“Oh? What kind of questions?”
“Let’s look at the report first, if that’s okay.”
“Sure. So what are your parents’ names?” Roman begins to log in to the database as Bri answers.
“Ava and Darius Edgewater,” Bri informs him.
Roman stills and hesitates, then looks up. “Edgewater?”
“Yes, why?” Bri asks, looking from Roman to Matthew and then back to Roman while noticing a perplexed look on Matthew’s face as he’s staring at Roman.
Roman straightens in his chair and begins to glare back at Matthew. “No…reason…the name just sounded familiar…that’s all.” He turns his attention back to the laptop and enters the names that were provided into the form on the screen. “And what was the date of the accident?”
“February 22, 2013,” Bri provides.
Roman enters the date and clicks submit. The report pulls up on the screen. “Yes, here it is. I’ll print a copy for you.” He presses a button, and the printer on the counter behind him bursts to life. He rises and walks over to the printer. Bri notices that Matthew is still staring at Roman and watching his every move, still with a look of confusion on his face. She gives him a slight nudge with her knee, and he tears his gaze away from Roman to look at her. Bri creases her brow in a look asking what’s wrong and Matthew just shakes his head. Roman returns with the printed copy of the report.
“Here we are.” He lays the report in front of them.
Bri and Matthew read over the report and then look at one another in confusion.
“Is something wrong?” Roman asks.
“Um, yeah, actually there is, and this is why we were going to have questions for you,” Matthew responds this time. “The report states that my grandparents’ car went into a ravine after a drunk driver ran them off the road.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Bri then slides the autopsy reports over to Roman. “Then why do these state that there was arsenic in their systems when they died?”
Roman’s face remains emotionless as he picks up the autopsy reports and scans through them. “Where did you get these?”
“David brought them to me last night. That’s what prompted my call to you. He says you might be able to help answer some questions. First and foremost, why does the police report not concur with the autopsy reports?”
“That’s a good question. Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you. Although I can look into it,” he offers.
“Uh, no. Don’t do that,” Matthew says.
“Why?”
Bri jumps in. “We don’t want to waste your time. I mean this happened several years ago and what’s done is done. I do appreciate your time this evening, though. I think I’ve had enough for now. I’m tired, and I would like my son to take me home now.” Bri grabs all of the reports and stands. Matthew stands with her and then stretches his hand out to Roman.
“Thank you for your time, Roman. We really do appreciate it,” Matthew says.
Roman shakes Matthew’s hand. “You’re both very welcome, but just so you know, I am going to look into this. It’s my job to make sure records are accurate, and it is clear that something is amiss here.”
Bri begins to get nervous. “You really don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, actually I do,” Roman says. “Here, let me walk you both out.”
Roman walks them both to the main door of the station and bids them good night and a safe travel home. “We’ll speak again. I’ll let you know if I find anything out,” he says as they walk out the door and down the steps to the parking lot.
When they get in the car, Bri turns to Matthew. “Well, shit. What the hell are we going to do now? Roman didn’t have any answers for us, and now he’s planning on digging into it deeper. That’s exactly what your dad didn’t want to happen…and what was with his reaction when he asked for my parents’ names?”
“Mom. Something’s not right.”
“I know. Didn’t you just hear me? What’s wrong with you? Are you okay?”
“That’s what I’m saying. I don’t know. Something didn’t feel right when we were in there.”
“What do you mean?”
“I couldn’t get a read on him. I couldn’t feel anything. There was just nothing. No feelings, no emotion, nothing.”
“What?! Why?”
“I don’t know. Something wasn’t right about him. I think we need to get out of here, and now!”
“Okay, then drive. Let’s get home.”
“Yes, you both need to leave, now!” Jared appears in the back seat, making them both jump.
Matthew doesn’t hesitate; he puts the car in reverse, backs out of the parking space and proceeds to exit the parking lot onto the main road.
“What’s going on, Dad?”
“You’re both right. Something was off with Roman.”
“What is it?” Bri asks.
“Roman is a vampire.”
Matthew and Bri look at each other briefly before turning their attention back to what Jared is saying.
“Vampire? Are you serious?” Matthew asks.
“Yes, that’s why you couldn’t get a read on him. He’s very old and has the ability to block anyone else’s powers. He’s mastered this over the years of his existence. He may only look to be in his mid-fifties, but he’s actually 1,926 years old. I began to suspect something was off when you were both in the room with him, so I consulted with The Powers That Be, and this is actually information they will let me share with you.”
“Well, it’s a freaking miracle,” Bri remarks, “and that explains why he works the night shift, too.”
Jared smiles. “I don’t think he’s going to come after either of you yet.”
“Yet? Should we be worried?” Bri asks.
“Well, I think he’s going to start digging. He’s probably going to want to find out if any of your powers have been activated—if either of you even knows about the curse.”
“Shit,” Matthew sighs.
Bri and Jared just look at their son and don’t say a word. It’s the first time either of them ever heard him swear.
Jared adds, “Whatever you do, don’t invite him into the house. If he comes to the house with more information, don’t invite him in. Suggest that you all sit out on the front porch instead. You don’t ever want to invite a vampire in. Once you do, they can gain access to your home anytime without your permission. They are sneaky and can be very silent and deadly if you get on their bad side.”
“Can be? Bad side? You mean there’s a good side?” Bri asks.
“Yes, actually. Not all vampires are bad. If you get on their good side, they can become very powerful allies.”
“Huh. So what else should we know about them?” Matthew asks.
“Well, there may still be a way that both of you can kind of know how a vampire is feeling—their mood, so to speak. You have to pay attention to their eyes, and it will depend on whether they have fed recently or not.”
“Their eyes?” Bri tilts her head with intrigue.
“Yes, most vampires have to feed once every three to five days, or they will begin to petrify. Their skin is already pale since they are technically dead and have no pulse; however, the closer they get to petrifying, the whiter their skin becomes—almost the color and texture of marble. The older the vampire, the longer they can go before feeding. Those centuries old have been known to go up to 10 days without feeding. Millennia-old vampires can go up to a month. However, the more often they feed, the stronger they are, and the more controlled their powers are. Some will feed on human blood, while others choose to feed on animal blood. When feeding their fangs descend only far enough to puncture the skin of their victim; however, the more adrenaline in their system, the more elongated their fangs become. Their eyes are normally black unless they’ve consumed too much blood, then their eyes turn red, and they become feral. If a vampire goes feral, the females turn into Harpies, and the males turn into Screechers. Their eyes
also turn colors depending on their mood. If they are angry, their eyes blaze with what appears to be yellow flames, and when they are aroused, they are a swirl of blue and green. When they are in love, they are a light purple, and when they mate for eternity, that shade turns to a dark purple. They can control all colors of their eyes except red, providing they are well nourished. Their fangs only protrude from their gums when they feed or become excited (aroused, angry, etc.). Biting a victim does not turn the victim, although their bite can be poisonous if they choose for it to be; they can control that. If they do poison someone, the victim’s veins will begin to turn red, and only the blood of a vampire can cure the victim. If the victim is not cured within the hour, they will die a very painful death. Alternately, they can also see a person’s memories if they get a taste of their blood. In order to turn someone into a vampire, the victim has to be drained of blood almost to the point of death and have vampire blood in their system. Vampires have super strength, super speed, can become invisible, can teleport, and can shift into any animal of their choosing. Ultimately, they are one of the strongest and most invincible supernatural beings in existence. The only known way to kill them is beheading or sunlight.”
“Wait, what about a stake through the heart, garlic, silver, holy water? Don’t any of those affect them?” Matthew asks.
“No. That’s all just myth. Vampires will heal from anything except beheading and being burned alive from the sun. But it has to be sunlight; if you take a torch to them, they will recover, and you would have only pissed them off. They can only be killed by a fire created by UV rays.”
“Well, fuck,” Matthew states.
“Matthew!” Bri scolds this time.
“Sorry Mom.”
“It’s okay, it’s just that your dad and I have never heard you swear before, and now you’ve just done so twice in the last couple of minutes. I’m just not used to hearing it from you, and I guess my motherly instincts kicked in.”
“Yeah, sorry. It’s just this is a lot to take in. How do you know about vampires anyway, Dad?”
“Your Grandpa Darius has been filling me in on a lot.”
“Oh.”
“Well, it sounds to me like we may need to start stocking up on an arsenal at home for protection,” Bri states.
“Yes,” Jared agrees, “and you may want to designate a room for it, but make sure you lock it up, so the rest of the kids don’t find it.”
“I have an idea,” Matthew says. “If you’re okay with it, Mom, how about I play sick on Saturday, and while you and the girls are out with Travis celebrating his birthday, I can create a secret hiding place in the house for the arsenal.”
“Yeah, that works. I can handle Travis,” Bri says.
“Okay, good. It’s a plan then. Oh, one more question, Dad—do crosses affect vampires or is that just a myth too?”
“Yes, crosses do affect them. They won’t kill them, but they do act as protection. It may be a good idea if you can get everyone in the family to start wearing them. Vampires don’t have to see them for them to work as protection; they just have to be on the person somewhere.”
“I can talk to Crystal about making some jewelry we can all wear,” Bri suggests.
“Yes, that’s a good idea,” Jared agrees.
Just then they pull into their driveway; Jared says goodbye and disappears.
Chapter Eleven
Unexpected Visitors
Friday, September 7, 2018
A couple of uneventful days have passed. Now Bri wakes knowing that today their lives are going to change forever. Last night she told Rose that she is going to allow her to sign with Capitol Records. Today is the big day that they are going to call them and discuss expectations and a contract. Since it is Friday, though, Rose still has to go to school, so the plan is to make the call as soon as she gets home. Meanwhile, Bri decides to make a couple of other calls herself. First, she is going to call Evelyn, only because she knows, deep down in her heart, that Capitol Records is probably going to require Rose to move to California and she wants to be prepared ahead of time for that. Second, although she had said she was going to wait on calling Mr. McLeery, she changed her mind and decided to call him before they talk to Capitol Records. That way when Capitol Records brings up the contract, she can just advise them to talk to their lawyer and give them his number. Last, Bri is going to have to make arrangements to transfer Rose to a new school. After thinking on this last part for a while, Bri ultimately decides that it would be better for Rose to do online schooling instead; just in case she does become a superstar, she wouldn’t need to deal with the added attention it might bring while physically attending school.
Since everyone has left for the day, Bri decides to make these calls from the study. Heading into the room, she makes her way over to the desk and settles herself in the chair behind it. Pausing for a moment, she reminisces about the days she would see Jared in here working. Take a deep breath, Bri, you can do this, she hears Jared reassure her in her mind. She smiles, takes a deep breath and picks up the phone, dialing Evelyn’s number.
(ring, ring…ring, ring, ring)
“Ms. Aldridge’s phone, how may I help you?” a whiny, high-pitched voice asks on the other end. It is Evelyn’s personal assistant, Heidi. Evelyn is the same age as Bri and is a very successful publisher, owning a publishing house in downtown Los Angeles. Her parents bought the company for her as a birthday present when she was twenty-five, but since then she has put her life into the company and tripled its revenue. She has never married but does have a daughter, Sofia. Evelyn got pregnant with Sofia when she was eighteen, a few months before she graduated high school, and the father bailed shortly after that. When Sofia was three, Evelyn had a scare and almost lost her to a really bad case of the chicken pox. Even though Sofia had been vaccinated, she was one of the rare cases of getting them anyway, and they came with full force. The near tragedy scared Evelyn straight into adulthood and from that point on she did whatever she needed to in order to provide a safe and healthy life for her daughter. Now that Sofia is grown at the age of thirty-two, Evelyn pours every free moment of her time into her company.
“Hi Heidi, this is Bri. Is Evelyn available? I really need to speak with her.”
“Oh, Mrs. Aldridge! How nice to hear from you. How are you doing, you poor dear?” Heidi never was one for subtlety, and she always spoke to people as if she were much older than them, even though she was only in her mid-twenties.
“I’m fine, Heidi. Is Evelyn available to chat for a moment?” Bri persists.
“Oh, just one moment, please. I will check.” Heidi puts Bri on a brief hold. “Bri? She’s available. I’ll transfer you now. Have a good day, dear.”
“Thank you,” Bri says as she rolls her eyes.
There is a moment of Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” playing in the background and then Evelyn answers.
“Bri! It’s so good of you to call. We haven’t spoken since…Is everything thing okay?” Evelyn’s smooth, warm voice spills into the phone.
“Hi Evelyn,” Bri says with a smile. She and Evelyn have always been very close, almost like true blood sisters, which Bri is hoping will help in this situation. “It’s good to hear your voice. I’m sorry I haven’t called sooner. Things have been so crazy in our household lately.” Evelyn was right; they hadn’t spoken since Lucas’s funeral. It really had been too long.
“Oh, that’s okay, I understand. What’s been so crazy; what’s going on?” Evelyn prompts.
“Well, a lot of things actually. First, Travis has been hiding that he’s been racing cars at the local race track, but I’m hoping to get that out of him tomorrow. Second, I’ve recently found out, just this week, that my parents didn’t die from a car accident, they were poisoned, and third, Rose got a call from Capitol Records, and they want to sign a contract with her.”
There’s a moment of silence on the other end.
“Wait, back up. Travis is racing?! Is he crazy? He could get killed! An
d your parents were poisoned?! How did you find that out? And Rose…really? At least that is some exciting news. My God, Bri, it sounds like you’re living a soap opera.”
“Yes, it does, doesn’t it? Don’t worry; I’m going to handle Travis, and as far as my parents, that came up when I decided to start a new family tree project. There is a detective looking into that…but it’s really Rose that I’m calling you about.”
“Rose? How can I help?”
“She and I are calling Capitol Records back this afternoon, once she gets home from school. I have this strong feeling in my heart, though, that they are going to ask her to move to California. And well, I was kind of hoping you would agree to let her come stay with you.”
After another moment of silence Evelyn responds, “Wow, you think they’re going to ask that of her? I mean she’s only thirteen.”
“Yes, I really do. It’s going to be almost impossible for her to start a music career from here. If you agree to let her come live with you, then I will get her enrolled into an online school so you won’t have to worry about too much publicity…hopefully.”
“Oh honey, I’m not worried about publicity, I deal with that every day. And I know she will do just fine staying with me, I’ll make sure of that. I’m more worried about you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I mean, you’ve lost your parents, your husband, a son—are you going to be okay with one of your twin daughters moving away from you right now? And how is Crystal taking all of this?”
Bri takes a deep breath. Thanks for pointing out the obvious, she thinks to herself. “I will miss her, there is no doubt about that, but knowing she is with you and you are more than capable of keeping her safe—that thought alone helps me with making this decision. I would never forgive myself if I kept her from an opportunity like this, and I don’t think she would either. To answer your question about Crystal, well, no, she’s not taking it very well, but she’ll be okay. The rest of us will be here to help her through it.”
“Okay, if it’s what you really want, she can come to stay with me. When should I expect her?”
Loved Ones Lost (Edgewater Curse Book 1) Page 8
