“First off, I really do want to apologize for last night. I shouldn't have disrespected you as I did. I also shouldn't have thrown it in your face that you're not my father. I,” he stutters.
“I don't let many feelings out anymore because when I do, something bad happens to the person. You're not my father, but as you know, you are the closest thing that I have ever had to one,” he says through the rush of emotion choking off his speech.
Eric seems to soften his expression some as he uncrosses his arms.
“I do accept your apology. Now back to her. Why is she here?”
“Well initially, the plan was just to meet her, and tell her that I can't see her again. It was the hardest decision I had to make because there has never been anyone I have wanted so badly to be around.”
“So if you made that decision, why is she here?” the harshness creeping into his voice.
“She has a ring to the amulet.”
Eric slowly, thoughtfully, strokes his chin at this news.
“I thought you had said Cyrus has possession of both rings.”
Namon’s eyes are lowered now, knowing that he can't lie if Eric continues this line of questioning.
“He did, and now we have one of them.”
“How did she get the ring?” His tone became steely cold.
Namon curses to himself, knowing he is unable to lie.
“She has had it for as long as she can remember,” He says quietly with downcast eyes.
“Namon, did you bring a vampire into our territory?” Eric asks with a scolding look.
“Yes, but she is different. She didn't choose to be a vampire, nor did she want it.”
“If she didn't choose it, son, then why did Cyrus let her keep the ring? How do you know that she is not lying to you to get to the amulet?” His voice quivers in anger.
“The same way I knew about how Brice got those scars, and the same way I saw exactly what those vampires did to Katrina,” Namon says with confidence.
Eric thinks about this for a few moments, his mood changes from anger to acceptance.
“I wish I knew why I cannot sense what she is. Vampires have a certain scent to them. They smell like old dusty mothballs, but she smells, well, human. How can you be certain she really is a vampire?” He glances out the window down to Kaya and Aluana thoughtfully.
“Well, she says that she is. Plus her hands are colder than a human.”
Eric strokes his beard.
“Well whether she is or isn't. The point is that you have put all of this family in danger by bringing her here,” Eric says.
“She doesn't have anywhere else to go, though,” Namon says, almost pleading.
Eric considers the situation, and makes a decision that goes against all that he has taught his pack.
“She can stay tonight, but tomorrow you can take her to our cabin just north of here. It's only a little under a mile away. There are no roads on the way there, so you will have to walk. Hopefully that will be protection enough while I decide how to further handle the situation.”
“I understand. Thank you for everything, and all your help,” Namon says relief evident in his voice.
“Well let's join the others for now. Let's meet this vampire of yours.”
They walk outside, and down to the bottom of the hill, and everyone is laughing.
“Hey, what did I miss that was so funny?” Namon asks.
Aluana looks over at him and then back to Brice.
“Brice, right?” she asks.
He nods.
“Well, Brice here was just telling me about a video he made of you when you first started trying to dance. He said you kept stepping on...” She looks over to Sierra who was sitting very closely to Kieran. “Sierra, right? Well he said he was surprised she had any toes left, and that her feet were as big as his when you were done.”
“Size thirteen, yes ma'am,” Brice says proudly.
Namon started to blush and Aluana takes him by the hand, leads him over to the log, and has him sit beside her.
“It's all right. Everyone hits that stage one time or another. It's nothing to be embarrassed about,” she says.
“Yeah, it wouldn't be as embarrassing if it didn't just happen yesterday.”
“Wow, and you danced really well last night. I couldn't tell that you didn't know how to dance. You're a fast learner.”
“Maybe it's just that I had the perfect partner,” he says to her.
“Aww, that is so sweet,” Aluana says blushing.
Brice pounds his chest.
“He gets that from Brice,” Brice says, referring to himself in the third person.
Aluana whispers into Namon's ear. “Why is it that when I see him do that, it reminds me of King Kong on top of a sky scraper?”
Namon busts out laughing so hard, and Brice just looks at the two of them funny. Then he starts walking on his knuckles like a gorilla and looking through Aluana's hair for lice, grunting like a gorilla. Everyone laughs hysterically by this point, and Namon looks over to Sierra. She looks so happy now compared to just the other night, and this makes him feel so much better. He looks over at Kieran as well, and he looks equally as happy. Guess he finally opened up about how he felt about her. Then he starts to think about Oz.
“Sierra, how is Oz doing?” he asks.
“He is much better now. He slept most of the morning, and he even got into your stash of junk food earlier.”
“Who is Oz?” Aluana asks.
“He is my best friend.” Sierra and Brice both look at him as though they were offended. “Well, he is my best non-human friend.”
“He isn't human? What is he?” she asks cautiously.
She feels something hop onto the log next to her. Once she turns to see what is on the log with her, she jumps a little, slightly startled. Oz sits there calmly eating his puff corn as if nothing was wrong or out of the ordinary. He even raised the bag to Aluana, offering her some, shaking it a little to entice her to take some, which looks a little odd given the bag is the same size as he himself is. She reaches her hand into the bag and takes some out.
“Thank you. I'm guessing you're Oz.”
Oz nods, giving her a cheese covered thumbs up, and then shoves his hand down in the bag for another piece of puff corn. Eric pays close attention to Aluana as she eats the puff corn. He has a puzzled look on his face when she doesn't regurgitate it. He has been always brought to believe that vampires couldn't eat human food, that their bodies reject it. So why was she able to? Plus, he had noticed the slightly pinkish coloration to her cheeks earlier when she’d blushed at Namon’s comment. He isn't fully convinced that she even is a vampire.
“He must like you. He is usually so skittish around new people.”
Oz hops down, and walks over to Namon, looking at Aluana up and down. Then he high fives Namon, gives him an orange thumbs up and a wink before he scampers off dragging his half empty bag of puff corn behind him. Everyone cannot help but bust out laughing at the outrageous behavior from such a little creature. Namon looks up to the sky to see the sun setting. Eric notices, and looks up as well, and then he claps his hands and rubs them together.
“Brice, fire up the grill. It's time for another cook out. So, Aluana do you like steak?” he asks cordially.
“As long as they aren't wooden,” she says with a smile.
Everyone looks at her, confused.
“Why would you eat a wooden steak? That is just not right,” Brice says.
Eric and Namon exchange a worried glance.
“It was a joke,” she says.
Eric and Namon start to laugh just slightly as they realize that it was a poke at being a vampire: a fact that the rest of them didn't know, yet.
“Inside joke, guys. I'll explain later,” Eric says.
The grill is fired up and everyone pitches in to help with cooking, and setting up the tables. Eric watches Aluana as she helps, and is still trying to figure her out. He sets the logs inside the bonfire pit so t
hat they can have their nightly fire. Once everyone has finished eating, Aluana takes the initiative, and helps clean up. She is so selfless, and that is definitely not a vampire trait. Vampires are all about themselves, and their own goals(,) he thinks to himself.
Minutes later, everyone sits around the fire, and Brice looks at the couples sitting on logs. Kieran is next to Sierra, holding her hand, Eric is sitting next to Kaya, holding her hand, and Namon sits next to Aluana, of course, holding her hand. Brice starts to feel a little lonely at that point, then looks beside himself, and sees Oz sitting there with his bag of marshmallows.
“I’m not holding your hand,” he says.
Oz sticks his tongue out at Brice, wiggling a marshmallow on his finger at him before popping it into his mouth.
“So everyone, I think we should try something new tonight. I think everyone should share their favorite memory. We will start with Kieran and work our way around the fire. Go ahead, Kieran,” Eric says.
Kieran starts to scratch the back of his head.
“Well, I guess I could say my favorite memory was when Sierra was brought into the family. I mean, before then I was the new guy, and when she came in I had someone I could better relate to. That and, well, I never met anyone quite like her. So yeah, meeting Sierra is my favorite memory,” Kieran says.
Sierra smiles big, and then kisses him on the cheek.
“I guess it's my turn now. My favorite memory was this morning when...um, I don't think I will share that, but let's just say we had a good morning,” she says while blushing.
Brice clears his throat before responding. “Boom chicka, wow, wow.” as he mimics cheap porn music. Everyone busts into raucous laughter, as Kieran and Sierra start turning very deep shades of red.
Oz stands on the log, shoving a marshmallow into his mouth with his cheeks puffed out looking between Kieran and Sierra, then when it dawns on him what they are talking about he starts choking on his marshmallow, as he starts laughing.
Oz begins jumping up and down on the log waving his little hands after he recovers from choking. Once he has everyone's attention, he points to each and everyone one of them as his eyes tear up, and wrapping his little arms tightly around hugging himself.
“Are you saying having us as your family is your best memory, buddy?” Namon asks.
Oz nods, and everyone smiles.
“And we all love you, Oz,” Kaya says.
Brice stands, and places his hand over his heart.
“My favorite memory was the day that Eric found me. I was broken, devastated by the loss of my entire family. My wife and my kids were all taken from me, and I was left with nothing. I watched them being slaughtered in front of my very own eyes, and was helpless to do anything about it. That day, I felt that I didn't have any more meaning to my life, and nearly gave up. Eric found me, gave me a purpose, and a new meaning, and I vowed from that day forward to dedicate my life to making the world a better place, both by getting rid of the monsters in it, and by making everyone laugh,” he says, and then sits down. Everyone is moved by this serious side of Brice, that a few eyes sparkle with unshed tears.
Eric and Kaya were the only two who had known that story, and Namon looks at Brice in a new perspective now, and a newfound respect. He has more in common with Brice than he realized, but he could never imagine how hard it must be to lose a child.
Aluana looks around as eyes are focused on her.
“Well, there are two days in my life that are the most memorable, so I think I should share both of them. They are both important. The first would be three years ago when I got to enjoy shopping out in public. For so long, I have felt like a prisoner even though I have been told that it was for my own good. So the day I got to go out by myself and enjoy life is one of my most favorite memories. I think I even met you that day, Sierra. Weren't you the woman I accidentally bumped into at the book store?”
Sierra thought she had recognized Aluana, but didn't know from where.
“So that's where I have seen you before,” she says as it dawns on her.
“The other day that is my most favorite memory is the night I met Namon. Some drunken guy was trying to dance with me and Namon came to my rescue. I will always remember him as my hero,” she says with a smile as she squeezes his hand.
Namon smiles just as he starts his turn.
“Well, as you all know, I don't have many happy memories in my life. All of you being my family is a very important memory that I will always cherish, and hold dear, but my most favorite memory is last night. I was standing in the balcony listening to that god awful song, and then I look down and I saw her. Never in my life had I felt a feeling hit me so hard, as it did that time. I knew I had to dance with her, so I did.”
Everyone smiles, as they are glad that he has found someone to make him happy.
“I just wish that Katrina was here to see me happy. She took care of me for so long I miss her,” he adds.
Oz jumps into Namon's lap and reaches his arms as far around him as he can, hugging him.
“We all wish that she could be here with us,” Eric says sadly. “Now it is my turn. My most favorite memory is the day that Kaya said she would marry me.”
Everyone especially Kaya looks at him confusedly because they aren't engaged.
“Oh wait, that's right. That hasn't happened, yet,” Eric says.
Then he gets down on one knee in front of Kaya, and pulls out a box with a ring in it.
“You have been very supportive of me, and have tolerated my stubbornness for so very long. I know that I will never again find anyone on this world that will be as kind, understanding, beautiful, or have such good aim with a can as you do.”
“Or a keg,” Brice says, glaring at her.
“Yes, Brice, how could I forget the keg? Anyway, so I now ask you in front of our family, and our new friend Aluana. Will you marry me?”
She takes the ring, hands trembling, her breath caught in her chest, and tears flow down her cheeks as she puts it on.
“So, Kaya what do you say? Can I have an answer so that I can get up? This fire is making my butt too warm for my comfort.”
She laughs.
“My favorite memory would have to be when I said yes,” she says.
Eric gets up, and she stands with him, embracing him with a big hug. Then she grabs him by the wrist and drags him with her up the hill, slamming the trailer door behind them.
“Well, we know who is getting lucky tonight,” Brice says. He looks over to Kieran and Sierra who are lost in their own little world, and kissing. Then he notices Namon grabbing Aluana's hand and leading her up the hill to his motorcycle as they get ready to leave. Then he looks down at Oz, who offers Brice a roasted marshmallow on a stick, nodding his head as encouragement.
“Thanks, buddy, but I'm not kissing you either.”
Namon and Aluana ride down the country roads. Aluana takes in the fresh air and cannot believe how much different the night is out here compared to that of the city.
“Close your eyes, and don't open them until I say, all right?” he yells back at her.
She closes her eyes, and within minutes, the motorcycle comes to a stop. He takes off his helmet and then carefully takes hers off as well. He takes her hand and leads her down the hill, and into the open clearing. Careful of their steps so she won’t stumble with her eyes closed.
“You can open your eyes now,” he says.
She opens them, and sees him as he lies down on the ground and pats the ground next to himself. She follows his lead, and lies down next to him. When she looks up, she gasps at the most beautiful sight that she has seen in centuries. He has led her to a field deep enough in Jones County that the view of the stars isn't hindered by the light from the city. She scoots over a little closer to him and snuggles closely. After lying there for a while, she leans up, and looks at him. Leaning in closer, she softly kisses him on the lips. At that moment, their fates are sealed together, because the kiss is a lot different than the
quick one they shared the night before. This one slowly builds up and lingers with every positive emotion that a person could feel flowing through their bodies.
An hour later, they return to the trailer park, and both go into his trailer and lie together in his bed, resting from an eventful day. They lie there wrapped up in each other's arms, and just stare into each other’s eyes until they fall asleep.
Nearly twenty miles away in Milledgeville, Tiffany and Drake are sitting outside of the car waiting for AAA because they have a flat tire and no spare. Tiffany kicks the flat tire, cursing at their misfortune and not understanding how they got so lost.
Chapter Seventeen
Namon wakes up with Aluana wrapped in his arms. Nothing happened, other than the kiss, but he couldn't be any happier. As soon as she feels him start to turn, she wakes up and rolls over to face him. They just lie there, for a few moments, staring into each other's eyes.
“Good morning, sleepy head,” she says.
“Good morning to you too,” he says with his tongue sticking out.
She playfully hits him on the shoulder and leans in to kiss him.
“Thank you for last night. It really did mean a lot to me getting to see the stars again. I felt like a prisoner for so long before coming to Macon. Did you know that any large city that I have lived in, I wasn't allowed to leave where ever it was we were living?”
“Great, just add more reasons for me to kill him, if I didn't already have enough,” he says a growl forming in his voice.
A frown forms on her face at the idea of Namon fighting Cyrus and possibly getting hurt. Cyrus has been a vampire for a very long time, so he has much more fighting experience, not to mention power, compared to Namon. She scoots closer to him, wraps her arms around him, and starts kissing him.
“I don't want you to fight him. I'm afraid you will get hurt, or worse,” she says pausing to catch her breath.
He reaches his hand to her cheek and rubs it gently.
“Unfortunately, one day I will have to fight him. Only then will all his victims get to cross over. The one I see the most, though, is my godmother Katrina. She shows up every now and then to give me guidance. I just wish I could see my mom and dad once before I kill him.”
Blood Stained Lives (The Blood Stained Saga Book 1) Page 19
