It is a cloudy day and we are back in the car as soon as possible. We have all managed to rest up and get some things together before we head out into the wide world that lays ahead of us.
Alex continues to drive with one hand on the wheel whilst the other is tangled through his shaggy hair. I can't help but giggle at the sight.
Logan is quiet and does nothing but stare out the window. I can only guess that he is thinking about what happens now.
We drive all through the day and into the night with barely any words shared between us.
I fall asleep just as it goes dark and when I wake Logan is driving and I have been moved to the back seat. I lay on the edge of sleep ready to doze off again as Logan strikes up a conversation with Alex.
"There's something I need to know. What happened when Evie went missing? Where was she?" His concern is audible and so is the sigh that Alex gives off.
"She was captured by some vampires and taken to a small underground city where they planned on selling her in an auction as a slave."
"Did you buy her?" Logan sounds appalled at hearing how it works in the vampire world.
"No. Someone found out who your Uncle was and brought her to me. I was supposed to take her to our leader Cail, but I decided against that. Instead we drove around in a circle and I brought her home to you. It's what she wanted."
"And what did you want?"
"I wanted her to stay with me but she wouldn't have been safe." He sounds melancholy as he divulges the truth to my brother.
"And what do you want now?"
"Her to be safe."
"You're in love with her aren't you?" Logan's voice sounds as though he already knows the answer.
"Yeah. Is it that obvious?"
"Just a little."
"Is that ok with you? Me being in love with your sister, i mean. I know she is the only family you have left." Alex's question hangs thickly in the air as we both wait for Logan's reply.
"As long as you dont hurt her or break her heart then it's all ok with me. I can tell she loves you too."
A stifled laugh is let off from Alex and i can picture his beaming smile touching his lips.
"I could never do anything to hurt her. I couldn't handle to see her suffer."
"Yeah. That and she would kick your ass for trying. She may not look it but she is pretty tough. She has me to thank for that."
Logan's laughter fills the car as I rouse completely and sit up yawning making my appearance known.
"Morning sleepy head. We decided to just keep driving. It's almost morning." Logan acts as though nothing was just said and goes on believing that his laughter woke me up.
I mentally shake my head and look over to Alex as he stares at me curiously.
You heard all of that didn't you?
All of what? I play dumb and smile innocently.
Alex chuckles and turns to face the road again.
...
We stop to fill the fuel tank up at an abandoned petrol station and I take this time to stretch my legs. Logan chooses to vacate the driver's seat and slide into the back once more to sprawl across the seats in hope of letting sleep come to him.
I decide to walk around the car and try to take my surroundings in but in the dark with the only light coming from the headlights of the car, it isn't at all easy. From what I can tell, the petrol station has been unused for some time and I am surprised that it still has fuel that is usable but then knowing Alex he probably has selected petrol stations all over that he uses for his long drives.
Leaning against the passenger door I look over to Alex as he fills up the tank and can't help but wonder where it is that we are going. Where can we go? Where would two humans and a vampire be safe in this day and age?
Alex glances my way and gives me a half smile and I feel an instant calm wash over me. He must have felt my anxiety and decided to send some good vibrations my way to calm me down. Typical.
Back in the car we drive in silence as a light snore rises from the back seat. We both ignore it and look out into the darkness, letting go of the predicament that we are in.
Alex slowly moves his hand from the steering wheel and into my lap to hold my hand in his. I look over to him and give a small smile and clutch his hand tightly. Even after such a small amount of time together he has already figured out how to calm my seas.
The car suddenly begins to slow as Alex takes an exit that leads to an old Airport and I can't help but be a little excited at the prospect of flying in a plane. Before I get my hopes all the way up, I turn to Alex with a quizzical stare and he nods back to me with a simple smirk.
I have not been in an airplane since I first came to the zone when I was 5 and I remember the excitement from looking out the window drowned out all of the fear that I had from the massacre that we escaped back in Sydney.
Alex stops the car in front of a giant air hanger and proceeds to dial a number into his phone and wait for a response. Within a moment someone is casually jogging over to us with their arms waving about in the air. Alex stops the call and starts to vacate his seat before quickly turning to me with a stern look.
"Stay here. I have to sort something out."
I do as I am told and watch as Alex embraces the figure and begin conversing only meters from the car. I can't make out what they are saying but it is obvious that this mysterious figure is a man that Alex must consider a friend. I watch intently and see the man's body language change suddenly as he darts his glances from Alex to the car and back again. He then continues to shake his head and run his hands through his short and fuzzy hair.
What could they be talking about?
Logan begins to stir in the backseat and arches his back to stretch before sitting up completely with a yawn. He looks directly at me and then to Alex outside before giving me a quizzical look.
"What's going on?"
"I'm not quite sure to be honest."
After a few more quiet moments Alex returns to the car and opens the drives door to poke his head in.
"Ok, let's get going" is all he says before closing the door again and walking to the front of the car once more.
The man that Alex was just conversing with heads off back the way he came and enters the air hanger before us.
Logan and I share a glance before we both exit the car and make our way to stand with Alex just as the doors of the air hanger open like giant sliding gates to reveal several small planes lined up to make their great escape.
Each plane is different from the last and are all different shapes and sizes. The smallest being in the far corner only large enough for one person with the biggest looking like a private jet that millionaires would have used.
The man soon reappears and begins to close the distance between us as Alex eyes each machine intently.
"Let's go with the Falcon 2000, Jim. I feel like flying in luxury today." Alex plasters a smile across his face as he speaks and then throws his arm over my shoulder to hold me close to him as Logan and I share a curious glance.
Which one is the Falcon 2000?
Jim makes his way to one of the larger planes and begins getting the plane ready for us as Alex and Logan both head back to the car to retrieve the few things we picked up along the way for the trip to wherever we are going.
Why hasn't Alex told us where we are going yet? Does he even know?
...
The take off and flight in the Falcon jet is so smooth that I barely realize that we are in the air. In fact, everything about this plane is so incredible that it makes me forget about the few bouts of turbulence we first hit. The pure white leather that lines the seats and cabin contrast nicely against the mahogany tables that stand willingly in front of the seats.
The plane is in pristine condition and I feel like royalty for being in it.
I look over to Logan who sits closer to the front of the plane by himself with ear phones plugged into his ears and his eyes fixated on the small television screen at his lap. He is enjoying watching some old movie from before I was born and has another few lined up when that one finishes.
The seat directly beside me is empty as I wait for Alex to return. He left for the control room to speak with Jim at least 15 minutes ago, leaving me alone with my thoughts and an old magazine. I decide to ditch both and just stare out the window into the darkened sky as we fly amongst the clouds. It looks as though day is giving way for night to take its place, as light drains away from the thickened clouds.
I feel as though there is some sort of symbolism there but I dare not go looking for the meaning.
Suddenly, Alex reappears through the control room door and makes his way back to me. He slides into the seat next to me and lets his hand rest on my thigh as I embrace it with both of mine.
"Everything ok?" I ask knowing that if it weren't Alex wouldn't tell me anyway.
"All good. You don't want to get some sleep?" His concern for my wellbeing is definitely welcomed but also misplaced.
"I don't want to sleep right now."
"You must be tired. We didn't stay at the farmhouse all that long."
"Yeah I am but I don't want to dream so I'd prefer to stay awake right now."
I let myself be totally honest with Alex because that is what I want in return. I don't want to sleep and have more night terrors but at the same time, I also know that whenever I am with Alex I don't dream my usual terrifying nightmares.
"Are they that bad?" Alex asks apprehensively as if not to offend.
"My dreams?" Alex nods so I continue. "Sometimes. It's always the same thing but slightly different. I don't know why I get them so much."
"Tell me about them. What happens that scares you so much?" Alex shifts himself so that he can see my face entirely and makes himself comfortable. It is obvious that he wants every detail and won't leave it alone until I grant him permission to see my inner most demons.
"They always start differently but I always end up alone in a dark alleyway. It's always cold and I am being watched. Most of the time by a man with blue eyes watching me but his face is always in the shadows. I can never see him clearly. It's almost as though he is a guardian angel or something. I don't know really. Sometimes it feels like he is there to kill me and other times I think he is there to save me." I pause not sure if I should continue but Alex signals for me to go on.
"I am usually searching for someone." Again I stop.
"Who?" Alex asks after a moment of silence.
I look over to my brother who has now closed his eyes and welcomed sleep with the earphones still lodged in place before I answer.
"My mother." Exhaling deeply I continue on. "The alleyway I dream about is where she died."
Images of what I remember from that night begin to flood my mind as I in turn begin to close myself off. I don't want to talk about it anymore and somehow Alex knows. He silently takes my hand and give me a genuine smile.
It's ok. You don't have to say anything. His voice in my mind reassures me as I take in a deep breath and close my eyes.
I try to recall the moments that led up to that fateful night in proper sequence. I know that if I try hard enough I can remember exactly what happened but after a life of trying to forget, I know it will be difficult.