Jacinta sits motionless beside me, white as a ghost and not saying a word. My mom instantly recognizes the cue to intervene. “Phillip,” she says, catching his attention. “How’s work going?”
Phillip reluctantly averts his eyes to my mom before launching into the complex details of his job within the government of The Guard, promising Jacinta that their conversation is not over.
Marie gives Jacinta an apologetic look. ‘Sorry, love,’ she mouths, reaching across the table and giving her hand a squeeze.
Jacinta shrugs her shoulders as if her father’s words hadn’t stung, though, I know her well enough to know she’s dying on the inside. No matter how tough she acts, she’s always feared to disappoint her father. He’s always pushed her to be the best and anything other than the best is unacceptable. I’m surprised he has put up with our friendship for so long considering the amounts of time I’ve gotten us in trouble. Nonetheless, he loves her like she’s the air he breathes, she’s their perfect daughter.
Following our disastrous lunch, Jacinta’s parents request a tour of our dorm and I thank my lucky stars that we had a cleanup yesterday.
Millie, mom, and I wander around the campus. Millie is beside herself taking in all the sights and picturing what her future holds. I take them to see the combat training room when a thought pops into my head. “You should catch up with Tessa while you’re here,” I say to mom, wondering why I hadn’t thought of this earlier.
Mom’s face falls ever so slightly. “Oh, no, that won’t be necessary. I’m here to spend time with my girls. I can see Tessa another time,” she says, suddenly putting me on edge.
I drop the idea and don’t ask her about it again, though I can’t seem to get it out of my head. Why wouldn’t she want to see Tessa? The thought bugs me all afternoon.
I sit with Jacinta and Millie in her parent’s guest house, relaxing on the couch as our parents chat away in the next room. “That was a close call with Trey this afternoon,” I say in a hushed tone.
“Tell me about it. He drilled me after you left, but I told him we were just friends,” she whispers back, checking over her shoulder to make sure her parents are still well and truly occupied.
“What are you going to do?”
She gives me an ‘as if you don’t know me better than that’ look. “I’m not going to do anything. It took me long enough to get this far with Trey, I’m not going to ruin it now.”
“I’ve got to say, it was pretty funny watching Trey freak out like that. I’m almost certain he wet his pants.”
“I know,” she laughs. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to him and explain it all yet, so I thought I’d see him later tonight, is that okay?”
“You don’t need my permission to see your boyfriend. But yes, I’ll be fine. I’ll hang out with mom then I think I’ll have an early night. It has been a pretty exhausting week.”
We hear a phone ringing in the other room and seconds later a very business-like Phillip answers the call and excuses himself from the room.
“Geez, it's always work and no play with him,” Jacinta mutters with a roll of her eyes.
I give her a sympathetic look as Phillip comes back in the room with his face full of concern.
“What is it, dear?” Marie asks as Jacinta and I do our best to listen in.
“Another vampire attack in the city,” he says outraged. “Looks like it might be the same sick bastard. I swear, forcing children to watch. What an absolute disgrace,” he scoffs not realizing that we can hear their conversation.
My mind spins, hearing the words coming out of Phillip’s mouth. This can’t be real.
“Oh, no, how awful,” my mother says with heartache in her voice, no doubt remembering dad. “How come The Guard hasn’t caught this monster yet?”
“Pft,” Phillip scoffs, once again. “They’re too caught up in their politics. I say they send out a hunting party and finish this once and for all.”
“I agree. I can’t bear for this to go on any longer. It’s such a tragedy when a family loses a loved one, and to imagine what that poor child must be going through,” Marie says, her voice laced in sorrow.
“Yes, but at what risk?” mom chimes in. “We send our loved ones to the front lines to then be slaughtered by these beasts?”
“You must have more faith in The Guard’s training, Gabrielle,” Phillip says.
“Oh, I do, but my James had that very training and look at him now, and what about Bianca? That will be her next year, being sent out to fight. I mean, what if something should happen to her? I don’t know how much loss I could possibly handle.”
Marie leans forward and places her hand in mom’s, giving it a gentle squeeze as she continues. “Don’t get me wrong, The Guard’s training is amazing. I could never imagine doing the type of things they do, but they’re only human and humans make mistakes.”
Phillip flops down on the couch beside Marie. “I just don’t know what other options we have,” he says sympathetically. The room falls silent around them as Phillip excuses himself to make further calls and inquiries while mom takes the opportunity to excuse herself for the night and heads back to her own room.
Millie and I hop up, following mom out. “How much of that did you hear?” she asks as we get back into her room.
“All of it,” I say, heading into the kitchen and making her a coffee.
“Oh, Bianca. I’m just so concerned for you. I know you want to follow in your father’s footsteps, but at what cost? I don’t want what happened to him, to happen to you,” she says, joining me in the kitchen and throwing something together for dinner.
“It won’t. Rylan is mentoring me for that exact reason. I’m going to be untouchable,” I say trying to bring a smile to her face.
“I know, dear,” she sighs as she pours herself a glass of wine and comes to join Millie and I on the couch while we eat dinner and watch a movie. It’s not long later that Mille has passed out, sprawled across the majority of the couch and pushing both me and mom off the edges. With a smile, I hop up and find her a blanket.
Once the movie is finished, I see Mom getting up and start preparing for bed, and I know now is the only chance I’m going to get to ask the question that has been bugging me all afternoon. Though, I know I shouldn’t, she has had at least three glasses of wine by now. “Mom,” I say softly. “What’s going on with Tessa?”
Mom looks thoughtful for a while, then takes a seat at the dining table, inviting me to join her. I make my way over and sit down across from her. She reaches out and takes my hand in hers. “Now listen, you’re nearly eighteen and I think you're old enough now to know the truth,” she says with a sad smile. “I’m very hesitant to tell you this considering your current professional relationship with her, but I believe you’re mature enough to handle it. I’ve been wanting to share this with you for a while now.”
I give her an encouraging look while my mind whirls at what she could possibly be trying to say.
She takes a deep breath and reaches her hands out to mine. “Darling, as you know your father and Tessa worked together out in the field and had become very close friends. In fact, she then became close with us all,” she starts as her bottom lip begins to quiver. I give Mom a look to say she should go on. She takes a deep breath and I know whatever she’s been holding in is about to come out and I brace myself for whatever it might be. “Well, in recent years it has been made known to me that they were a little something more than just good friends and it seems that both Tessa and I were very much in love with the same man.”
“No,” I whisper, wishing it wasn’t true, then one look in my mother’s eyes confirms what I’m not ready to believe. “No, I don’t believe you. He wouldn’t do that to us,” I cry as betrayal begins to cut deep.
A tear runs down her face as my whole world gets turned upside down. Rage surges through me and all I see is red. My heart shatters as it all starts to sink in. Betrayal from my father, betrayal from Tessa who I trusted as a friend, and
betrayal from my mother for hiding the truth for so long.
Mom stands and steps into me, pulling me into a hug. “Don’t you doubt for one second that he loved you. You and Mille were the absolute lights of his life.”
The tears grow heavier. “How could he do that to us?” I ask, my hands shaking in rage.
“I ask myself the same thing every day. But love is love and no matter what you do, you cannot control who you fall in love with, it just happens,” she explains, trying to remain strong.
“Of course, I know that, but it doesn’t change the fact that he cheated,” I say with my mind in a blur as I try to process it all.
“I know and you have a right to be upset,” she says, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around me. I lean back and look into her eyes and under the pain and sorrow, I see forgiveness and I know she has done everything within her power to put the past behind her, no matter how much it must have hurt.
“I wished you would have told me earlier, I could have helped you through it.”
“Oh, Bianca, you’re so wise beyond your years,” she says with a smile. “But I would never have burdened you like that. I’m only telling you now because you’re nearly eighteen and deserve to know the truth about the people you love.”
Mom stands up, wiping away the stray tear that remains on her cheek. “I trust you won’t say any of this to Millie? I’ll let her know when the time is right.”
“Okay,” I say as I latch onto her for another hug. “I’ll see you in the morning,” I tell her, realizing I need a moment alone with my thoughts.
“Sure thing, my dear,” she says as she steps out of my grasp. “You’re okay?”
I have no idea how to answer that question. Am I okay? No, but I can’t tell her that. I need to be strong for her just as she has been for me and Millie all these years, so instead of answering, I give her a smile, hold my shit together, and head for the door.
I walk back to my dorm, trying my best to process the events of the night. I take a seat on the benches outside the dorm as I allow it all to sink in. First, there was another vampire attack extremely similar to my dad’s and the feeling that it’s the same Vampire nags at me, and secondly, my dad and Tessa having an affair, how could I have not known this and how could mom go through it all on her own?
I sit on the bench outside the dorm feeling completely helpless and the sudden urge to go and knock on Tessa’s door overwhelms me. I want to punish her, hurt her like the way they had hurt my mom. Rage boils up inside me and I need to get it out. I get up and make my way across campus, heading straight for the staff housing in search of her room.
I push open the door and I know I shouldn’t be here, but the anger deep within me urges me on. I walk up the hallway searching for some kind of evidence as to where I can find her but come up blank. I stand against the back wall as the tears start streaming down my face and I sink to the floor before turning into a mess.
What the hell am I doing?
I realize just how dangerous this is if I were to get caught. I get up off the floor and wipe the tears away from my face, working out the quickest and easiest way back to the exit. I try my hardest not to make a sound, though the way I had stormed through here ten minutes ago, I’m surprised I haven’t been busted already.
I’m nearly at the door, I can almost smell my freedom when I hear the sound of someone clearing their voice. I look across to the sound, where in a small single couch sits Rylan watching my whole performance. Concern plasters his face and I find myself wanting to run to him.
I can’t catch a break. How is it he’s always there when I’m doing something I shouldn’t be doing? “I’d ask you what you’re doing, but I get the feeling you have absolutely no idea.”
I search every crevice of my brain for some type of excuse that would make this okay. “I got lost,” I say, giving him the most pathetic lie, knowing he’s completely capable of seeing right through me.
Rylan gives me a concerned look that says he knows there’s more to this story, much, much more. He gets up and makes his way over to the door, holding it open for me. “Come on,” he says. “I’ll walk you back to your dorm.”
I walk with Rylan in silence back across campus and am relieved to have him by my side as his presence helps to soothe the madness going on in my head. We stand just outside the entryway and Rylan pulls the door open for me. I take a step inside the door when the magical sound of his voice stops me in my tracks. “Not now,” he says, “but soon, you’re going to tell me what the hell just happened back there.”
I look up at Rylan, the moonlight shining on his face, expecting to see his instructor scowl, but instead, I find myself looking into dark, gold speckled eyes that are filled with concern and care. I’m completely caught off guard. When did I become someone he cared for? I give him a soft smile. “Promise.”
His eyes remain locked on mine as he gives me a small smile, sending my heart into overdrive. I feel a million messages pass between us in this exact moment and I realize that this is something much more than a schoolgirl crush. I’m falling for this guy and I’m falling hard. “Night, Bianca,” he says, stepping back into the night.
“Goodnight, Rylan,” I say, his name sounding perfect on my lips. He lets go of the door, letting it fall shut between us as he turns away, leaving me cold in his absence.
Chapter 23
I wake on Sunday morning after a sleepless night and find Jacinta is already up and ready for her day. “About time you woke up,” she mumbles. “Where were you all night?”
I consider telling Jacinta all about my revelations from last night but decide I'm not ready to share this with her, it's not like I'm about to tell her about my sudden trip to staff housing either. That can remain mine and Rylan’s little secret for now. “I was up with mom having a movie night,” I say.
“So much for an early night, huh?”
“Tell me about it. After all the extra sessions I’ve been doing, I’m absolutely exhausted. Though, I’m pretty excited about having a day off today,” I say, stretching my body out. “Did you end up talking to Trey last night?” I ask as she breaks into a wide, swooning grin. “I take that as a yes,” I say under my breath.
Jacinta laughs. “Not much talking got done,” she boasts.
I give her one of my famous eye rolls and saunter into the bathroom.
Twenty minutes later, I head over to guest housing for breakfast with mom and Millie with a stabbing ache in my heart knowing mom will be leaving soon. We eat together, spending what little time we have left and take advantage of each other’s company.
It’s just about lunchtime when mom disappears into her bedroom and brings out a small black box. Mom comes and joins me at the table and slides the box in front of me and on closer inspection, I see it’s actually a small jewelry box. “So, it’s your eighteenth birthday in a few weeks and I wanted to give this to you now, in person.”
“Oh,” I say, suddenly very intrigued with the small box that sits in front of me as Millie hops up and stands behind me at the table, also curious about what the box holds.
“Go ahead,” Mom says. “Open it.”
I pick up the small box, opening it slowly. My eyes instantly swell with tears as I spy my father’s favorite gold chain resting at the bottom of the box. I pick up the chain, feeling the soft cold metal between my fingers. “Are you sure?” I ask as my mind is assaulted with memory after memory of Dad wearing this day in and day out.
“Of course, darling. He would have wanted you to have it,” she says, reaching out and holding my hand as Millie takes the necklace from me and fastens it around my neck. “This way you will always have a small piece of your father with you.”
“Oh, thank you, Mom,” I say, launching myself across the table and wrapping my arms around her neck. She lets out a delighted laugh, returning my hug as she wraps her arms around me, squeezing tight.
“Let me in on this,” Millie says, barreling into us. The three of us burst into laughte
r as we hold each other dearly, knowing this precious moment will be over too soon.
That afternoon, Millie and I stand in the exact positions we had been in the morning before, waving goodbye to our mother as she drives away with her car getting smaller and smaller in the distance.
“I’m going to miss her,” Millie says.
I look down at her and I can tell she’s moments away from tears. I put my arm around her shoulder and pull her close. “I know. She’ll visit again soon, but until then, you’re stuck with me,” I tease.
“You’re such a loser,” she laughs, as we turn around and head back to the safety of the Academy.
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It’s been a few days since my mom’s visit and to say they have been a hard few days would be an understatement. Not making a scene during Combat Training has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Seeing Tessa every day, knowing that she was having an affair with my father before he died and lying to my mother for all those years while pretending to be her friend was a hard pill to swallow. I still haven’t been able to tell Jacinta about it and I have no idea what’s holding me back.
Then there’s the whole Vampire attack thing that’s driving me nuts. The thought of those children, going through the same pain that I went through absolutely kills me. Not to mention, on top of all that, Daniel is still avoiding me like the plague and for Daniel to commit to something for this many days in a row, is a big deal. I must have broken his heart in a big way.
It’s Wednesday afternoon and I walk through the massive doors to find the Olympic sized swimming pool to start our aquatic training. The smell of the chlorine hits me first and I’m reminded of all the times mom and dad used to take me swimming at the aquatic center when I was little.
Rylan stands at the end of the pool next to Tessa while the rest of the class gather around the seats at the side and start stripping off their clothes. I join Trey and realize Daniel isn’t here yet as I unconsciously scowl at Tessa from across the room. “Hey,” I smile as I drop my bag and shuffle out of my clothes, leaving me in a black bikini.
Soul and Disaster: Slayer Academy (Book 1) Page 17
