by Kylie Price
“Don’t worry about it, it probably shouldn’t have happened anyway.”
“Why not?” she asked.
I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to tell her or not, but then again Jason knew how close we were and probably expected me to tell her rather than him doing it so I recapped the story that Jason had told me.
“Oh my gosh,” was all she said as she looked at me with the same stunned face I had probably been looking at Jason with?
“I know,” I replied.
“Geez, he likes you more than I thought,” she stated.
I was not sure if I was happy about it or over the moon. He gave his mortal life away for his family and me. It made me sad thinking about it. All these people doing all they can for me and then destroying a piece of themselves in the process.
“I talked with Sky earlier,” I told her.
“How did that go?”
“Not so well. I yelled at her because she is being stupid. She isn’t competing with me, but with you. She thinks you want me all to yourself,” I said.
“I do! But I also don’t mind sharing,” she replied with a big grin.
“This is all such a mess. Deciding seems a lot harder now. I feel torn between loyalties. And Sky thinks I am choosing you over her.”
“So you are choosing to be human then?”
I laughed, “I wish.”
“Maybe just let the chips fall as they come. We still need to talk to Vex and what about Garth? We could talk to him and maybe Marie,” she said.
I stared off into the sky, thinking. I felt I had a loyalty to Lachlan even though I didn’t consider him my master, now one of my best friends was turning into a werewolf and the guy I was falling for was a werewolf too. If it were a matter of ratings, then the werewolf side would win. There were more close to me as a beast than vampire. Then where would that leave me with Lachlan, would he feel betrayed? Would we then become enemies?
“I think I need some air.”
“You're outside, how much more air could you need?” Nikkee said, smirking.
I gave her a look. “You know what I mean.”
“I know,” she said more seriously. “Do you want me to get Jason to drive you back to the hotel?”
“Is it far from here?”
“Maybe about thirty minutes,” she answered.
“Do you want to come with me?” I asked.
“Of course.”
We walked back in silence most of the way. Only the odd comment about where we were. Nikkee had put the hotel in her GPS so we would not get lost. It was nice being able to just walk and think. We didn’t see Jason before we left and I was a little bit sad, but at the same time relieved that I didn’t have to explain why I was leaving.
We reached the main street, which was already hectic. People were walking in and out of the shops and busying themselves for the day ahead. Me, well, I just wanted to go have a nice hot shower, put my feet up at the balcony, and relax.
“Finally,” Nikkee said as our hotel came into view.
The walk had taken longer than expected and I had to admit my legs were feeling tired.
After our showers Nikkee and I were sitting in the fresh sea breeze, our hands wrapped around steaming mugs of strong coffee. The aroma was almost overpowering to me. Probably from my senses being full tilt after all the blood and fluids. I realised I had never asked where Lachlan got his blood from, or the hospital equipment.
“This is nice. If we sit here long enough it can feel like we are just regular teens enjoying schoolies,” Nikkee stated.
I smiled. “I like that idea.”
Nikkee’s phone chimed. She looked at it and then sighed, “Well, it was nice while it lasted.”
“What’s up?”
“Lachlan said Vex has spoken to him and he is going to meet us tonight.”
“So… Lachlan has your number now?” I said, poking fun at her.
“Yeah, he asked and I just gave it to him. He probably would have gotten it from another source if I didn’t give it to him anyway,” she stated.
“Well, he got a hold of mine. Wonder why he didn’t text me to tell me?”
“Probably wants to let you be for the moment. He knows how stressed and confused you are,” she said, defending him.
“I would be less stressed if he just told me everything I need to know,” I said.
“He is letting you take it in a bit at a time so you don’t overload. He’s doing it this way so you don’t go completely bananas,” she explained.
“But it makes it frustrating. As soon as I come to terms with one thing, I am hit with another. Sometimes all the eggs in one basket are easier to sift through,” I said, sighing.
“I know, and I feel the same way. He is just trying to do what is best for you and so are the rest of us. I am not mad at Jason either. I understand why they did the things they did and I understand why they are doing it their way as well.”
“I do, but I don’t,” I admitted.
“I understand that too,” she said giving me a gentle smile.
My phone chimed. I picked it up off the table thinking it would be Jason or Lachlan only to be surprised that it was Sky.
“Can you meet me tonight?” her text said.
I replied, “I can’t, sorry. What about tomorrow.”
“I guess,” was all she sent back.
“Who is it?” Nikkee asked.
“Sky, she wanted to meet me tonight, but I told her I can’t but that I could tomorrow. She only replied, ‘I guess.’ I take it she is still mad at me,” I told her.
“At least our life is never boring.”
“You can say that again,” I said, laughing.
“At least our life is never boring.”
We both laughed aloud.
It felt good to still be able to laugh even though everything was so up in the air. We thought it was only our life that had changed and that everything was happening to us, but it was so much more than that. Jason’s had changed, now Sky and Mark’s had changed also. Who else was going to be next? One minute we were just attending school and I was going out clubbing since I finally turned 18 and then BAM! Everything changed. All because of some prophecy. Sometimes I felt people put too much emphasis on written or spoken words. Hopefully tonight we would have some answers as to why they do and why most of them feel the need to kill me because of it.
“What do you think the deal is with this Vex guy?” Nikkee asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“I don’t know, but in the dreams I had of him, I feel he is trying to help,” I said.
“But Garth does too,” she pointed out.
“I know, picking sides is becoming a lot more confusing,” I admitted.
“Do you know what you are leaning towards?” she asked.
“Yeah, my side. What if I didn’t have to choose? What if they just all think I do?”
“Lachlan said you could die.”
”Could, but might not. And if I did then maybe things will go back to normal,” I said flatly.
“Don’t you dare even think like that Trinity! Even if you did die, how will things go back to normal? Jason and Sky will still be all Wolfie and me well, I will be more lost without you than them,” she said in an angry voice.
“You’re right. Sorry I shouldn’t have even thought it,” I said, feeling bad.
She just looked out to the beach and sighed.
What if I did just die? I would not have the burden of the war, but then I would be leaving it all up to those close to me. I wanted to give up though. If I were gone, then there would be no need for anyone else to get hurt or in danger. Was I kidding myself? Yes.
Chapter Twenty-Six
We had gone to bed after our coffee to catch up on some sleep. I wasn’t sure if I needed to as I had slept quite a lot the last few weeks, but again, my body started slowly shutting down even after all the blood I’d had. I wanted to ask Lachlan how often he needed to feed, as it seemed to be wearing off quickly so sleep ca
me to me quickly.
I rolled over with my phone in my hand and lay on my stomach. Placing the phone in front of me I propped myself up on my elbows and rested my head in my hands as I looked at it.
Jason had not called or sent a text and I didn’t think Nikkee had heard from him either, unless she just hadn’t told me. I thought he would have made contact since we had almost kissed in the morning. Maybe he was giving me time to think everything over. Maybe I had hurt his feeling when I said he would kill me if he were asked to. Maybe he was waiting for me to make the next move. I looked at my phone harder as if I was waiting for some kind of sign that I should text him. I really wanted to but I kept talking myself out of it. Should I just leave him be at least until I decided what side I was going to be on? On the other hand, what if we did hook up and I chose to be a Vampire. What then? Would he ditch me and leave me heartbroken?
“Stop being stupid,” I told myself aloud.
Why was I thinking the worst of him now? I had known him nearly my whole life and he’d never once let me down, until now. Yet could I blame him? It’s not like I went running up to him after finding out what I was becoming and told him either but then again I did in the hospital. That must have been why he went quiet and just looked out the window. Why couldn’t he just have told me then? Yet, the rest I still kept it a secret from him… for his own good. That’s all he’d done as well.
I grabbed my phone, unlocked the screen and pushed on the message symbol. I found our last text conversation and wrote.
“Hey, sorry we left this morning. I just wanted to come back and chill,” I hovered my finger over the highlighted send button for a moment and then pressed it.
I felt bad for Nikkee and her family. I had literally turned their life upside down. My phone lit up signifying that a message had come through as it was on silent.
“No worries. It has kind of been a full day here with Sky.”
I looked at the message and frowned.
“What’s up?” I sent back. A message appeared about 30 seconds later.
“Nothing I can’t handle. How are you feeling?”
I thought for a moment. Should I tell him the truth? No way.
“I am fine, just had to rest. I am starving right now.”
“Do you want us to get you some food?” he replied.
“Hell yes I do. What about Sky?” I asked.
“She will be ok. See you in 20.”
I jumped up off the bed and ran to the bathroom. I turned on the shower and jumped straight in. The water was still cold and made goose bumps rise all down my body. It didn’t take long for them to go away, it was a hot day so the cold water was welcoming.
I hopped out and wrapped a towel around myself, ran into my room and started sifting through my bags for some clothes. I grabbed a black singlet, pair of jeans and some underwear and quickly got dressed. I walked back into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. My hair was wet, but I didn’t have time to blow-dry it, so I just grabbed my brush and put it up into a ponytail. I felt nervous after nearly kissing Jason. I had mixed feelings, even more so now, but I also knew that I really did like Jason a lot more than I had let myself believe.
I walked into to the lounge and out to the balcony where Nikkee was already sitting and dressed.
“Hey, have you been up for long?” I asked, sitting on the other side of the table.
“A few hours, I couldn’t really sleep,” she said.
“Yeah, me either. I sent Jason a text. They are going to bring us some food,” I told her.
“Great, I am starving.”
“Me too,” then I added, “He said he had a full on day with Sky.”
“I don’t really want to talk about her,” Nikkee said. She sounded angry.
“Why not, she used to be your best friend too remember?” I pointed out to her.
She looked at me and then looked away. “Not really Trin! Yeah, sure, we used to hang out and go to the clubs together and hang around with you, but she and I were never besties. That is why she got her nose out of joint when you moved in. I never thought that it was a competition about who was the better friend, but I had always picked up little things that you never did. Comments and things she would do. I brushed it off because she was YOUR best friend. Because that’s what we do.”
I sat and just looked at her. I thought back and could not really see anything that could have tipped me off.
“Was it naive of me to have presumed that you two were all this time?” I asked, feeling stupid.
“Of course not Trin, it is who you are. You want everyone to get along and for everyone to be happy. That is what you saw with Sky and me because we were both happy to just be near you. Sky cares for you, I am not sure if it is as much as me since she just up and left, but deep down I know she still cares for you Trin, but so do I and I won’t let her hurt you again,” Nikkee finished in a cold voice. She was like a lion with her cubs. Her claws really came out if anything threatened them in any way.
The door opened and I heard Lachlan and Jason walk in, talking to each other. At that moment I was not interested in what they were saying, just the smell of the food they were carrying.
They walked out onto the balcony. Lachlan was dressed up in a black button shirt and jeans and Jason was wearing the same only his shirt had a white Celtic picture on it. His hair looked nice, a styled mess, and I could smell his cologne as clear as day, not only did he make my mouth water, but the food he sat in front of Nikkee and I did as well, even if it was Macca’s.
“You need the carbs and fat Trinity,” Lachlan pointed out.
“What do you think this food will do to me?” Nikkee said with a smirk.
“Nothing, you have a natural fast burning metabolism anyway, not as fast as Trinity’s is now but still fast enough,” he answered her.
We both looked at each other and raised an eyebrow. I opened the bag and pulled out the big mac that I was sure had my name on it.
“I have a question; I have lots of questions,” I said in between a mouthful of food. “How come I can’t smell you Jason?”
He raised an eyebrow, which looked sexy as all hell.
“I mean, vampires and wolves have like a distinct smell right? I couldn’t smell that you were a werewolf, but I can smell that Lachlan is a vampire,” I said and took another big bite of the burger.
“When did you figure this out?” Lachlan asked.
“Before we came up here. I remembered the night I was attacked. I remember he had an unusual smell that was hidden by his cologne. I couldn’t quite explain it, but it was almost like I could tell the difference between the two species.”
They looked to one another and then back to me.
“What?” I asked and squirmed in my seat at their stare.
“You shouldn’t have been able to pick up on that yet, as you haven’t become one or the other,” Lachlan said.
I shrugged, “Well, I can.”
Everyone was quiet for a moment. Nikkee was looking from one to the other and then back to me while eating.
“Why couldn’t I tell you were not human?” I asked again, looking at Jason.
“Because I was not turned by just a normal werewolf,” he said.
“Okay, so what’s not so normal about wolf man?” I pressed.
“Garth is an Alfa,” he said.
“What? Is there only one wolf pack?” I asked.
“No there are many other Alfa’s,” he said.
“So what makes this Alfa so special?”
“Because he is the Alfa of them all.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
We had all gone quiet after the news. My head was now spinning with more questions. Jason was acting strange; he was looking away from us all. I turned to Nikkee and Lachlan who had just started a conversation about how tonight was going down.
“Can I talk to you inside for a moment?” I asked Jason.
The others had kept on talking as if I said nothing. I think it was for my benefit
more than theirs.
“Sure,” he said and got up; I did the same and followed him inside.
I walked past him so he could follow me to my room. I walked through the door and sat on the bed. He took a seat next to me and looked down at his hands.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked outside.
“I know the reason why you are turning into a beast with only a scratch,” he said with his back to me.
“Ok, why?” I asked.
“It is not just the prophecy. It’s your blood. You are an immortal descendant. They could not turn just from being scratched, but Garth thinks that over the thousands of years the blood has been so diluted that it makes you vulnerable to our virus. It could not have been caused by just any werewolf; it had to have been a strong Alfa,” he said still not looking at me.
“So Garth scratched me?” I asked.
He spun around, “No, I did.”
“What?”
“I was the one that scratched you.”
I looked at him, dumbfounded. I could see the anguish on his face as I blinked a few times, digesting the news. It was clear he was speaking the truth, and he felt terrible about it.
“But you are not an Alfa,” I choked out.
He walked up to the bed and sat back next to me. His leg touched mine and I looked down.
“Garth is THE Alfa, Trinity. He was the very first werewolf and in all his years, he has only turned two people. The first was when he was created, and then me. There is a reason for that. We are highly infectious. He chose me because I had one sole purpose and that was to protect you. The first werewolf he created went on a feeding spree, leaving infected humans in his wake. That is how they started multiplying. Garth was able to find most and help mentor them, but the rest went wild. Because of this he has only ever changed me after that. Garth told me to watch you the weeks around your birthday. I was behind the bush when you walked outside. It wasn’t a full moon but even though it has been three years since my change, it is sometimes hard to control the beast inside me.”
