by Taylor Dawn
Roaming through the house, Gia finally stopped in her bedroom. As she glanced at the dresser, she spotted something that she couldn’t bear to leave behind. When she picked up the dusty wooden frame, she ran a finger over the two faces in the photograph. “I miss you so much,” she said to her parent’s image. Tears began escaping her eyes while she continued to gaze at the picture.
“You ready?” Micah stepped into the room. “Oh shit, G. Are you okay?” he moved closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I don’t know if I’m okay.” She spun around, burying her face in Micah’s chest. “Hold me, please.”
His large muscled arms wrapped around her body and his chin rested on the top of her head. “I’m here.”
It felt good to be embraced by warmth for a change. Gia loved being with Layton, but he was icy when he held her. Micah was familiar. His friendship with her brother had lasted from the time they were kids up until now. With his cocky flaws and all, he was still a great friend.
“How am I supposed to move on with my dad being gone?”
She felt him stroking her hair. “It’ll take time but I want you to know I will be here for you no matter what.”
She took a step back, swiping her fingers over the tears on her cheeks. It was stupid how a crying jag could start so sudden. It was like this tiny thing living inside her, just waiting for the right moment to pounce with its salty tears. “We should go,” she glanced down at the photo once more. It was the only thing she had left of her mom and dad and it would go where she went, no matter what.
After their things were secured in the vehicle, Gia scooted into the passenger seat and clicked her seatbelt into place. She took a deep gulp of air and said goodbye to Vegas for the time being.
“Does Zach know you’re leaving?” Micah asked when they pulled onto the freeway.
“Yeah. He wasn’t happy about me leaving but he understood why. I can’t just shut my emotions off like he can.”
“You’re a girl. It would shock me if you were emotionless.” He laughed.
Even though Micah was a few years younger than her, Gia felt comfortable with him. He was like a little brother.
As the miles ticked by on the odometer, Gia felt her body begin to relax—involuntarily slipping into a restful sleep. The soft rumble of the engine and the jostling motion of the vehicle made for a sensation of being rocked to sleep. Leaning her head against the door, Gia let her eyes flutter shut, transporting her into sleep. It had been days since she’d been able to relax and when she did find the time to rest, her dreams were more like nightmares. All she could picture was her father lying on the cold tile floor of her kitchen, taking his last breath while surrounded by his own blood. It was something she wouldn’t soon forget either.
Somehow, being around Micah calmed her though. She was finally able to sleep without the horror of what’d happened just a couple weeks prior. Her dreams were gleeful with visions of herself smiling and carefree. The atmosphere that surrounded her wasn’t heavy with grief or sorrow, no, it was clear and luminescent this time. It was almost like she was standing back, watching herself in some sort of movie that played out on a massive scale screen.
“Gia, hey, wake up,” she could hear Micah’s muffled voice pulling her from her dream state.
Gia’s eyes shot open and her body sat upright. “What? Where are we?” she turned her head from side to side, trying to figure out where they were.
“Had to stop for gas,” Micah twisted the key, bringing the interior of the vehicle silent. “Do you need anything from inside?” he swung the driver’s side door open.
“I’m going to use the ladies room.” She smiled in his direction before pulling her stiff body from the car. Once she was standing up, she rotated her neck from side to side, her vertebrae cracking and popping back into their original place.
Micah had chosen a rather large truck stop that was close to the freeway. Part of the parking lot was chock full of big rigs and the other side had nothing but passenger cars and small pickup trucks. When she reached the glass doors of the building, Gia yanked one open, the cool air blasting her in the face, waking her up even more. Spotting the sign for the restrooms, she headed in that direction. Down a long hallway, she went until she finally found the right door. The room was empty so she quickly went about her business then pulled the door open to exit the room. As she stepped out, she bumped into something hard and stumbled backward. When she glanced up, Gia could see a man towering above her with a menacing expression on his face. His green eyes almost glowed as he squinted and pushed his way into the ladies room.
“What do you want?” Gia squared her shoulders and faced him. He didn’t answer as he stood there, his fists balled at his sides and his brow crinkled as if he were getting ready to advance on her. “I need to go,” she said as she stepped toward the door.
The man’s intimidating size blocked the exit, trapping her. “You’re not going anywhere,” he growled.
“Get out of my way or I’ll scream,” she warned. Even though she was being tough on the outside, Gia was terrified. She wasn’t sure what the man wanted or what he would do to her. “I’m serious. If you don’t move, I will…” her words were cut off as the man grabbed her upper arms and flung her to the floor. She barely had time to process what was happening when he lunged at her, pinning her to the dingy tile floor of the restroom.
“You are an abomination in this world and it’s my job to make sure your kind are decimated.” He raised his fist.
“Get the fuck off of her,” Gia heard Micah’s voice boom off the thick walls.
The stranger’s neck whipped around, looking at Micah. The two men stared at each other for a few seconds, almost communicating in a silent language. “Is she yours?” the man asked.
“Yes. Now get off her before I tear you to shreds.”
The other man removed himself from atop Gia while brushing his hands together as if he had touched something dirty. “You’d do good to get rid of her.”
“So I’ve been told. But what I do is my business, not yours Garian.” Micah extended his hand to help Gia from the floor.
“Oh you think so?” he let out a cynical laugh. “If you weren’t my brother I would smash your skull against the wall. Maybe that would knock some sense into that pile of mush between your ears.”
“I dare you to try,” Micah warned.
“You’ve got a lot of balls, I’ll give you that.”
“I’d rather have big balls than a beach ball head like yours.”
Gia stood silently as the two men traded insults. She was confounded from the revelation of Micah having a brother. She’d known him since her childhood years and that fact had never surfaced. How could he have a sibling and not tell his closest friends? Did Zach know about Garian? Or was he in the dark on the subject as well?
“I could stand here and swap insults with you all day, but I’ve got important shit to take care of. My advice to you is to hide the half-breed if you’re planning on taking her to Blue Creek. If not, you’ll have some explaining to do.”
“Yeah, I’ll think about that.” Micah shoved a hand through his hair and let out a sigh. “Take care,” he said as his brother exited the restroom. When the door closed—sealing Gia and him alone in the room—he turned to her and asked, “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“What is going on?” her whispered voice shook and her body felt cold and uneasy.
“We need to get back on the road if we hope to make it to Blue Creek before midnight.” He reached for the large steel handle of the door.
“Why do I feel like I’ve stepped out of reality and into a sadistic, fucked up version of Alice in Wonderland?”
“You haven’t fallen down a rabbit hole, Gia.”
“Really? Because it sure as hell feels like it.”
“Maybe we need to talk.” Micah’s facial expression conveyed that he was unsure of himself.
“Get to talking,” she sassed.
“No
t here. Come on.” He exited the restroom and Gia followed.
She doubted anything would shock her. After all, she was head over heels for a vampire and that was bordering on insane. Since Micah was able to be in the sunlight, Gia knew he wouldn’t reveal that he was also a bloodsucker. Anything beyond that, she could accept.
Seven
“YOU LOOK LIKE SHIT,” Astrid strolled into Layton’s office wearing some sort of glittering mini dress. The amount of sparkle made him want to crawl into his coffin and shield his eyes.
“Tell me what you really think,” he grumbled as he flung an ink pen across the desk.
“Did you ever stop to think that maybe it’s a good thing that the blonde blood bag left?” she walked to the desk and propped her hip on the edge.
“Fuck off.”
“Nope. It’s my job to help you see the reality of this situation.” She chuckled.
“If that’s your job, then you’re fired.” Layton didn’t need Astrid looking out for him. It wasn’t as if she could change his mind, anyway. He was in love with Gia and wanted to make her his wife. Sure, it all sounded insane, but that’s what he foresaw in his future. That’s what would make him happy.
“While I’m in here, I need to tell you something.” Astrid took a seat in the chair across the desk.
“If it’s about you and Gaith, I already know.”
“How did you know about that?”
“As much as you think I am, I’m not an idiot, Astrid. I know everything that goes on around here.”
“Well, I don’t care if you approve of us or not.” Her childish attitude reared its ugly head once more.
“I didn’t say I disapproved,” he pointed out.
“You usually do.”
Layton pinned her with a stare. “Honestly, I think he is good for you. I have zero issues with it.”
“Really?” she sounded surprised.
“Of course.” Layton nodded. It would be a good thing for Astrid to see someone…anyone really. Maybe it would keep her off of his ass for a while.
“Okay then, I guess I’ll get back to work.” She stood and pulled her shiny dress down.
Layton nodded, then let out a sigh of relief once she was out of the office. If Gaith could keep Astrid occupied, then Layton could sneak out to find Gia. He’d only been away from her for a couple days but the distance was causing a pain in his chest. Point blank, he needed her. She was the only person that had managed to touch him in a way that left a permanent imprint on his soul. Letting her leave Las Vegas with Micah was a gesture of good faith on his part. He trusted Gia and he wanted her to know that. But Micah? He didn’t trust that fucker one bit. If the other man did anything to harm Gia, Layton would rain down hellfire on him.
***
“So, what do you think?” Micah asked as Gia walked around the interior of the small house.
It wasn’t much bigger than her home in Las Vegas, but she didn’t mind. Being there was only temporary until she could figure a few things out. “It’s fine.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she made her way to the open kitchen. There was a tall bar separating it from the living room so she stood behind it and watched Micah carry their suitcases inside. It was strange being alone with another man—even if she did only see him as kind of a brother. He was attractive with his boyish features and unkempt hair. His green eyes were vividly beautiful and his smile was bordered by a dimple on each side of his mouth. If she were available and not practically related to him, Gia would be happy to let him take her on a few dates.
“I tossed your bags on the bed in the spare room. Hope that’s okay?” he returned to the living room.
“Perfect,” Gia said as she continued to stand behind the bar area.
“Are you hiding behind that?” he laughed.
Stepping back, Gia said, “No, not at all. Sorry, this is just weird for me.”
“In what way?”
“You and I living together.”
“Don’t be afraid of me, G. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.”
“I know.” She offered a small smile, then stepped out from behind her barrier.
“I’ve gotta go meet up with some old friends. Will you be okay here by yourself?”
“Yeah.”
“Not sure how long I’ll be gone but if you need me, call.”
“Sounds good.” With her energy waning, Gia watched Micah leave. When the door was shut, she found her bedroom and stood in the doorway. It wasn’t anything fancy—the comforter looked like a cheap bed-in-a-bag from K-Mart. But it would be fine for the short time she would be there. The sad thing was, she already missed Layton. In fact, her chest hurt each time she thought about him. The dull ache was deep and painful, causing her to suck in sharp breaths. Never in her life had she missed someone as bad as she did Layton. Hell, her father had just died and the ache never resided in her chest from that. Maybe she was a cold hearted bitch, after all.
Eight
IN AND OUT OF SLEEP Gia went—her dreams leading her into unknown places with people she didn’t recognize. Anymore it was like that when she tried to sleep. She’d awaken wondering where her thoughts had sent her once more. This time though, she’d managed to pass out on the couch of the small house Micah had brought her to. “Blue Creek,” she whispered to herself in the semi-empty house. Everything was foreign and for the first time in her life, Gia was unsure what path she was on. Normally she could pick up the pieces of anything and make a beautiful ending from it, but this time she couldn’t bring herself to do so. “Great,” she huffed while standing from the lumpy sofa, cracking her sore back as she walked to the kitchen. While opening cabinets, the fridge and the dishwasher, Gia shrieked when a loud knock sounded at the front door.
Her mind was awhirl with the possibilities of who could be on the other side. It couldn’t have been Micah—he had a key. She grappled internally, trying to decide if it was a good idea to solve the mystery. When the knock sounded once more, Gia made up her mind. With the sleeves of her hoodie covering most of her hands, she made her way to the door and twisted the knob. Peeking around it, her eye line dropped to find a small child standing there. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m hungry,” the child’s eyes were a gorgeous whiskey hue, and her hair was done in two braided pigtails that fell on both sides of her cherub-like face.
“Where're your parents?” Gia opened the door wider.
The girl shrugged, then darted past Gia. “The Horney Wolf,” the girl said while giggling.
Gia recoiled at the vulgar statement. “Funny. Now, really, where is your mom and dad?” She found the child standing in front of the refrigerator.
“I don’t have a dad,” the child turned to Gia with sadness in her eyes.
“Okay, what’s your name?”
“Xena.”
“Xena? Like the warrior princess?” Gia chuckled at her own joke. Unfortunately, the little girl was way too young to understand. “Do you have a last name?”
“Yep. My last name is Wolfe and I’m eight and a half years old.” Xena flipped her pigtails over her shoulders and stood taller. “I’m still hungry, you know,” she sassed, her whiskey eyes glowing from within.
“I just moved in. I’m not sure there’s anything to eat around here.” Gia opened the door of the fridge and peered inside. “Unless you drink beer, you’re shit out of luck,” Gia said, then slapped her hand over her mouth.
“Mommy says that word all the time. She says that my dad left us because he’s a shit head.”
“Uh, let’s cool it with the adult words.” Gia grabbed her purse, tossing the strap over her shoulder. “How about we find a grocery store?”
“Okay.” Xena followed behind her.
Gia knew that everything was fairly close to the house. When Micah drove them through Blue Creek on the way in, she made sure to take note of what was nearby. Luckily the grocery store was only a few blocks away. The area had a small town feel with lots of forests nearby. It was a far cr
y from the bustling streets of Las Vegas but it was somewhat comforting. It was nice to walk into town and not have to worry about being mugged while passing by a dark alleyway.
“Do you have a mate?” Xena asked as they entered the store.
“A mate?” Confusion blanketed Gia’s voice.
“Uh huh.”
“I don’t think I do.”
“Mommy says I’ll have one when I grow up. Everyone gets one.” The conversation had taken a strange turn, leaving Gia clueless. What in the hell was the kid rattling about anyway? A mate? Was Xena’s mom from Australia? “Can you get these?” she held up a box of frosted strawberry Pop-Tarts.
“Sure.”
As Xena placed the blue decorated box in the cart, she said, “I’m not really allowed to have sweets only lots of meat to make me strong.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.” Gia grabbed a bag of chips from a display at the end of an aisle.
“We have to grow up big and strong so we can run in the forest and hunt.” The skipping mini-human once again caused confusion.
“What in the hell are you doing with my daughter?” A woman’s voice sounded from behind Gia, causing her to turn swiftly.
“Oh, good. I was starting to think she was gonna have to stay the night with me.” Relief was short lived as the other woman stomped toward her, giving her a shove. Her body went off balance and banged into the handle of the cart.
“Stay the fuck away from my family, half-breed,” the brunette warned. “Come on Xena,” she called to the child who soon joined her mom. As they left, Gia rubbed her hip where it had smacked into the cart.
“What are you doing out of the house?” Micah’s concerned tone entered her ears. “Shit, are you okay?” he hurried to her side, lifting the hem of her hoodie to examine her.
Quickly jerking it back into place, Gia rolled her eyes, “I’m fine. Chill out.” She abandoned the shopping cart and headed to the front of the store. When the chill of the night air blasted her in the face, she sucked in a breath and counted to ten. The calming technique wasn’t working. With her face pointed to the glittering stars in the night sky, she let out a frustrated scream. “Am I a trouble magnet? Everywhere I go it seems like disaster follows. Someone should lock me up to keep things from spiraling out of control.” She was practically jogging.
