph remembered she still had your things and decided to come back, to hand them to your cousin. And yesterday, well, you missed class, but so did she ... and him. I thought you had gotten worse or something, and that Gabriel had to stay home to look after you, but when I called no one picked up. The same happened when I tried to call Steph. And today they were already downstairs, talking, when I arrived. They came up together and it's been like that," she concluded with a hint of irony and I peered back towards them. Now he was speaking and Steph listening with a hard, contained expression.