“Don’t hold it in.”
“I think I’m past looking ladylike now,” We both chuckle.
There’s a hard knock on the door, and Ivor jumps to his feet and runs to answer it. “She’s over there,” Ivor says.
I cover my naked body as much as I can with the little strength that I have left and lift my head to see Clark standing there, in a full-on rage.
Chapter 17
The pain in Clark’s face quickly overwrites my guts being torn apart by Vampire blood. But I can’t regret being with Ivor. Our connection was disturbing yet intense. But I had a loyalty to Clark. I thought our “onetime thing” meant the same to him as it did me. But laying here and looking up at him, wanting to hold him in my arms, made me question my feelings for him.
Can I love more than one partner? It’s not long till my thoughts turn back to how bad I feel as I puke up more blood than I think is even in my body.
“Emotions aside.” Ivor holds his hand out to Clark.
The silence is deafening as I wait for Clark to shake his hand. I hold my head up only long enough to puke again. The room only stops spinning when I close my eyes. Even though I might lay dying, I want to pelt a million questions at them. How does Ivor even have Clark’s number? And why would he call him? Clark would love to pull his skin off and wear it.
I feel a hand pulling back my hair as my body starts convulsing, getting ready for another purge. This time it’s barely a mouthful. A wave of energy fills me but vanishes as quickly as it arrives. Hopefully, this means I’m on the mend.
“Drink this.” Clark is holding my hair back, and in his hand is a frosty glass of water.
I just stare at him, unable to form any words that would be meaningful enough to come out of my mouth. The sorrow in his eyes weighs my heart down. I take the water and drink the whole glass down, unaware of how thirsty I was. He helps me sit back against the couch, making sure the blanket covers my body.
“I..I..” I want to say something that will take his pain away, but I’ve got nothing.
“Don’t.” He doesn’t look at me.
“What do we do?” Ivor is pacing back and forth in the kitchen. His hand runs through his hair, and his face is flush.
“Who gave it to her?” Clark's voice is harsh, and he only half turns his head to Ivor.
“I don’t know her.” Ivor approaches us, but Clark holds his hand up for him to stay away.
“What’s her name?” Clark asks.
“Anna,” I say, my voice weak and low. I meet Clark’s eyes to see if there is any hint of recognition in them.
“We need to get her away from here.” Clark reaches over and picks up my clothes on the floor. “Do you need help putting these on?”
“Just give me a minute. I think I’m starting to feel a bit better.” My stomach rolls as soon as the words are out, and I puke all over my blanket.
Clark doesn’t shy away from me. In fact, he doesn’t even budge.
“Give me a facecloth and cold water.” He asks Ivor.
Ivor quickly obliges but kneels down on my other side. It looks like there might be a fight any moment over who gets to wash the puke off me. Then Clark stands down.
“I need to make a call.” Clark heads to the front door and slams it shut.
“Why did you call him?” I ask as Ivor gently wipes my face and chest down with the facecloth.
“He cares about you.” Ivor has no expression on his face. He diligently washes everything off of me and helps me to my feet. He walks me over to the bathroom and sits me down on a chair by the door, then brings my clothes over to me. “Don’t lock the door. I’ll be right outside if you need me.” He kissed my forehead and closes the door.
I let the heavy blanket fall to the floor. Cold chills roll through my body and goose pimples cover my skin. The cold feels good, and the dizziness and nausea take a break. I reach over to my pile of clothes and attempt to get dressed.
Their voices are low, and I can’t hear anything they are saying through the door. It’s motivation to get dressed quickly so I can mediate between the two of them. After I fumble getting everything on, I can stand without having to hold anything. Something pokes my side, and I remember the envelope in my pocket. I pull it out, hoping it will reveal my mission, but the paper is still blank. Was she just trying to get information from me?
I open the door to find the two of them sitting in the kitchen. Clark was bent over, his elbows resting on his knees with his head in his hands. Ivor slumps in his chair and his shirt is back on. I only catch their last words. “...it will be an all-out war.”
I’m standing beside them before they notice me.
“P.” Ivor stands up first. He grabs my arm and guides me over to a chair.
“It’s been five minutes since I puked.” My laugh comes out stale, and neither of them finds me funny.
“We need to leave.” Clark grabs his coat and holds his hand out for me to take.
I look at Ivor and hear Clark’s body let out a sigh. His hand falls to his side, and his head hangs low.
“I need to know what’s going on first. I’m not sitting around while you all decide what’s best for me.” I cross my arms and hold down what could be another puke – false alarm.
“The secret council is blaming the vampires for the deaths. We need time to figure out who is behind them. It’s not vampires.” Ivor says.
I switch my gaze to Clark to get his input.
“It’s not the vampires.” His voice is low. I hadn’t noticed until now how pale he was. Dark circles pool under his eyes.
I didn’t dare ask him if he was unwell in front of Ivor. But I couldn’t hide the concern from my face. Clark was ill, but from what. He was a wolf. His body could heal whatever ailment he had.
“How do I fit into all of this?” I ask Ivor.
He exchanges a look with Clark, and neither of them speaks.
“Enough of this protecting me bullshit. I need to know how I fit in.” I slam my fist on the table, surprising both of them.
“Your mystery blood,” Clark states without further explanation. “Please go to the car now. I need to speak to Ivor alone for a minute.”
Ivor is quick to nod in agreement with Clark, and I give in and stand up. My pounding head was no match for the screaming I was doing inside. I could get Clark to tell me more when we were alone if he still trusts me.
Ivor and Clark both grab an arm as soon as I stand up. For a moment, I think they may pull me apart like a wishbone. Ivor lets go, but his hand lingers on my side.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Ivor says as he lets go of me.
I nod and let Clark guide me to the door. As we reach the porch, I stop to face him. “I know seeing that was hard. I never meant...”
“I don’t want to talk about you and him.” He cuts me off and tries to get me to go down the stairs, but I don’t move.
“I never want to hurt you.” I blurt out. I had so many feelings bouncing around, but barely any words that made sense together. But I knew this to be true.
“Who said you did?” He puts his hand on the doorknob to go back into the house, “Please wait in the car.” His voice is bitter and with no kind of emotion.
I take the three steps down as tears roll down my cheeks. I face forward so he can’t see. As I reach the car, he presses the button to unlock it. I take my seat in the front and wait for him to come back.
I watch as he disappears into the cabin, watching the windows for any hint of their conversation. I wipe my eyes with my sleeve.
A knock on the side of my door scares the bejeebers out of me. I almost scream as Una opens my door.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, even more confused.
“Clark called me. Come with me.” She reaches in to take me by the arm, but I slide away from her.
“What do you mean? He just asked me to stay in the car.”
“No, he wants you to come with me.” Una’s voice is unusually forceful, like a child having
a tantrum. She pulls my arm, and I almost fall out of the car.
“Stop it!” I stay in the car, with the little strength that I still have.
“We don’t have time. Ivor can’t know where you are. Don’t blow up Clark’s plan.” Una's entire body wines when she finishes her sentence.
“I need a minute to think.” All I can think of are the words on the first magic letter I received. Trust no one.
We don’t have a minute, Penelope. She’s bouncing up and down now. I’m not sure if it’s from the night chill or her impatients.
He would have told me for sure on the porch if there was another plan. Maybe he was going to before I spoke to him. My head pounds with each thought, and a wave of nausea takes over. I bend out of the car and puke blood all over the ground, coming inches from Una’s pink leather boots.
“What the hell did they give you?” Una reaches in and places her arm under my armpits. She helps get me to my feet.
“Wait,” I lean back on the car and catch my breath from the strenuous workout. “Is Clark going to meet us?”
Una nods her head, but something about her response makes me doubt her. Something isn’t right.
“So this is his plan?” I ask again.
“I don’t have time for this.” Una grabs my arm and pulls me away from the car, her eyes are dark, and her voice is uncontrolled.
Something is wrong. I make myself fall to the ground, and I scream for Clark, but Una’s hand is suddenly over my mouth.
“Why can’t you just do as your told?” She reaches around and wraps her arm around my neck. “I said we need to go, and I’m not in the mood for one of your little tantrums.”
I fight back with my feet, kicking and scraping against the leaves and dead branches on the ground. Anything to make a noise that either Clark or Ivor would hear. Where is that supernatural hearing when I need it?
Una slips her other arm under me and has a firm grip as she pulls me off into the woods. I try my best to grab at anything within reach to stop her or slow her down. But I’m still very week from the vampire blood.
“Stop struggling.” She grunts and changes up her grip. She loosens just enough that I break free from her.
I run as fast as I can back to the car. I can see the cabin lights through the trees. I don’t understand why they can’t hear me. I trip over a branch and land hard on my stomach.
I flip over on my back, prepared to fight off Una, but she’s gone. I lay still and listen to all the surrounding noises. It’s quiet. I wait for a bit, then sit up.
“Arrrhhhh.” Una runs out with a thick branch in her hands and wallops me on the head, knocking me out.
Chapter 18
I try to open my eyes, but the bright lights create shooting pains. I attempt to move my arms to shield them, but they are tied down to my sides. I feel liquid running down the side of my cheek. It's thick and not runny, like tears. It takes a few seconds for me to realize it’s my blood. My forehead throbs, and my body aches. But it's not the vampire blood this time. It's the wack from Una.
I hear voices in the background. They are low and muffled, competing with the buzzing in my ears. I try to remain calm as the memories of being locked in the prison tied to a bed come flooding back. Had they found me and brought me back?
“I’ve done my part.” Una’s voice appears to get louder.
I force my eyes open and focus on the darkest area I can see. Una and several other people have surrounded me. I feel the edge of what they have laid me on, and it had to be a table of some sort. The edge is about an inch, and it’s hard.
“You have delivered.” An older woman with long white hair leans over and obstructs the light overhead of me. She looks at my wound with narrow eyes. “It’s time.”
“I want my money.” Una holds out her hand to the woman, but she ignores her. Her attention is on the noise off to the right of me.
It sounds like the banging of pots or something. Metal clashing together. Wheels rolling. It’s getting closer to us.
“I don’t want to be around for this,” Una says, as she shifts her weight from one foot to the other. Her head is facing the sound of the metal clashing.
As soon as the noise stops, the old woman's hand moves my sleeve up my arm. Her hand is ice cold. I flinch away from her, but the leather strap on my upper arm limits my movement.
“Una.” I plead as I try to make eye contact with her. Her eyes never look down on me.
“Don’t struggle.” The old woman says, her voice is not friendly or angry—just a matter of fact.
“Where am I?” I direct my question to her since Una ignores me.
“I’m afraid you have yourself wrapped up in a mess, Penelope.” The old lady reaches around to the metal machine and pulls it next to the table.
There’s an empty bag attached to a long pole. On the other side is a blood bag with a V written on the front in black sharpy. It looks like some medical machine. I lift my head to see past her to Una, but I only see a group of people off to the back of the room. They huddle in a group and watch us.
The old lady grabs my hand, and I try to fight her off, even though the top part of my arm is tied, “What are you doing?”
“What should have been done long ago.” She states, her tone is now cold. “They should have never allowed your type of supernatural to breathe one breath.”
A man comes from behind her and forces my hand down. I try to reach over with my free hand, but it’s no use. I have little leeway. My wrist is bound with a thick leather strap, and he moves to the other side of the table to secure my other wrist.
“Una! I know you’re here. I can smell you.” My voice is loud, and I try my best to break free, but I’m still so weak from the vampire blood. The coward doesn’t respond to my pleas.
I feel a jab as a needle enters my vein on my left side, then blood flows to the empty bag. The man puts another needle on my right side and connects the bag of blood to it. The smell and the V tell me it’s vampire blood.
As soon as it enters my veins and my own blood leaves my body, I puke. Waves of nausea roll through me as the vampire blood becomes my primary source. I can barely keep my eyes open as weakness sets in. My veins swell and burn as the blood takes over.
“It won’t be long now.” I faintly hear the old woman say from my side.
So, this is how it all ends? Stuck on a table in some dingy basement with a so-called friend watching in the background. Unsure of what I am still and loving vampires and a wolf. I let out a sigh and wait for the inevitable. With each passing second, I feel the life flowing out of me into the tube.
“Is her blood ready to transport?” Someone calls out from the corner to the old woman.
I make myself open my eyes for the last time to see her. I search for any remorse or empathy in her face, but she’s stone cold.
“Almost.” She stares into my eyes, waiting for the light to go out as she holds her hand up to whoever wanted my blood.
The door burst open, and I hear a commotion coming from behind the old woman. The high pitch screaming hurt my ears, and then I listen to a voice I know. They’ve come to save me.
“Stand back,” Ivor yells.
The old woman holds up her hands and steps away from me, “It’s too late.”
Hunter’s at my side first as Ivor handles the man that put the needles in me. The screams in the room die down. I’m trying my best to stay awake.
“I’m going to switch this P. Hang in there.” Hunter’s voice is soft in my ear.
Someone is quickly taking off all of my restraints. I don’t have enough energy to open my eyelids anymore as the vampire blood takes over.
“How do we switch this?” I could swear I hear Arthur’s voice in a panic.
“Here,” Finley calls out, and I hear clicking noises around me.
My breathing becomes shallow, and it takes every effort I have for each one. My head is foggy, and every inch of me is calling out in pain. My muscles twitch, and my veins throb.<
br />
“It’s reversed, Penelope. Hang in there.” Finley is at my head, and his arm wraps around me. His lips kiss the side of my face before he rests his forehead on mine. “We’re going to get you out of this. You just need to keep going until more of your blood is back inside of you.”
I manage a slight nod to reassure him I’m not wanting to go anywhere. His breath on my cheeks makes me want to fight harder.
“I’m not leaving you’re side.” He whispers in my ear.
“It's working.” I hear Arthurs voice. “The vampire blood bag is filling up.”
“Not much longer,” Finley whispers.
“How will we know if it gets rid of just the vampire blood?” Ivor asks, and I feel his hand wrap around mine.
I feel a jolt of energy, it doesn’t last long, but there’s a switch inside my body. I attempt to lift my fingers off the table, and it takes little effort. I open my eyes and see all the brothers around the table.
“Penelope?” Ivor touches my cheek as I move my head to see him. His eyes are watery, and he tries to hide that from his brother.
“It’s working.” I push the words out. My throat is raw and red.
“Did they get her blood?” I hear Clark ask as he enters the room. He rushes to my side. His eyes are large, and his mouth drops when he sees my condition.
“No.” Hunter says, “but they pumped her full of vampire blood.”
Clark shakes his head as he sees the surrounding restraints. “How did this happen? You were just supposed to go to the car.”
“Una.” I use all my extra energy to get her name out.
All the boy's glance to the back of the room, where the group of people are being handcuffed and led out of the room.
“I didn’t see her when we came in,” Ivor says to the group.
I take a big breath in as I feel my body heal, and the pain lessens. I creak my neck to the side to get a view of Clark, who stands back from the table as the Stanton boys surround me. His face is still pale, and his eyes are red.
“Clark.” I take my hand from Ivor and reach out to Clark.
Millwood Academy - First Term Page 11
