"This is grotesque," Veronica sniffed, revulsion and loath for me clear in her voice.
Dinner had surprisingly been going smoothly, Caelan's parents being a lot more relaxed than the day I arrived. We exchanged casual conversation while eating a slightly burnt but somehow not terrible roast chicken. Well that was until Veronica arrived.
"Why are you pretending like any of this is normal?" She snarled.
"Vee," Caelan warned his sister.
She couldn't even last half an hour sitting at the same table as me. The look of disgust and hate she was giving me was making me both angry and- alone. Because she was right after all. None of it was normal. A human sharing a meal with vampires? Never in my wildest dream would I have thought that possible. And while the group was proving that everything I believed in was based on a lie, they also reminded me of my own family. Of Rick who was probably searching the Earth for me. My chest tightened at the thought of him. I couldn't hide the truth from him for much longer. He deserved to know I was alive at least, even though I was still furious he lied to me my whole life.
"You know I'm right!" Vee exclaimed. "She shouldn't be here. She's a Hunter! She hunts and kills our kind, she doesn't deserve our protection."
Goosebumps covered my skin as chills ran through me. I couldn't deny what she was saying. I had killed multiple vampires in the past. Vampires that threatened my life and the lives of others. Vampires that weren't nearly as civilized as the ones sitting at the table tonight. Before I met William and Caelan, I didn't even know vampires could be so– normal. Because all I knew were the blood-thirty creatures that attacked innocent people in dark alleys. Memories of the night I was almost killed by one of them flashed in my mind, and I shivered. If Rick hadn't been there that day... I forced myself not to think about it. It was pointless to relive the past.
"That's enough." The tone William used was enough to shut Veronica up and send shivers down my spine.
My attention shifted to him sitting in front of me. His eyes were locked on me, his jaw set. Time seemed to stop as we looked at each other. I wondered what was going through his mind, if he realized that what Veronica had said was true, and if the supposed "mating bond" between us was strong enough for him not to want to kill me for killing beings of his species. But as I looked at him, I couldn't see any hate in his eyes. Only vulnerability, somehow. The emotion was gone from his eyes in a flash and I realized I was holding my breath for some reason. I lowered my gaze and fixed it on the plate in front of me instead.
"Charlotte is my guest, and will have our protection until I decide otherwise," he said, emphasizing the word "our", making my eyebrows furrow. Did he have enough authority among Cealan's family to force them to protect me? I started to believe he did. Then, the second half of his sentence hit me. "Until I decide otherwise". Chills spread through me again at the idea of being entirely at his mercy. What if my rejection led him to decide not to offer me protection anymore? Would I be able to defend myself in a house full of vampires? I had fought nests of monsters before, but I had rarely done so alone. And vampires were different from any other species. They were fast, and had a strength that was far beyond what I was capable of. My chances to win a hypothetical fight were slim. I swallowed hard at the thought.
"But I doubt she'll need protection for much longer," William continued, and our gazes met again. The left corner of his lips was slightly lifted, unveiling the dimple I was trying hard to deny had any effect on me. "As soon as she embraces her– gifts," he said after pausing for a second, his eyes gleaming with- awe? "We'll be the ones needing protection."
My heart skipped a beat. I wondered again if he truly couldn't read my thoughts, or if I was that easy to read. Because his words quieted the worry and fear his first sentence had generated in me. Did he truly mean it? Although I had no idea how what he said could be true, the fact that he seemed to believe it was enough to shut my inner voice. He believed in me, more than I did myself.
"Do I have to remind you that she stabbed me in the chest?" Caelan answered, making me turn my head to my left where he was sitting next to me. "I think it's clear we already need protection from her."
My eyes widened, and I almost choked on air at his comment. Did he just say that out loud, and in front of his parents? My gaze instantly shifted to Isla and Peter who sat on the opposite end of the table. The look of surprise on their faces was quickly replaced by laughter while all I could do was stare at the couple, frozen.
"She is quite violent," William said with a smirk that earned him a death stare from me.
I couldn't believe they were all laughing at the incident. I had almost killed their son, and they found it funny? Well, all except Veronica who was looking at me with murderous eyes.
"That's only half of the story, I didn't mean to–" I tried to explain before Peter cut me off.
"Whatever led you to stab my son, I have no doubt he deserved it," he said as he looked straight at me. I wasn't the best at analyzing emotions through one's eyes, but I could have sworn he wasn't angry or upset I accidentally stabbed his son. He looked as amused as Isla, Calean and William were.
I couldn't help but smile at his comment, despite my initial shock at his reaction. Because Caelan did deserve it for being such a jerk with me when we first met.
"Ouch." Caelan's fake hurt tone earned another round of laughter around the table, and I was surprised to hear my own, which made me smile even more. I wasn't as stiff as I had been almost the entire time we had spent at the table, the muscles in my neck and back somehow relaxed for the first time in hours. And as I watched them interact and joke with each other, I realized there wasn't a single monster in the room. They were no longer the blood-thirsty creatures I thought vampires were. They were simply a family. A family that shared more love for one another than I could ever comprehend, so far from the idea I had of their species. And even if I didn't trust Veronica, I knew I was safe with them. I knew she wouldn't try anything as long as I had William's protection. And hopefully, by the time he decided otherwise, I would be strong enough to not need protection anymore.
xx
"Charlotte," someone whispered, jolting me awake. My hand instinctively reached for the knife I kept under my pillow, and I pressed it to the person's throat, my eyes barely open, and unable to distinguish who was in front of me in the darkness. "Where did that come from?" The voice asked with a soft laugh, and I suddenly relaxed as I recognized its owner.
"William?" I asked, still half asleep, confused as to what he was doing in my room. Was I dreaming?
"Why do you keep a knife under your pillow?" He asked, amused.
I shifted under the sheets and turned on the lamp that sat on the nightstand. William was crouching next to my bed, looking at me with a bemused smile.
"I—," I started to answer, my thoughts still in a sleepy fog as I sat up. "Wait, what are you doing here? I could have killed you."
His smile grew larger, displaying both his dimples.
"Not quite," he said, his shoulders heaving with his laugh. "Do you really think this knife will keep you safe in a house full of vampires?"
I stared at him blankly. Obviously I knew the knife wouldn't be enough to keep me safe, but it offered a great distraction in case of attack.
"What are you doing here?" I asked again, and this time he lost his smile.
"I have to leave," he said, my eyebrows instantly flexing into a surprised frown. I must have been too sleepy to understand correctly. He couldn't possibly leave. "It will only be for a few days."
His words erased all traces of doubt I had. He really was leaving. I shook my head, trying to clear up my head.
"What? Why?" I asked, trying to make sense of it. Was it because of what happened at the pond? Was he so hurt by my rejection that he decided he didn't want anything to do with me anymore? I swallowed. Why did my heart ache at the thought? It had been my choice, my heart had no right to feel like this now. But did I make the right choice? "You can't leave me." The words were out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying, and my heart started to race in my chest. Why did I say that, of course he could. Why would he want to be near me after I rejected him?
"I wish I had a choice," he answered, his eyes soft. He didn't look like someone who was running away from me. The way he was looking at me made me feel like liquid, my skin awakened by that tingling sensation that seemed to never leave me when he was near me.
"Where do you have to go?"
I wished my voice didn't sound so desperate. Why did I care where he had to go? After yesterday, anywhere would probably be better than near me. Again, my heart tightened at the thought.
"They need me in Bath," he said, his eyes now scrutinizing me with a new interest. Could he tell I was starting to question my decision? That my heart was screaming at me to let go of my control and abandon myself in his arms?
No. That could simply not happen. He was a vampire who didn't age, and who craved my blood. It was impossible for us to be together, mates or not.
"I will be back in a couple of days," he added, not making me feel any better. Why did the prospect of him leaving make me feel like this?
"What about my training?" I asked, trying to find a reason for him to stay.
His eyebrow arched for a second, as if he expected me to say something else, but his face was back to blank so quickly I wondered if I imagined it.
"You'll train with Cal and Vee," he answered, all softness now gone from his eyes. He looked upset suddenly. Did I say something to offend him? I stayed quiet, despite the urge to tell him what I thought of Veronica. The prospect of having her as a trainer made me want to scream. The next few days were going to be pure torture. "Here," he added as he handed me something. My eyes fell on the silver object he held in his hands, and I instantly recognized my blade. "This is yours."
I stared at him, stunned. He was giving it back to me, by choice. Did he really trust me?
"You're not scared I might use it to kill you?" I asked, and his lips turned into a grin.
"It's a risk I'm willing to take," he grinned as I grabbed the blade, welcoming its familiar weight in my hand. I expected to feel safer now that my precious blade was back in my possession, but I quickly realized that I didn't feel in any danger with William, even while unarmed. I couldn't help but wonder why he gave it back to me. Did he think something might happen while he was gone?
After looking at me silently as if trying to read what was going on in my head, William stood up, my head lifting up in his direction.
"Listen to Cal while I'm gone, and please, don't do anything stupid that would put your life in danger."
I was about to object, but the way he was looking at me kept me quiet. He looked tortured again, and as if he wanted to say something else. But he stayed quiet and turned around. That was it? He was leaving just like that? Why did I suddenly want to cry?
"William," I called just as he reached the bedroom door. He turned back around to look at me, one hand still on the door handle. I wanted to beg him to stay, to not leave me after everything he told me the day before. I didn't want the feeling of safety I had when I was around him to go away. I didn't want the tingles to quiet, or my heart to stop racing simply at the sight of him. I wanted to finally taste— No, I couldn't keep thinking that way. I made my choice. I needed to stick to it, no matter how bad it hurt. And some distance between us could only be beneficial. He looked at me, his head slightly tilted, waiting for me to say something. "What if something happens while you're gone?"
Why was that the question I chose to ask? I didn't know, and I regretted it the moment it was out. I wasn't a scared little lamb. I knew how to defend myself. But it wasn't vampires I was scared of.
"Nothing's gonna happen to you. You're safe here," he tried to sound convincing, but it was obvious that he didn't believe the words.
"I thought I wasn't safe anywhere."
"Let me convince myself that you are, otherwise I could never leave."
My lips parted in shock. He didn't want to leave.
"Go back to sleep. I'll see you in a couple of days," he added before disappearing into the hallway, closing the door behind him. My heart was still thumping in my chest long after he had left. I stood at the window overlooking the estate and watched his car disappear into the darkness. He was gone. And although it was only for a few days, I already felt like a piece of me was missing. I shook my head. I knew it was all in my head, because there was no way I was already that attached to him. I forced myself to believe that I didn't care that he was gone, that I didn't care that he left looking so unaffected by his departure while I was on the verge of crying, and went back to bed. Dee snuggled up with me and I stared at the ceiling until the sun was up, my thoughts drifting everywhere except towards darkness.