“I’m sorry,” Nick whispered.
“Now, tell me what the deal is.”
Nick held up the clip, waving it at Sophie. “Last one,” he said.
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.” Sophie checked her gun. It was half empty, as well. She suspected most were that way, if not completely empty. They had spent a lot of bullets trying to reach Elaina.
“I will get this sorted out. Just clear the house, and be fully aware of what we have left.”
Nick loaded the full clip into his gun, and swapped out the empty clip for the half clip in the other gun. He let out a great sigh. “Ready?”
“I guess.” Thomas was leery of Nick, with due cause.
“Right. Follow my lead. I know my way around this place.”
Chapter 19
B
oth Nick and Thomas jogged up the front stairs to the porch. Nick looked through the side windows, trying to see if there were any undeads roaming inside. He put his hand on the door handle, and sucked in a deep breath.
Nick had a moment of clarity. His parents always kept a spare key under a rock in the front garden. He jogged back down the stairs, hoping that it was still there. After lifting about a half-dozen rocks and garden decorations, he found the key. Then he headed back up the stairs to unlock the door.
He found himself winded, and he wondered if breathing was even necessary for a freak crossbreed like himself. He unlocked the door and it creaked slightly. He looked back at Thomas and held his finger to his lips. Thomas nodded.
They crept into the foyer. The formal dining room was to the right, and the formal living room was to the left. Both rooms were empty of any sign of life, or unlife. It was as neat as a pin, just as his mother had always kept it. Never an item out of place. Never a speck of dust to be seen.
Directly across from the door was the staircase to the second level. Nick opted to go through the dining room into the kitchen. Still empty. He led Thomas through the family room, which was an addition his parents had put on when both he and Elaina were young.
Memories of his childhood came flooding back. His thoughts were filled with holidays, birthdays, and the joys of everyday life. The first time he met Henry was in that house. He chuckled a little.
-January 2013-
After two months of her “no-shows”, Nick and Elaina’s parents, Maria and Ken, had called Elaina, yet again, invited her to join them for their traditional Sunday dinner. Nick was standing outside on the front porch, listening to his voicemails, and watched a blacked out Tahoe pull into the driveway.
“Must be a turn around,” Nick grumbled. “Hate it when people… Whoa…” Elaina got out of the passenger side and some buffed out, GQ douchebag rolled out of the driver’s side. “Perfect.” Nick grinned. He realized that this guy must be the reason for Elaina’s absence at their family dinners.
He jogged down the porch stairs and met Elaina halfway to the house. “And who might you be?” Nick drawled.
“Cut the shit, Nick.” Elaina was already annoyed. Nick chuckled at her.
“You can’t just bring a guy up here without forewarning me first.” Elaina rolled her eyes at him. Nick and Henry were staring at each other. It was obvious neither one was going to back down.
“Like I need your permission to bring my boyfriend to Sunday dinner.”
“Captain GQ” looked rather uncomfortable. He had his hands tucked into his designer jeans pockets, looking between Elaina and Nick. Then he spoke. “Name is Henry. Henry Daniels.” He pulled his hand out of pocket and held it out to shake hands. Nick just looked at it. “Alright then.” Henry put his hand back in his pocket, and rocked back on his heels.
“Henry, this is my brother, Nick.”
“Nice to meet you.” Henry slapped on his best, albeit fake, grin.
“Mom’s going to have a field day with this one.” Nick turned around and walked up to the porch to head inside. He heard them chatting amongst themselves.
“Shit. Maybe I should have warned them. I don’t understand why my family must act like cannibals sometimes.”
“Do you want me to leave? I can swing by and pick you up later. Then we can go out for a few drinks to settle down.”
“Absolutely not. You are with me, and you are eating Sunday dinner with them peacefully, even if it kills me.”
“I don’t want to cause you any stress, love.” Nick shook his head when he heard Henry say that. He opened the front door and slammed it shut.
“Story of my life,” Elaina said under her breath.
When Elaina and Henry walked into the house, Ken met them at the door. Nick hung out in the dining room and listened to the conversation that occurred. “Elaina, nice of you to join us for a change.” Ken’s hair was gray, he was slightly overweight, and he and Elaina were the same height. “Who might this be?”
“Henry, sir. Henry Daniels. I presume you are Mr. Cooper?” Henry flashed that million dollar grin again.
“You presume correctly.” Henry held out his hand, and Ken took it without pause, unlike Nick. He looked Henry up and down. Nick chuckled. Elaina was getting madder by the second. “Your hand seems mighty cold, young man.”
“I apologize. I have some circulation issues.” Ken nodded.
“Now, are you two just friends?” Elaina wrapped her arm around Henry’s waist with confidence. “I see. Well, come on in. Be prepared for your mother. She is none too pleased that you haven’t been coming to Sunday dinner.” He raised an eyebrow at Elaina. She looked down, and he walked toward the kitchen, pulling Nick with him. She chewed on her bottom lip.
“Well, this is slightly awkward. I should have thought this through better,” she said. Nick stood just inside the kitchen door, listening in. They had no idea he was still lingering.
“Don’t worry about it. It’ll be fine. I’m in the house. That’s a step in the right direction.” He turned and cupped her face in his hands. “Just don’t tell them I have been staying the night at your place.” He smiled and gave her a quick kiss. Nick’s upper lip curled into a snarl. He didn’t want any pretty boy taking advantage of his baby sister.
“Yeah, really. They would probably disown me, even though my brother has lived with his fair share, but it’s a double-standard since I’m the helpless female.” Henry chuckled.
They walked into the kitchen, brushing past a seething Nick. She introduced Henry to Maria, who was in her usual Sunday gear: sweater and khakis. Her almost completely gray hair was pulled back into the usual tight ponytail. She was polite, and told him to go have a seat in the family room to watch television while dinner was prepared. Henry smiled and thanked her, walking out of the kitchen. Elaina was just standing there, looking like a lost puppy.
“And where did you meet him?” Maria’s question broke her out of a daze.
“Oh, yeah. Remember a few months ago when I had a flat, lost my phone, and I couldn’t get ahold of anyone? Well, he saved me, in a way. And we have been dating ever since.” Nick rolled his eyes as he leaned back on the dining room table with his arms crossed.
“Well, that’s nice, I suppose. I would think that you would tell me about a new boyfriend, instead of just not showing up to Sunday dinner.”
“I didn’t know how long it would last so I didn’t want to get your hopes up.” More like she didn’t want to deal with the criticisms.
“Is it going well?”
“Yes, I think so. He’s so sweet and nice to me. Respectful, and…well, he’s pretty hot.” More eye rolls from Nick.
“Good. I’m happy for you. He is easy on the eyes.” She smiled. Something was eating at her as she was chopping up some potatoes. “Does he know your job track record, and the fact that you can’t seem to hold one down?” And there it was.
She sighed, and Nick smirked. “Yes, Mother, and he doesn’t care.”
“Have you found another job yet?”
“No.” She hung her head, and Maria shook hers.
“We can’t pay your rent forever
, Elaina.”
“I know,” she mumbled. “I’m not proud of it.”
“Well, you had better figure out what you’re going to do. But for now, start chopping up those veggies for the salad.” Maria handed Elaina a knife and she got to the chopping.
“He’s offered to take care of my bills until I find a job.” Nick choked on his own saliva.
“Oh no, he will not!” Maria barked at Elaina. “Then there would be an obligation.” Oh, hell no, Nick thought. He’d kill that GQ bastard if he took advantage of his baby sister. She continued, “And, besides, why burden him with the stress of your bills on top of his own. Your father and I are happy to continue paying your rent until you find another job.” Maria had a slight change of heart because she wasn’t about to let Henry pay Elaina’s bills and make her feel like she was trapped.
“Mom,” she leaned in close. “He’s loaded. Like, has one of those ‘invite-only’ black credit cards loaded.” Maria’s eyebrows lifted. “He refuses to let me pay for anything, including my groceries.”
“What does he do?”
“Runs the blood bank downtown.”
Maria’s face screwed up into a confused stare. “How can he be loaded doing that?”
Elaina shrugged. “Inheritance, maybe? I don’t ask. Not really my business and it doesn’t matter, but I do enjoy him spoiling me.”
“Well, hopefully he doesn’t do anything illegal where running the blood bank is just a cover up.”
“Oh, for the love of all that’s holy,” she mumbled. “He’s a nice guy and makes me happy. I make him happy, as well. He treats me like a queen. Why can’t that be enough for now?”
Nick had heard enough and his blood was about to boil over. He made his way past his mother and sister, and stood in the doorway of the family room. Elaina immediately felt a rush of anxiety run up her spine. He was glaring at Henry’s back. Nick could practically hear Elaina’s stomach flip-flopping when Henry turned around. She wanted to die. Henry was trying to look relaxed even though she knew he was uncomfortable. Nick smirked at him.
“Can I speak to you in private?” Nick said in a rather abrupt tone.
“Shit,” Elaina whispered. You could never trust Nick to keep his hands to himself. Plus, Elaina knew Henry was well-versed in kickboxing. He had even hospitalized one person.
“Certainly.” As they walked past Elaina and Maria, Henry ran his hand across the small of Elaina’s back. She set the knife down. Her hands were shaking. The front door quietly opened, then slammed shut.
Nick and Henry walked out onto the front porch. Henry stood still, with his hands on his hips, watching Nick pace. He watched his every move and every muscle twitch. Finally, Nick stopped right in front of him, and they were nose to nose. Henry had no expression on his face, and zero emotion. He had slipped into program mode.
“She has had her heart broken too many times for me to tolerate it happening again. If you so much as make her shed one goddamn tear, I swear to you, I will fuck that pretty face of yours up.” Henry didn’t say anything. He just looked through Nick. “Did you hear me? Or is your hearing compromised?”
“Yup. No need to worry.” Nick grabbed his shirt. “Get your hands off of me,” Henry said in a rather calm manner.
“What are you going to do about it?” Henry smirked, and Nick shoved him into the side of the house. “Am I wrinkling your shirt, pretty boy?”
“I could care less about my shirt. The only thing I care about is Elaina. But I would suggest that you remove your fucking hands.”
Nick laughed. “And what are you going to do about it?”
“You have no idea who you’re fucking with.”
“Full of yourself?”
In a flash, Henry reached up and grabbed Nick by the throat, squeezing just enough to cause him distress, lifting him just enough so that Nick was on his tiptoes. Henry pulled him to his eye level, only leaving a couple inches between them. “Now, let go of me,” Henry growled through a clenched jaw. “Or shall we tango some? Because I’ve got plenty more of this in me all fucking day. How about you?” Nick let go, as did Henry.
“I swear, if you break her heart…” Nick rubbed his throat.
“You don’t have to worry about that. She means everything to me, and I live to make her happy. Understood?” Nick nodded, completely humiliated, and walked back inside, leaving Henry on the porch.
Nick stormed through the kitchen.
“What happened out there?” Elaina was worried about what may have transpired.
“We had a chat, man to man.”
“You leave him alone! He was the only one there for me when I had car trouble, and nobody else seemed to be able to get away from their very important bullshit while I rotted on the city street.”
“Watch your mouth, Elaina,” their mother warned.
“He was preying on a helpless woman!”
“Preying? He loaned me his phone, and we sat and had a cup of coffee until the tow truck arrived. If you call that preying, then he must be doing it wrong! And, just so you know, I’m the one who asked him out on our first date!” She slammed the knife down on the counter, and stormed out of the kitchen.
Nick and his mother heard the front door open in haste and slam shut.
“Nick…”
“Don’t start with me, Mom. I don’t want him using my sister, or making her feel like she’s obligated to sleep with him just so he’ll pay her bills! Classic user move, Mom. He’s probably just trying to get in her damn pants, the bastard,” he growled.
“Stop, just stop. She’s smarter than that.”
“Are you sure? She seems pretty smitten, and when women get that way, they’ll do stuff they normally wouldn’t.”
At that moment, Elaina stormed back into the kitchen, ripped open the refrigerator door, grabbed two beers, and stormed back out.
-November 2014-
Their home was always full of laughter, until Elaina became the difficult teenager that every parent dreaded. Nick smirked at the thought of Elaina and her famous attitude. Thomas nudged him. It brought him back to the present.
“Sorry. Just thinking too much, I guess.” Thomas nodded, but was worried that his nudge was going to drive Nick into having a mid-morning snack.
As they walked back out of the family room, Nick could see everyone else outside. He took great pause in knowing that it could very well be the end of everyone he knew and loved. The end of everything. He shuddered.
After all, it was the end of him. He began to wonder why they were bothering. What were they even looking for? Why didn’t they just end it? Nick jumped again when Thomas said his name.
“Should we check upstairs?” Strike two, Thomas thought. One more and he’d be lunch. He was sweating it out.
“Uh, yeah. Yeah, let’s go.” They walked out through the kitchen and dining room, and made their way upstairs, clearing every room.
***
The house was clear of any undeads. They went back outside to bring everyone in. Sophie was sitting next to a slightly perkier Henry, trying to make plans of some kind. Nick walked past both of them, and right to his mother. “How is she?” he asked Claire.
“It’s not looking good, but I’m trying to be hopeful.” She looked over at Elaina. He followed her gaze.
Elaina had her hands over her face, trying to shield her eyes from the world that was spiraling into a black hole of nothingness at a rapid rate.
“Okay. I’m going to get Mom into the house, then I’ll come back and get Elaina. Thank you, Claire.” He pushed a thick strand of wavy ginger hair off of her face.
With a hiss, Nick bent over and picked his frail mother off the ground. Thanks to Henry, his arm was still hurting. “Thomas, stay here. I’ll be right back.” He wanted a moment with his mother by himself. Thomas wasn’t going to disobey by any means, fearing a third strike would mean he would be Nick’s next meal.
Nick clambered off toward the house, and took his mother upstairs to her bedroom. After l
aying her down on the bed as gentle as he could, he covered her up with the throw blanket that was always neatly folded at the end of the bed. He kissed her forehead and kneeled down on the floor beside the bed. He held his mother’s icy hand with his own.
“Mom, we saved you from him. It’s okay now. You will be okay. He can no longer hurt you.” He swallowed hard. His throat started to swell while he was trying to hold back his emotions. “Elaina’s here, as well. We love you, and want you to get better. We’ll do everything we can to make that happen.” He paused while he choked back his tears. “But if you want to go be with Dad, then we’ll be okay with your choice. I will take care of Elaina. I promise you.” A sob slipped out of his throat. “I love you.” Nick rested his forehead on the edge of the bed and broke down.
After a good solid cry, lasting several minutes, he felt his mother gently squeeze his hand. He looked up, but she still looked like she was sleeping.
“Mom? Are you in there?” No response. He sighed and wiped his face dry. “I have to go for a minute. I need to get Elaina in the house. She isn’t feeling well. I wish you were awake. I need to talk to you about Claire. I need help...some advice.”
He didn’t want to let on about his or Henry’s condition, or really anything to do with the misfit group he was traveling with. He stood up and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “I’ll be back in a little bit. I’m sure Elaina will come see you. I love you, Mom.” She was still unresponsive. He started wondering if her squeezing his hand was just her body taking over.
***
Just as Nick made it back outside, Kellan woke up. He wasn’t moving too much, just grumbling.
“Is he turning?” I still wanted to shoot the fucker, but I was too dizzy to even open my eyes. It was probably not a good idea to try to shoot someone in that condition. With my luck, I’d end up shooting myself.
Broken Dreams Page 38
