A/N: Thanks for all the great feedback on this novel thus far, folks. Pictured above is how I picture Fiona looking.
Looking forward to your feedback, folks.
Thanks again and happy Tuesday.
____________________________
Chapter 13
As the weeks pass, the world around us transforms into a macabre whirlwind of chaos, fear, and war. Up until last Thursday, Leo would turn on the news every day so we knew what was happening. But now the TV announcements have stopped. Mass communication has stopped.
The last thing we heard from our leader was that all contact between vampires and their consorts was hereby banned. Above all else, his reinforcing words never wavered: stay hidden and keep safe.
We are at war.
"I'm heading to the store," Fiona announces, shoving away from the kitchen table.
Leo hunches beside the water heater, tinkering with the levers at the top. A tool belt hangs lazily on his narrow hips. He doesn't bother glancing up at her before saying no.
"We're running out of food," she argues.
"We'll make do."
"We have been 'making do,' Leo. It's not enough."
Leo sighs and stands, wiping off his hands on the length of his frayed blue jeans. If it was just the three of us here, we'd have enough food to last another month. Over the past week, however, seven additional people have shown up at Leo's doorstep – all of them loyal followers to his radical idea of a revolution. I recognize some of them from class, but the rest are all strangers that I no longer have the strength to make small-talk with.
"It's too dangerous," Tony chimes in. "The last broadcast told us that the vampires are being ruthless. They're dressing up like humans, blending in until they get a chance to advance."
"I'd rather they just attack us," Midge comments from the couch. She flips a page of her magazine and stares off into the distance. "Just get it over with, you know? At least then we wouldn't have to be afraid all the time."
All of us glance around at one another. For the first few days she was here, Midge reminded me of myself. She's quiet and pensive, not usually one to ruffle feathers. I even tried approaching her one night after dinner, but five minutes into the conversation, I quickly realized we are more different than night and day. Where my personality is filled with understanding and the netting of an open mind, hers is closed off and wired shut around one thought: kill all the vampires.
"Well while all of you sit around and pilfer through your magazines or debate about your deep-rooted fear of the undead, I'm going to check the store for food. Anyone want to come with me?"
I immediately jump to my feet. "I'm coming with you."
"No, you're not," Leo says, shutting me down.
Normally Fiona agrees with him and writes me off. My spirits sink, expecting this time to be no different. But to my surprise, my old friend meets my gaze from across the room, her eyes dancing over me thoughtfully before smiling softly.
The sight makes me ache. I haven't seen Fiona smile since the day she found out Kelly changed. Truthfully, I haven't even really talked to her since that day, either. Seeing her smile, just briefly, reminds me all the warm memories I shared with her and Kelly. So much has changed since then, and yet in one, slight smile, hope manages to swell in my chest.
"He can come with me," Fiona offers quietly.
Leo walks over to her, his eyes squinting with frustration. "No, he can't. It's too dangerous."
Fiona rolls her shoulders, unfazed by the foot and a half height difference between the two of them. "It is dangerous, Leo. You're right. But Finn stays here of his own accord. Our freedom is running thin as it is. If he wants to come with me, that's his choice. Not yours."
Midge gasps from the couch. There aren't many people who stand up to Leo. We're staying at his house, after all, and he could kick us out at any time. Not only that, but many of us still view him as our Professor, a role where his opinion holds more weight than ours.
Leo purses his lips, staring down at Fiona with a look akin to betrayal. Then he turns to me and his eyes relax.
"You really want to go?" he asks me.
I nod.
His nostrils flare and he looks down at his tool belt. This will be the first time I've left his side since the day he brought me here after what happened at the University. It's not that I'm ungrateful for all that Leo's done for us, because I appreciate it more than he realizes. Really, I do. I just can't keep hiding in this house without ever getting a chance to really breathe.
"Fine," he grits out. "Mark, you're going with them."
Mark, an old family friend of Leo's, agrees without protest. He gets to his feet and starts heading towards the garage door. Fiona throws me a triumphant wink, one that thankfully goes unnoticed by Leo. She turns towards the car but Leo catches her by the elbow and yanks her back.
"You keep him safe," he warns. His tone is minimal but terrifying. "And if you can't? Don't bother coming back."
Fiona's stumbles back a step. Neither of us has seen Leo act like this before. Kelly used to tell me that in tough times everyone's ugliest colors start to show, and that the strongest people are the ones who find the courage to overpower it.
"Let's go, Finn," Fiona says.
Her shoulders become rigid as she makes her way to the car. I follow behind her but hesitate as I pass Leo. Will he have any warnings for me too? But Leo doesn't say anything. Instead his arms wrap around me, pulling me against him so tightly that I can smell the sandalwood soap he used this morning in the shower. When he releases me, I notice his cheeks are red.
"Be safe," he murmurs.
"I will."
Leo steps aside to let me pass, and minutes later, I am in the back seat of Mark's SUV while he pulls out of Leo's driveway.
Once we're out of the subdivision, he cracks the window open just a hair. The cool air from outside rushes in, and I breathe it in longingly. There isn't a single car on the road but ours. It's unsettling, the type of thing you'd expect to see in an apocalyptic movie. I try to shut down the fear as best I can. My eyes lap up the view of the outdoors, appreciating every color and house that we pass.
"I'm thinking we stop at that little grocery store on Maple," Fiona says from the passenger seat.
Mark's dark eyes dance along the road ahead of us. "Fine. Just tell me where to go."
Fiona navigates the three of us into town, avoiding the major roads when she can to play it safe. Mark never questions her directions, but every once in a while I notice his knuckles tightening over the wheel. A single car passes us just before we reach the grocery store. There's two women in the car, both of them looking about as terrified as I feel.
Even though I promised myself I wouldn't be afraid, I'm suddenly second-guessing my willingness to come on this little grocery trip.
"We're here," Fiona announces.
Mark pulls into the deserted parking lot. The grocery store is dark and the front glass doors have been shattered. Apparently we aren't the first people to come up with this idea. Fiona grabs a handful of plastic bags and disperses them to both of us.
"We're looking for canned goods, especially," she says. "But really, anything that is edible and has some sort of nutritional value will be good."
Mark takes the bags from her hands and hops out of the car. Fiona watches him, her eyes brightening with every step he takes. I expect her to get out of the car, but instead she sits back in her seat and glances at me from the rearview mirror.
"Finn," she says quietly. "I'm going to ask you this once and only once."
Mark gets closer to the door and turns to make sure we're following. When he sees we're still in the car, he frowns with confusion.
"When you kissed your vampire, did he kiss you back?"
My jaw drops. Fiona turns to gauge my reaction, her eyes curious but guarded. I had no idea she saw my kiss with Bogdan. How has she not said anything before now?
No wonder she's been avoiding me so much. She hates the idea of Kelly being a vampire. Seeing me kiss the very being that took the mortal life of her boyfriend must be so painful.
I think back to my kiss with Bogdan. It's a memory I have revisited more times than I can count.
"Yes," I whisper shamefully. "He did."
Fiona's expression is blank and she nods. I wish I knew what she was thinking.
"I got into your phone and read the emails between the two of you," Fiona admits.
My heart flutters with worry. If she shares those emails with Leo, there's a good chance he'll throw me out. Granted, the last time I spoke to Bogdan was the first day we went to Leo's, but the fact we were in communication at all is bad enough.
Fiona clicks the lock on the door just as Mark reaches the car. He glowers at her and bangs on the window, telling her to open up.
"I don't understand you, Finn," Fiona says, and now there is sadness in her voice. "And I don't agree with you. Vampires are hellish creatures, and I hate them. All of them."
She lets out a shaky sigh, and I notice a film of tears forming around her eyes. "But I also have never seen you unhappier than the way you are now," she continues. "And I love you, Finn. I really do."
"I love you, too," I say and reach forward to touch her arm.
She flinches. "If you come back with me, Finn, I will never speak of this again."
"Of course I'm coming back with you," I say. "Fiona, what's going on?"
A single tear slips down her cheek and she glances out the back window of the car. I follow her gaze until my eyes land on a single, hooded figure in the distance.
It's Bogdan.
"I know what you are, Finn," she whispers. "I know you do, too. So we both know that no matter how hard Leo tries, it'll only be a matter of time before they find you."
A weird panicky feeling makes my throat tighten. What's happening? Every fiber of me wants to turn around and look at Bogdan again, but I have a sinking suspicion that this will be the last time I see Fiona for a very long time. I want to memorize every detail of her.
"I messaged your vampire using your phone," she rushes out. "And asked him to meet us here today. To take you away from all of this. To keep you safe. I can't say that I trust him, Finn, because I don't. But I think he has a better chance of keeping you safe than Leo does."
I stare up at her and she plasters a sad smile on her face.
"You won't come with me?"
"No," she says, wiping away the tears from her eyes. "It goes against everything I am. Everything I promised Kelly I would be."
I frown and shake my head. "But Leo. He said – "
She laughs through tears and waves me off. "I know what he said. I'll be fine. Right now it's about you, Finn. I just want to see you safe. This is the way it can happen."
She squeezes my hand and leans in to give me a hug. "Whatever you decide, Finn, know that I won't hold it against you. Know that for the rest of my life, I'll look back and think of you with only happiness and brotherly love."
"But Fiona..."
My voice tapers off and she shakes her head. "You need to hurry. We're running out of time."
Mark pulls out his phone from outside the car and puts it to his ear. He's probably calling Leo, reiterating what's happening. Fiona's right; we're running out of time. It won't be long before another car meets us here to 'correct' the situation.
"The choice is yours, Finn," she whispers. "What'll it be?"