It was only logical. After all, I was a monster. What woman in her right mind would want to introduce me to her parents?
“It’s alright. I understand,” I said to ease her discomfort. Looking into her eyes, I sighed. “This wasn’t supposed to happen … us.”
“Then why did it?” she asked so innocently, staring up at me with those big brown eyes again.
“I don’t know, but I wish to God I did.”
After we said our goodbyes, I watched her drive away until that ridiculous car of hers was finally out of sight. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I had seriously considered following her home and keeping tabs on her while she was gone. But I forced myself to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground. She was always going to be in a certain amount of danger because of what she was, and I had to accept that and move on.
Besides, it was unlikely the blood hunter would attack outside the area he’d been stalking her. He was comfortable here and most likely already had his place for his attack picked out. I shuddered at the thought. No, she was safe as long as he didn’t think his prize was threatened. I would do as much as I could to ensure her safety, but I knew at times like this I had to let go and have faith that she’d come back to me. Faith, an interesting concept, and one I was desperately struggling with as I watched her car drive out of sight.
Dear Lord, please bring her back to me in one piece.
A few minutes later, I walked back across campus to my car and drove up the winding road to an empty home. I rambled around aimlessly for hours, too restless to settle down to any one activity.
Where was she now?
Was she home yet?
She’d promised to call when she got there. Everywhere I turned the house was filled with a memories of her. Eating at the table, sleeping in my bed, on the floor in front of the fire.
Finally my phone rang. Answering it before the first ring had even ended; I felt a small bit of the tension in my body ease when I saw her name on the display. She quickly said she’d just pulled into the driveway and hadn’t even gotten out of the car yet. I couldn’t believe how relieved I felt just hearing the sound of her voice. Then she had to go, saying her mother was running out the front door to greet her. This was right; she needed to be with humans that loved her.
About eleven I walked on to the balcony, dropped down into a chair and stared out over the calm waters of the lake below. Putting my phone on the arm of the chair, I hoped it would ring, hoped she’d know enough to text me periodically just so I could keep my sanity. And yet I also wished she wouldn’t grow as attached to me as I already was to her. All things considered, it would be better for both of us if she forgot about me – for a while at least. No, I mustn’t call her, I need to let her detach if she could.
After another hour had slowly ticked by, I heard the sound of his car turn off the main road and onto the gravel. As it did, my heart sunk. A few minutes more and I heard the garage door open, then the kitchen door and finally the sounds of footsteps in the house behind me.
I’d been dreading this moment for weeks now, but was glad it had come while she was away. It gave me a little more time before he knew the whole truth. Reluctantly, I got up and walked into the kitchen to find him sorting through the pile of mail on the counter. We seemed so normal on the surface sometimes.
“You’re back.”
He turned to face me. His eyes looked tired.
“Yes. For how long, I’m not sure, but for a while at least I think. I take it Sara is well?”
“Yes, I saw her this morning and she was fine.”
“Good – I’m grateful to you Daniel, very grateful. You have no idea how much this meant to me. I know it must have been difficult for you. She’s – a very potent individual.”
I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I wanted to confront him with the truth I’d learned off Sara’s laptop, but wasn’t sure this was the right time. Of course, would there ever be a good time?
“So will you tell me where you were now?”
“I needed to watch over another asset of mine that was in danger. Thankfully, that danger seems to have passed for the moment.”
“Is that what Sara is, an asset?” I inquired coolly.
He paused, tilting his head to the side.
“In a manner of speaking, yes. – What’s wrong Daniel, I’m sensing a lot of hostility towards me right now.” I watched as he studied my face impassively, like the scientist he was.
“I thought I knew you better than this, Randall. But you don’t seem to trust me anymore and it’s making me question everything I thought I knew about you.”
His face softened at this.
“I wish it didn’t have to be this way, but it’s best for everyone involved. You need to have faith in me for a little while longer. Before you know it, Sara will have graduated and moved on and you’ll never have to see her again. I know it will be difficult for you in the coming years knowing she’s here on campus. I’d understand if you wanted to take a sabbatical until she’s graduated.”
I suddenly felt as if I’d been kicked hard in the gut.
“Now that I’m back, why don’t you take a few weeks off and get away for a while. You’ve more than earned a little vacation.”
He smiled and with his bag over his shoulder started towards his room at the back of the house and disappeared down the hallway.
Never see her again?
The words echoed around in my head like a death sentence. I knew I had to tell him something. I paced back and forth in front of the windows in the living room considering what my best course of action was. If I confessed everything that had happened while he was gone, I knew it would not end well. But I was equally aware that, come Monday morning, he was going to know the whole truth whether I wanted him to or not. I had to find a way to soften the blow as best I could before then. But how to say it? Is there a way to soften a mortal blow? Before I could think on it any more I heard his footsteps in the hall and looked up to see him reappear in the living room.
“So how did classes go? Do you have notes on what you covered? I’d like to get a head start and map out a plan of attack for next week.”
When I pointed towards the desk, he walked over, picked up my notes and casually sat down on the sofa to look them over.
“A quiz, huh? You must have been in a good mood,” he laughed to himself as he looked over the results.
“Yes,” I said, still pacing.
After a minute he glanced up. “You’re pacing Daniel. You’re anxious about something. What is it?”
He looked at me as if he had a thousand times before, like the concerned father he’d always been to me. I was about to disappoint him, anger him. But when I thought about it, I wouldn’t have changed a thing that had happened in the past few weeks even if I could.
“I know who she is,” I said as I stopped and looked him straight in the eyes.
His expression didn’t alter.
“Who?” he asked looking down at my notes as if I were talking about a complete stranger.
“Sara.”
“What is it you think you know?” he asked, still scanning my notes.
“I’ve been spending time with her.”
His movements stopped.
“She’s very interested in genealogy and has an extensive database on her computer.”
I didn’t need to say anymore. I could tell he knew exactly what I was talking about.
He looked up. “I wish you hadn’t found that out Daniel. – But now that you have, I suppose I don’t have to lie quite so much anymore which I’m grateful for. You understand that I’m in a difficult position here. I have a duty to watch over her, a responsibility I take very seriously.” He paused, looking deep into my eyes as if attempting to read my mind. “Exactly how much time have you spent with her?” I could see the mounting curiosity in his eyes.
“Enough to know that she’s not exactly … a normal human.”
He twitched slightly at this.
; “How so?”
“She seems to have overly developed reflexes and strength for a human – among other things.” He tried not to smile at my words but failed. “Unfortunately, she’s a little too confident in her abilities. I fear this may be her downfall in the end.”
“Yes, I’ve considered this,” was all he said in reply.
“She also –”
“What?”
“She also talks in her sleep.” At this he shot me a glare that I wasn’t sure how to interpret. “But it’s not her that talks.”
“What do you mean, not her?”
I had his attention now.
“It’s like another personality or her subconscious mind, but it isn’t the Sara I know. I’ve only heard it once, but I had a short conversation with it, long enough to know that she has a very complex mind.”
He got up and walked around the room rubbing his chin deep in thought.
“How long ago was this?”
“A couple of weeks.”
“Did you say anything to provoke this voice into speaking?”
“No, it spoke to me first. I hadn’t said a word. What did you do to her, Randall?” I asked, fishing for information. But even then, I couldn’t keep the accusatory tone out of my voice.
“Nothing. I didn’t do anything on purpose.”
“On purpose! What is that supposed to mean?” I felt my anger rising and wasn’t sure I wanted to stop it.
“She’s the first one that I’ve spent so much time with. I couldn’t help myself. So much time exposed to me like that. – It never occurred to me there could be side effects …”
I ran over and slammed him up against the wall. How dare he sound so cold and callous about her!
“What did you do to Sara? Tell me!” I demanded, barely controlling my rage.
His eyes wide, they were filled with shock, and seeing myself reflected in them, I almost didn’t recognize the man staring back at me. Realizing I’d shown a bit too much of my hand, I released him and watched as he slumped down to the ground. Straightening out his clothes, he looked up at me with a raised eyebrow.
“And I’ll ask again – How much time did you spend with her?”
He was starting to understand.
“Enough that I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
I turned away knowing my face was about to betray the depth of my emotion.
“I see,” he said coolly behind me. “Yes, I see exactly how it is. – As I said, I didn’t do anything to Sara on purpose, but there may have been a few unforeseen side effects to my constant visits to her. You have to understand, I’ve been studying her since she was a child. I know her better, more intimately than anyone else on this earth. I know her wants, her desires, her hopes and dreams. I’ve helped shape them in a way as well. I’ve guided her to be the person she is today.”
He paused for a second as he looked at me appraisingly, disapprovingly. “I’m not exactly sure what went on in my absence, but let me assure you it will stop now that I am back. Sara has a bright future ahead of her, Daniel, I’ve made sure of that. And I can guarantee you it does not include you. If you care about her at all, surely you can see this is for the best.”
Sitting back down on the sofa, he picked up my notes and continued reading over them as if nothing had happened. He’d laid down the law and expected I’d go along with it. After all, I always had in the past.
I left without a word, storming out the back door and off into the woods. Without thinking about it, I ran up the path to the old orchard and dropped down in the grass where we’d sat not so long ago. It was where she’d looked at me with eyes full of longing and I kissed those soft pink lips, only to feel her body responding to my slightest touch. All here in the tall whispering grasses on our hillside. Sitting there by myself, I watched the wind blow the grasses, watched them sway and was reminded of the way the wind moved through her hair.
He was right. I knew he was right, but I also knew I didn’t care anymore. It was far too late for logic to have any sway over me. He was too late. But, in the end, I think the hardest part was knowing deep down, that Randall was right about how wrong I was for her.
I was shaken back to reality by the sound of my phone, and pulling myself out of the memory of her kiss, I fished it out of my pocket.
Sara, it said on the display.
Chapter Fourteen
SARA
“Sorry I didn’t call sooner. My parents kept pestering me with questions and watching me do laundry. I couldn’t break away from them for even a minute. How are you?”
“Good, but I miss you. I’m glad you called. I needed to hear the sound of your voice.” He sounded down about something.
“Yeah, me too,” I mumbled.
“How are your parents?”
“Fine. My mother is actually staying pretty calm, well for her anyway. I guess she got so excited after I hung up the phone saying I would come home, that my Dad made her promise not to say another word about it until I arrived. Other than that, not much else seems to be new.”
I reached over and scratched my arm.
“What was that?” he asked. “What was that noise I just heard?”
“You heard that? That’s a little spooky. I just scratched my arm. I think I’m getting a rash.”
“You think you’re getting one?”
“Well, to be honest, I’ve never had one before, but it looks like stuff friends of mine have had. Probably just allergic to something.”
“Your mother’s coming,” he said quickly.
“Sara? Lunch is almost ready,” I heard from the hall.
Bionic ears. Of course, I get the boyfriend with bionic ears.
“I’d better be going. I’ll call you later. I Love you.”
After a pause, he said “I love you too, Sara. Always.” Then he hung up the phone.
Something was wrong. I could hear it in his voice. He’d probably grown tired of me already. Just the thought of it caused an unexpected tightness in my chest.
I opened my bedroom door, and walked into the hall just as Mom was about to come in looking for me. Trying to stay on her good side, I did as she asked and went out on the back deck to join my father for lunch.
“And the neighbors keep finding dead animals on their property so keep inside the house at night. I think there’s some sort of bobcat or the like wandering around the area. The O’Dwyer’s dog was even found dead on the edge of their property last week. Nobody’s been hurt yet, but until we catch this thing I wouldn’t take any chances.”
“Sure thing, Dad. I’m tired so I’ll probably go to bed early tonight anyway,” I answered as I turned and looked down the hill into the line of trees at the bottom of the lawn. A bobcat? Here?
“So how’s school going? Have you made lots of new friends?”
“Yes, a few.”
I told him all about Darcy, Tabitha, Mike, Ryan and Ben. I also casually mentioned Daniel at the end as a guy in my Art History class I’d been studying with but left it at that.
“Well, that’s good. So this Ben guy sounds pretty okay. Are you ever gonna bring him home with you one of these weekends and give your mother a heart attack? If you are, give me some advance notice. I want to make sure I have my camera ready.”
He was playfully teasing me, or so I assumed. I sometimes thought it was his favorite past time and blushed uncontrollably as my mother came through the back door with lunch.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I can pretty much guarantee I won’t be bringing Ben home with me anytime in the near future – or ever for that matter.”
“Who’s Ben?” my mother asked as she placed a tray of sandwiches on the table and sat down.
“A friend of Sara’s. Sounds like a nice boy.”
Mom’s ears perked up. “She’s too young to be bringing boys home to meet us.”
“She’s nineteen, Vivy. I think the parade is about to begin whether you like it or not.”
Almost unbearably, I listened as the two of
them argued in jest about my love life all throughout lunch. It would have been almost laughable except for the unspoken truths I was carefully concealing from them.
After dinner we played cards for a while, but I begged off after a few hours. They’d be at it all night and I wanted to try to catch up on my sleep. It felt like a sin and a shame to admit, but it was so I could stay up a little later with Daniel tomorrow night if he wanted to do something.
Before heading off, I got my clothes out of the dryer and neatly folded them in the corner of my room to repack tomorrow. Deep down, I felt guilty that I hadn’t even finished unpacking and I was already packing for a quick getaway.
Sitting down on my bed, I looked back at my pillow remembering how Daniel had looked under the light of my reading lamp, reclining on the bed in my dorm room. I sighed and turned my gaze on the rest of my room. Somehow it looked different now, smaller maybe. I couldn’t explain it. It was as if in the few weeks I’d been gone, I had outgrown it somehow and it made me sad.
After changing and brushing my teeth, I climbed into my super soft bed, so much more comfy than that uncomfortable dorm mattress. Settling in under the covers, I pulled out my phone. I wanted to call Daniel, but somehow felt like my call before had made him sad. So instead I texted him.
Going 2 bed now. Love U. C U tomorrow.
I put my phone on the nightstand and turned off the light. I saw that I had a missed call from him during the day and hoped he wasn’t mad that I hadn’t picked up. It seemed either one or both of my parents had shadowed me all day long, like they were afraid I was going to run away or something.
It took a while for me to get to sleep, but when I did I dreamed of Daniel. We were walking in the woods. We weren’t talking, just holding hands and following a trail that led off into the distance. I wondered where we were going, but all I could see in front of us was a misty, lush green forest full of signs of life.
The next morning after breakfast we went to church and then out to lunch at my favorite diner in Riverhead. When we finally got home, I waited an hour then did my best to tactfully begin my retreat back to school. I didn’t want my parents to feel like I was ditching them, but of course I was. I gave them the excuse that I wanted to get back before it got dark because I hated to drive at night. In all fairness, this was true, but it wasn’t the truth.
The Purity of Blood: Volume I Page 29
