Uncle Dean slowed, then stopped. I glanced up to find him parked along the side of the road. As we climbed out of the truck and walked toward the cemetery, I immediately noticed Trent and his brother standing off to the side, almost in the tree line. They were both dressed from head to toe in black suits, and they wore sunglasses.
My gaze lingered on Trent, and he met my stare. Even from across the lot, I could see his clenched jaw and tensed muscles. There was a tug in my chest, a longing I couldn’t fight. I wanted nothing more than to go to him, but I forced myself to look away.
I glanced around at the mourners while the pastor began the service by reciting a prayer. The group was much smaller than it had been at the funeral home, and I recognized most of the faces. Except one. He stood several feet behind Rachel’s parents, arms crossed. I was positive he didn’t go to school with us, but he appeared to be my age.
I continued to watch him, because it was easier than listening to the pastor commit Rachel’s body to the ground or thinking about what was going on with Trent. The mystery man’s gaze settled on me, and my chest constricted with a combination of curiosity and fear.
Slowly, he smiled, and a ball of dreaded landed in my gut. He reminded me too much of Marc. I took a deep breath, but the fresh air only made me queasy. His lips moved, almost imperceptibly, and I had no idea what he was saying. I narrowed my eyes and tried to read his lips, but it was useless.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Trent moving toward me. I froze for a second and then leaned into Uncle Dean. As I’d hoped, he put his arm around me. He’d protect me. From what, I had no idea. It’s not like I believed Trent would harm me.
Instead of continuing toward me, Trent veered to the right and headed straight for Abby, who was in line to place a lilac—Rachel’s favorite flower—onto her casket.
I straightened, my stomach in knots, as Trent glanced back at me. His face was contorted into a gruesome mask of evil, and his normally blue eyes were puddles of black ink—lifeless and deranged. I cupped my hand over my mouth to stop from crying out. What was wrong with him?
He smiled at me like I was the only person here, and then he bared fangs a second before he grabbed Abby and tore into her neck.
“No,” I screamed, eyes wide with terror.
Uncle Dean tightened his hold on me, and I struggled to free myself.
“No! Stop!” I screamed again.
Trent dropped Abby’s lifeless body to the ground, and then stalked toward me, his mouth dripping with her blood.
“Abby. No,” I gasped. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be real. I was having a nightmare or hallucinating. Abby wasn’t dead. She wasn’t.
“You’re next, Chloe.” Trent grinned, showing off his blood-covered fangs.
Limbs trembling and knees weak, I backed up. “No, no, no.” I sobbed.
Trent advanced on me, each of his steps matching two of mine. There was no way I could outrun him. I whipped my head around, looking for someone, anyone, to help me. But everyone was too immersed in the funeral. Didn’t they see what a monster Trent was? Didn’t they care he’d killed Abby? Why was no one paying attention?
Trent reached for me.
I shrieked. “No. Don’t. Don’t touch me!” I dropped to the ground and clutched fistfuls of my hair, rocking on my knees. Tears streamed down my face. “Please. Go away. Leave me alone.” My words were strangled by my sobs, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t draw a deep enough breath.
“Chloe!” Uncle Dean shook me.
I blinked.
Uncle Dean was crouched beside me, worry etched across his face.
“What…?” I glanced up to find everyone staring at me.
Ellie. Gina. Tonya, Nick, Luke… They all had horrified expressions, but none of them said anything to me. Aunt Beth stood behind Uncle Dean, Abby tucked against her side.
“Abby?” I whimpered. She was alive? But…
“Chloe?” Trent appeared from the crowd, Jax by his side.
My eyes widened, and I scrambled to get away from him. “No.” I shook my head. “Get away from me.” My breath caught on a scream, or maybe it was a sob, I wasn’t sure.
“Hey, it’s me.” He held up his hands in a show of surrender and took a tentative step closer.
I stared up at him. He was the same handsome Trent I’d always known. No grotesque face. No fangs. No blood.
“Trent?” My voice trembled.
He knelt beside me. He shared a look with Uncle Dean, and then they both turned to me. My tears hadn’t stopped, but my breathing was beginning to go back to normal. I wiped at my cheeks. What was wrong with me?
“What happened?” Uncle Dean asked softly. “Are you all right?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Okay, c’mon.” Uncle Dean helped me to my feet. “Let’s get you home.”
I wavered, dizzy and queasy. And my head throbbed. People moved back, giving me room, probably concerned I’d have another freak-out. I wished I could assure them I wouldn’t.
As I walked away, I scanned the crowd for the mystery guy I’d seen, but he’d disappeared.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Unwanted Visitor
“REALLY, AUNT BETH, I’M FINE,” I said for what seemed like the millionth time. No matter how many times I said it, she insisted I wasn’t.
On the way home from the cemetery, she’d demanded Uncle Dean take me straight to the hospital. I’d adamantly refused, though, and she agreed to let me go home if I promised to see a doctor tomorrow.
“You really don’t remember anything that happened?” She handed me a glass of water.
I took a drink. “No,” I lied.
No way was I telling her what had happened. She’d have me committed. Although, that might not be a bad thing. Maybe I’d had a psychotic break.
“You shouldn’t have gone to the funeral today,” Uncle Dean said. “You weren’t ready.”
“I promised Abby,” I whispered, staring down at my glass.
But he was right. In addition to whatever else had happened to me, I’d been on edge about this funeral—the pain of losing Mom was still too raw. The blanket Aunt Beth had wrapped around my shoulders slipped, and I pulled it tighter as I settled into the couch.
She patted my knee, then stood from where she’d been sitting on the coffee table. “Why don’t you go upstairs and lie down?”
I didn’t want to be alone in my room. Or rather, I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts. None of them made any sense. Everything I’d seen had been so vivid. And the terror I’d felt was all-consuming. Just thinking about it now had my palms sweating and my heart racing.
Why, of all things, would I hallucinate Trent as a monster? But he wasn’t any monster. He was a vampire. I almost laughed at the stupidity of that. Between the recent murders, lack of sleep, and stress, I was simply having nightmares in the middle of the day. Totally normal.
Then again…
How did I explain his father? Or Trent’s odd behavior? Like his ability to move so quickly and gracefully. The complete lack of family photos in his house—the only plausible explanation for that was that he was hiding something—like the fact that his family didn’t age. His sensitivity to sunlight and the way his skin seemed to burn after only a few moments outside. His need to constantly wear sunglasses. Could he really be a vampire?
No. I was grasping at fantastical ideas.
“I think I will go lay down for a bit.” I stood. But before I could make it out of the living room, a knock sounded on the door.
“Can I help you?” Uncle Dean answered.
I set my glass on the end table and stretched.
“Hello, Mr. Benson. I’m Trent Halstead. I’m a friend of Chloe’s.”
My heart stopped. What was Trent doing here?
“May I see her?” Trent asked.
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” Uncle Dean said. “Chloe’s not feeling very well.”
I closed my eyes and inhale
d deeply. As grateful as I was for Uncle Dean’s concern, I couldn’t avoid Trent forever. And if I showed him I was okay, maybe he’d leave.
“It’s okay, Uncle Dean,” I said as I walked to the front door. “What’re you doing here, Trent?”
The relief that washed over his face when he saw me was strangely comforting. “I was worried about you,” he said. Then he turned his attention back to Uncle Dean. “Would it be all right if I spoke to Chloe for a few moments?”
Uncle Dean glanced at me, brow raised. “Stay on the porch,” he said sternly.
“We will.” I stepped outside and closed the door behind me. Then I headed for the wooden swing on the far end of the porch. “I’m surprised to see you.” I sat.
Trent shoved his hands into his pockets. “Like I said, I was worried about you. Are you okay?”
I shrugged.
“May I?” He nodded at the empty spot next to me.
I shook my head.
His face fell, but he kept his distance. “What happened today, Chloe? You were terrified. Of me. And don’t tell me you weren’t. I saw the fear in your eyes.”
I sucked in a sharp breath and cringed. Could I tell him the truth? If I did, would he do the same? Would he finally come clean about his secrets?
“Remember that day you found me in the hallway?” I asked, my voice shaky.
“Yes.”
“Something similar happened, only it was a million times worse.” I kept my head down, refusing to look at him. “I saw you…” My stomach twisted, and I couldn’t force the words past my lips.
“You saw me what?” He waited for me to answer, and when I didn’t, he rushed to my side, took my hand into his, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “You can tell me, Chloe.”
“I saw you… change. You became a…” I closed my eyes, trying to mentally prepare myself for his reaction. “You turned into a vampire and killed Abby. Then you started to come after me.” I opened my eyes and cringed.
Trent froze, his hold on my hand stiff and unmoving. He stared straight ahead. “That’s not possible. Marc’s dead.”
That was his response? Confusion swirled in my mind. I’d called him a vampire, and he was worried about Marc?
I wiggled my hand from his and rubbed my palm on my leg. Then I stood, needing to put space between us. What was he hiding?
“Someone else was there. Right before I saw you…” I swallowed hard, not wanting to repeat the awful accusation. “He looked right at me. His lips were moving, but I don’t know what he said.” I rubbed my hands over my face and let out a strained laugh.
When I dropped my hands, Trent was no longer on the swing. He was standing on the other end of the porch, leaning over the railing. I hadn’t heard the swing move or his footsteps. My arms went limp, and my mouth hung open. Oh, my God.
“It’s true, isn’t it?” I cautiously approached him. “What I saw? It’s real?” My voice rose with impending hysteria. “Not you killing Abby, but the rest of it?”
He glanced at the front door, then the window. “Please keep your voice down.”
My brows shot up with disbelief. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“I can’t risk your aunt and uncle overhearing us.” Sighing, he faced me. “I’m sorry, Chloe. You weren’t supposed to find out like this.”
I half gasped, half whimpered, and slapped my hand over my mouth. “It’s not possible,” I mumbled, shaking my head. I took a step back, and he took a step forward. Vampires didn’t exist.
“Chloe…”
“No.” I held up my hand to stop him.
Then I raced down the steps. I had no idea where I was going, but I couldn’t look at him a moment longer. My feet had barely hit the driveway when he grabbed me from behind. Next thing I knew, I was back on the porch. My head spun.
“Your uncle said not to leave the porch.” His hands were on my arms, holding me in place like he was worried I’d run again. “And please, do not run.” An iciness in his tone warned me that I needed to listen to him.
“Let go of me.” My voice was surprisingly calm considering I was standing face-to-face with a vampire. It’s possible I was going into shock.
He immediately dropped his hands and took a small step back. “Please let me explain.”
Explain? What could he possibly say? He was an undead monster who drank blood and killed people. End of explanation.
“No.” I backed up until I was near the front door, and I reached for the doorknob. “Just… stay away from me.” I twisted the door handle.
“Chloe.” The pleading in his tone almost made me stop. Almost.
“Go away, Trent. Leave me alone.” I rushed inside, then slammed the door in his face.
My ears rang so loudly I couldn’t even hear myself think. Bile rose in my throat, and I forced back a gag, but I couldn’t stop it. Slapping my hand over my mouth, I ran upstairs, shoving by Uncle Dean on my way.
“Chloe? Hey, what’s wrong?”
All I could do was shake my head as I dashed toward the bathroom. I barely made it to my knees before I was dry heaving into the toilet. Tears streamed down my face. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I stood on shaky legs. After flushing, and washing my hands, I turned to leave.
Aunt Beth stood in the doorway, frowning, arms crossed. “I really wish you’d go to the hospital, Chloe. This isn’t normal.” She pushed off the door frame and approached. Pressing her palm to my forehead, her frown deepened.
“I’m fine. I haven’t been sleeping well and today was… overwhelming.” In more ways than she’d ever know. “I just want to sleep.”
Reluctantly, she nodded. “Fine, but I meant what I said earlier. You’re going to see our doctor tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I wiped my eyes, too exhausted to argue. On the bright side, going to the doctor tomorrow meant no school, which also meant I wouldn’t have to see Trent.
Aunt Beth kissed the top of my head and hugged me gently. “Go get some rest. I’ll come check on you a bit later.”
Thankful for the reprieve, I went to my room. My nose was stuffed up, my eyes burned, and my head ached from everything that had happened. I crawled into bed and pulled the covers over my face.
Vampires were real.
And Trent was a vampire.
I shuddered. What did all this mean? Would he kill me because I knew the truth? Would he try to change me into what he was? I didn’t want either of those things. If I avoided him, none of it would be possible.
Of course, he wasn’t human, which meant he could get to me whenever he wanted. Would he come back for me tonight? My heart raced. Even if he did, the doors were locked. Like that can keep him out. My eyes widened, and my body tensed. Then I flung the covers off and checked to make sure my window was closed and locked.
I was being ridiculous.
Trent wouldn’t hurt me. Would he? If he’d wanted to, he could have already. He’d had plenty of opportunities. But it couldn’t be a coincidence that he showed up in town and people started dying. No matter how he behaved around me, he was a killer. And that was unforgivable.
Like I had any room to talk. I’d killed my own mother. Fresh tears burned my throat. Crossing my arms over my chest, I paced. Each step was sluggish and heavy with exhaustion, but I was too anxious to sleep.
A sharp pain sliced across my mid-section, stopping me in my tracks. “Ow,” I whined, clutching my stomach. Intense cramps doubled me over. Even the smallest movement hurt.
“Chloe?” Aunt Beth knocked on the door, then peeked inside. “How are you?”
I stared at her for a moment, my mind slow to catch up with her question. “Uh, okay. My head hurts.”
“Would you like me to get you some aspirin?”
“I already took some,” I lied. I hated taking pills.
“We ordered takeout from the diner. Dean went to pick it up. You should eat something hot. That will help with your headache, too,” Aunt Beth said.
I nodded. But I had absolutely no a
ppetite. “How’s Abby?”
“Sleeping.”
How I envied her right now. If only I could fall asleep and ignore everything around me, every thought and emotion. Every fear.
“I’ll be down in a few minutes,” I said, hopeful I could function better by then.
Aunt Beth gave me a sympathetic smile and then left my room. I blew out a breath and smoothed my hands over my hair. If I kept busy, I wouldn’t have to deal with any of this. It had worked right after Mom died, and I was counting on it to work now, too.
But I couldn’t ignore Trent forever. I would have to face him. I would have to let him explain, and then I would tell him that I didn’t want any part of his lifestyle. And if he had any feelings for me, he’d respect my wishes and leave me alone. The sooner I did that, the better I’d feel. I’d do it tomorrow and get it over with. Then I could go on with my life and forget all about Trent Halstead.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
Sick
MY MASTER PLAN TO SKIP SCHOOL was quickly thwarted when Aunt Beth took me to the doctor, and he said I was one of the healthiest teenagers he’d ever seen. As soon as we’d left his office, she dropped me off at school.
I stopped at my locker as the bell rang, and the halls filled with students. It was the start of fourth period, which was lunch. I’d get to see Ellie and the rest of my friends. I shoved my backpack into my locker, closed the door, and rushed toward the cafeteria, praying I wouldn’t run into Trent on the way.
Ellie, Tonya, and Luke were already seated at our usual table, and I joined them.
“Hey,” I said with a smile that I didn’t have to force.
As soon as Ellie saw me, she jumped up and gave me a hug. “Chloe! How are you? I was so worried. I wanted to call, but I didn’t know if you had a landline, and I didn’t want to bother Abby by calling her phone. And when you weren’t here this morning, I started to worry even more. I considered ditching school and driving to your house to check on you. Are you okay? What happened to you at the funeral?”
“Geez, Ellie, give the girl a chance to answer you.” Tonya gave a small shake of her head.
Eternal Curse: (The Cursed Series, Book 1) Page 12
