Dark Days (The Childe Series, #2)

by Kunz, C. A.

  “Different? Different how?” Michael looked bewildered, his eyes moving from Ròs’ to Trevor’s.

  “We’re what you’d call the living dead, or…vampires.”

  Michael’s eyes squinted as he looked at Ròs questioningly. “What kind of joke are you playing here?” Michael asked.

  “It’s no joke. We’re vampires,” Trevor interjected calmly.

  “Please, leave my house! There’s no way I’m handing Cat over to two nutjobs like you,” he stated, rising to his feet. Ròs and Trevor both stood abruptly.

  “Nutjobs?” Ròs asked in frustration.

  “Now Ròs, calm down, we need not make a scene,” Trevor said in a soothing manner.

  Ignoring him, “You want proof, here’s your proof, Father.” Ròs said as her fangs descended from her mouth. Michael’s eyelids fluttered, as his shaky legs gave way. He collapsed at their feet.

  “I told you to be gentler, Ròs. Now look what you’ve done, the poor man has fainted. Go get a cold facecloth while I put him on the settee,” Trevor instructed. He picked Michael up effortlessly as if he were a child, and then placed him gently on the couch in the corner. Ròs put the wet washcloth on his forehead, and they both waited for him to come to.

  Several minutes later Michael slowly opened his eyes, confused as to why he was lying on the couch. Seeing two sets of sky blue eyes hovering over him, he sprang up into a sitting position, pulled his knees up to his chest, and made a cross with his index fingers.

  “Welcome back, you gave us quite a scare,” Trevor said with a grin.

  “You fell flat like a lead balloon,” Ròs quipped, smiling minus the fangs.

  “Ròs, stop it,” Trevor reprimanded.

  “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I just blurted it out without thinking how you’d respond. I know it’s not every day you find out you’re related to vampires.”

  “Ròs, that’s enough,” Trevor said, noticing Michael’s eyes beginning to cloud over again, his finger cross wobbling.

  “Well, what should I say then?” Ròs replied as she plopped down into the nearest chair and crossed her arms stubbornly. Trevor turned back to Michael, ignoring his wife’s little tantrum, and concentrated on the poor man before him.

  “Michael, we’re not here to harm you. Our main concern now is for Catherine’s safety. As far as we know, only a few people know what she truly is, and believe me, the fewer the better. I promise you, we mean you no harm,” Trevor explained.

  Michael looked into Trevor’s eyes and had a feeling in his gut that Trevor was telling the truth. He lowered his man-made finger crucifix. “Are you telling me that Cat…is like you?” Trevor nodded his head.

  “Well, she’s kind of like us,” Ròs commented.

  “Sorry, but this is just a little hard for me to digest at the moment,” Michael muttered, as Trevor moved back to sit in the chair beside Ròs. “It sort of oddly makes sense, though. Erika was vague that night, and I knew she wasn’t telling me everything. But vampires? You’re truly vampires?” He watched as Trevor and Ròs nodded their heads in unison.

  “I’ll go put on the kettle for tea and we can talk some more,” Ròs announced, standing up and making her way to the kitchen. “I’m sure you have loads of questions.”

  “How do you know I have tea?” Michael called after her.

  “I noticed some in the cupboard when I was searching for a facecloth,” she replied, smiling broadly.

  Michael woke up the following morning and stared at the ceiling, reliving the evening before. Did that really happen…vampires? They really do exist? He thought, rolling over and sitting on the edge of his bed. The Cowan’s had decided to stay at a local hotel. Michael knew he should’ve offered for them to stay with him, but he still felt nervous about the whole vampire thing. They were coming back that evening so he could escort them to the Colvins’. He knew this meeting would not be a pleasurable experience, and it filled him with dread. The only thing that made him feel comfortable was the fact that his sister obviously loved and trusted these people, and that’s all he needed to know.

  As night fell, the Cowan’s stood on Michael’s doorstep. When Michael opened the door, both of them let out a sigh of relief as he met them with a huge smile.

  “Come on in, let me get my coat. We’ll take my car. I just have to get my keys and find my other shoe,” he rambled, hobbling down the hallway with one shoe on. “Found it,” Michael announced while trying to slip on his other shoe as he emerged from his bedroom.

  An awkward silence fell over Michael, Ròs, and Trevor as they drove to the Colvins’. Michael made several attempts to start a simple conversation, but to no avail. Ròs seemed to be in deep thought as she stared at a locket that she held in her hand, and Trevor was in the backseat looking pensively out the window. Michael began to wring his hands on the steering wheel as he thought to himself. I wonder how tonight will go. Are we making a mistake by springing this on Cat? Looking upward slightly, Michael thought, I know we’ve spoken together professionally on many occasions, but this time I have a personal request. Something I’ve never asked of you before. I’m asking you for some kind of guidance as to how I should handle this situation. My only hopes are that by doing this, no harm will come to Cat and that we do not ruin the Colvin family.

  The doorbell rang at the Colvin residence, and Taylor, who was on his way up to his room, turned around to answer it. He was surprised to see Michael standing on the porch. “Hey Mike, what’s up?” he asked. Taylor started feeling a little guilty, realizing that no one had yet told Michael that Cat knew she was adopted. He wasn’t going to tell him, that’s for sure. “Mom, Dad, Uncle Mike’s here!” he called out.

  “Well don’t make him stand there, let him in,” Rachel replied while coming down the stairs.

  “Yes, Taylor let him in,” Sam repeated from his study.

  Taylor opened the door wide and Michael stepped over the threshold. “What a pleasant surprise!” Rachel gushed, embracing Michael in a hug. As Taylor began to shut the door, he noticed two people standing on the porch in the shadows. They’re not human, he thought.

  “Hey Mike, are these two with you?” Taylor asked, looking out the door.

  “Oh, yes, where are my manners,” Michael apologized, turning to introduce his two guests. “I’d like you all to meet the Cowans, Ròs and Trevor. And if you would be so kind as to invite them in, we’d like to speak with you.” He hoped he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt.

  “Of course, welcome to our home, come in, come in,” Sam gestured, wondering why Michael seemed so uneasy. Sam looked over at Rachel and saw that she too had noticed.

  “Taylor, weren’t you on your way up to your room?” Rachel asked.

  “I guess that’s a hint for me to leave. Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Cowan. Later, Mike,” he said, and then sprinted up the stairs two at a time.

  “Should we move this to the study?” Sam asked, gesturing toward the open door.

  “Excellent idea,” Michael stated and took the lead into the room. Rachel grasped Sam’s hand firmly. They both exchanged looks and were curious as to what was about to take place. As they entered the study, Michael, Ròs, and Trevor sat on the leather couch facing Sam’s desk. Sam grabbed his desk chair and rolled it around to the front of the desk, as Rachel sat on the edge of the matching leather recliner to his left. He saw she was biting her lip as she waited for someone to speak.

  “I guess I’ll break the ice. Rachel, Sam, it is our pleasure to finally meet you both. I know I speak for Trevor and myself when I say, we can never repay the selfless act you both have done for our family.” Ròs’ thick Irish brogue shook a little as she glanced at her husband for support. Ròs noticed the confused expressions that Rachel and Sam were sending her way. “I’m doing this a bit badly, aren’t I?” she asked, looking back at Trevor.

  “What my wonderful wife is trying to say is that as Catherine’s aunt and uncle, we want to thank you for taking such great care of her,” Trevor sai
d kindly.

  “What? You’re who? Is this some kind of joke, Michael?” Rachel asked in disbelief.

  “No, Rachel, it’s not a joke. This is William’s sister and brother-in-law,” Michael answered.

  Cat sat on her bed staring out the window. She hadn’t gone down to dinner and now she was starving. Cat hoped she wouldn’t encounter anyone as she quietly made her way down the stairs to the kitchen, making sure to miss the creaky ones. With a plate full of food and a glass of water, she started walking back to the staircase, when she heard voices coming from the closed study door. She moved closer, and was surprised to hear her Uncle Michael telling everyone to calm down. Cat placed her glass and plate on the hallway side table and bent to listen with her ear to the door.

  “What are you two doing here?” she heard Sam ask forcefully. The anger in her dad’s voice startled Cat. Her father was usually a very calm man, and raising his voice was unlike him.

  “We’ve come to take Catherine with us. It’s not safe for her here anymore. I know we should’ve given you some warning, but we knew that we needed to see you in person to talk about this.” Cat heard a woman say with an Irish accent. Not safe? Who the hell is this lady? And why is she here to take me away?

  “She doesn’t know about her past yet, only that she’s adopted. She only found that out a week ago, and hasn’t been dealing with it very well, I can assure you. So for you to add this to the mix, I just don’t know what she’ll do,” Rachel’s voice begged.

  “She found out a week ago that she was adopted? Why wasn’t I told this?” Cat heard Michael ask.

  What is he doing here? Cat thought.

  “Erika gave Cat to us to care for. We love her as much as if she was our own. You just can’t take her from us!” Cat could hear her mom’s heart-wrenching sobs clearly through the door.

  “Rachel, I’m sorry to upset you. Michael has told us what a wonderful job you’ve done with Catherine. We know she’s truly been loved, but Trevor and I feel she needs to be with us. Her own kind. We can teach her what she needs to survive,” Cat heard the unfamiliar Irish woman reply.

  “You have no idea what she needs!” Sam’s angered voice made Cat jump back this time. “She’s the only one of her kind alive and nobody knows what she’s capable of!”

  Before she could even think it through, Cat stepped forward and flung the study doors open. She witnessed the shock on the faces of the five people within as they all looked her way. “It sounds like there are more secrets I should know. So, I think I should hear them now,” Cat said quietly, even though she was screaming on the inside. Michael moved first, put his arm around Cat, and brought her to stand in front of the others.

  “Cat’s right. She deserves to know. So, everyone just calm down and we’ll tell her. Now Cat, you ask the questions and we’ll answer them, truthfully,” Michael stated. Cat looked at the couple seated on the couch and noticed they had bright red hair like hers.

  “Who are you?” she asked them.

  “We’re your Aunt Ròs and Uncle Trevor,” Trevor answered, squeezing Ròs’ hand as a solitary tear trickled down her cheek from seeing her niece for the first time. “Ròs is your real father’s sister,” he further explained.

  “My real father? Do you know where he is?” Cat asked, her voice trembling.

  “He’s passed, my dear,” Ròs choked out.

  “What? How? What about my real mother?”

  “Her too, I’m afraid,” Trevor replied with a sad look on his face.

  “What were their names?” Cat asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

  “William and Erika,” Ròs replied.

  “Oh,” she murmured, her demeanor reflecting the melancholy in her voice. Looking up at Michael, “So, who are you really then?”

  “I’m Erika’s brother. I’m your real uncle. I was the one instructed to give you to the Colvins to raise as their own.” Michael said, squeezing her shoulder. Turning to Ròs, “Now, Ròs I think it’d be best if you told her the rest.”

  Rachel stood to intervene, but Sam took her hand and pulled her down onto his lap, holding her tightly.

  “Our family comes from Ireland, where your mother and father met. They married in secret because most of our kin were against their union. In protest, William and Erika fled in search of a safe haven to give birth to you,” Ròs explained.

  “Why were they against it?” Cat asked. Ròs looked over to Trevor for help.

  “Well, that’s where things get a little complicated Catherine,” Trevor interjected. “In the eyes of our kin, your parents’ relationship was forbidden.”

  “Forbidden? Why?”

  “You see, we’re different.”

  “Okay, so you’re different. What does that mean?” Cat asked, frustration present in her voice.

  “We’re vampires,” Ròs explained.

  “Vampires?” Cat began. “Vampires?” she asked again in disbelief. “Alright, that’s it. I’ve heard enough of this crap. This is ridiculous. I’m not going to stand here and listen to this after the week I’ve just had!”

  “But it’s true, every word. Honest, Catherine, we’re vampires…and so are you,” Trevor implored.

  “What? Shut up! Rachel, Sam, are you just going to sit there and let them do this to me? Why aren’t any of you saying anything? Uncle Michael, how can you, a priest, just stand there and not say they’re lying?! You honestly don’t believe what these people are saying, right?” Cat’s voice grew shaky as she looked Michael dead in the eyes and realized he wasn’t going to tell her it was a lie.

  “I wish I could, Cat, but it’s the truth,” Michael replied softly.

  Cat laughed fretfully. “I can’t believe it. You’re just as crazy as the rest of them.”

  “Catherine,” Ròs said as she stood and made her way toward her, “trust us when we say, that you’re a Childe, half-vampire and half-human.” Cat’s eyes widened as she listened to her aunt’s words.

  “I’m . . . a . . . Childe? A Childe?”

  “Yes, Cat, you are,” Sam stated with a sigh.

  “And on your sixteenth birthday, your vampire side began to take over. That’s why we put you on those pills, honey. Those pills help keep your other half at bay,” Rachel explained.

  “So wait, Dr. Bane is in on this, too?” Cat asked in a huff.

  “Yes, we’ve all known for quite some time now. Dr. Bane, Aldon, and even Taylor,” Rachel continued.

  “Do you hear yourselves? You’re all flipping insane! What the hell’s wrong with you people? I just can’t deal with this right now. If you need me, I’ll be in my room,” Cat said and then began to turn toward the study door.

  “Catherine Ròsaline Aldridge! You cannot walk away from this,” Ròs growled while baring her fangs. Her eyes turned black as pitch.

  As Cat began to turn back around, she asked, “What did you call me?” The moment she finished asking her question, Cat let out a slight scream as the sight before her startled her. Standing in front of her was the physical embodiment of something she thought was only a myth. Vampires do exist? Cat thought while staring at Ròs’s and Trevor’s pearly white fangs and jet black eyes. Her knees grew a little wobbly as a wave of dizziness overcame her. “Why did you call me that?”

  “Catherine Ròsaline Aldridge is your full birth name. Given to you by your real parents,” Ròs explained.

  Shaking out of her dizzied state, Cat asked, “So…what you’re telling me is…that I’m like you…fangs and all?”

  “Well, in a manner of speaking, yes. But you’re special, Catherine,” Trevor replied.

  “Why wasn’t I told this earlier when all of that weird stuff was happening to me? Instead, you let me believe I was sick or something.”

  “Cat,” Michael said, trying to put his arm around her again.

  “Don’t!” Cat said angrily, pushing away his arm. “Let me get this straight, you just told me that I’m adopted, and now I’m some freak of nature. Awesome,” she remarked sarcastically wi
th a hollow laugh. As angry tears slid down her cheeks, “So, what next? Are you going to tell me people want to kill me?” Cat saw the shock registering on the faces before her. “People are out to kill me? You’ve got to be kidding. Right?” No one answered.

  “Now, Catherine, calm down. That’s why we’re here. We’d like for you to come with us. We can protect you,” Ròs explained calmly with pleading eyes.

  “We can take care of her too,” Sam stated directly.

  “But you don’t know-”

  “Well, you don’t know either,” Rachel said, interrupting Ròs.

  “Stop! You’re sitting there arguing and acting like I’m not even here. This is my life we’re talking about,” Cat yelled. Holding her forehead, trying to ease the oncoming headache, “I need to think. I’m going up to my room, and I want to be left alone.” Throwing her hands down to her side and scowling at everyone, “Do you understand? Alone! I’ll let you know when I,” she said pointing to her chest, “am ready to talk. This will be my decision and no one else’s.” As she turned and made her way to the door, “I mean it, no one follow me!” she shouted, slamming the door behind her. Hurrying up the stairs, Cat met Taylor coming out of his room.

  “What’s up, Red Freak?”

  “Don’t start with me,” she growled, glaring at him, as she continued toward her bedroom.

  “What the hell was that all about?” he muttered to himself. As Taylor walked into the study he felt the tension was so thick he could cut it with a knife. “Okay, what’s up with Cat, and who pissed her off?” he asked jokingly. After a few minutes of the adults explaining what happened, Taylor rolled his eyes at the mess they had made with Cat, each one putting the blame on the other for her meltdown. As far as he was concerned, they were all responsible.

  Hearing the sound of an engine starting and then tires squealing, Rachel ran to the front door, and threw it open. “It’s Cat! She’s running away!” she cried down the hallway.