by Last, K. A.
I let myself be led through the school. I couldn’t tell you who was there I was so out of it. Someone, Archer I think, lifted me onto a hard bed that smelled of disinfectant. The pillow rustled under my head and I felt the weight of a blanket over me.
“She’s in shock,” a voice said. “She’ll need you more than ever. Best friends weren’t they?”
I didn’t know who was talking. My eyes were squeezed tightly shut, and I’d blocked all further thought from my mind. I went to a place deep inside myself to hide from the outside world. Why Emma? Please not Emma.
When I woke it felt like a terrible dream. Josh jumped up from his chair by the bed and stroked my hair, his touch was tender, comforting. My eyes fell on Archer and Charlotte, and then Ryan. That’s when I knew I wasn’t dreaming. The nightmare was real. His face was harrowed and I think he’d cried enough tears for all of us ten times over.
Josh tried to help me up, but I gave him one firm shake of my head. He sat back down and waited. I felt dizzy with emotion and grief. It was hard to stand, but I did. Slowly, I walked the few steps across the room to Ryan. He rose from his chair and stared into my eyes.
“Why didn’t you call me the minute you knew?”
“Go easy, Grace, we’re all upset,” Archer said.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” I shouted.
“I’m sorry,” Ryan whispered, “the last hour has been a bit of a blur.”
“No.” I swiped a tear from my cheek. “It’s not you I should be angry at.” I hugged Ryan tightly. I couldn’t tell you how long we stood there holding each other. It’s as if time stood still.
Grace, I heard Archer calling me. We need to find out what happened.
I pulled away from Ryan. “I don’t want to know. She’s dead. Emma is gone, so what does it matter?”
The door to the room squeaked open and Miss Miller, the school nurse, stuck her head through. I was in the school sick room, and suddenly I wanted to be anywhere but there.
“Grace dear, you’re up,” she said, looking at everyone in the room before turning back to me. “I’m terribly sorry about your friend, if you’re feeling well enough the school has assembled in the yard, although you are quite welcome to stay here if you like.”
Before I could reply, Miss Miller left. The door closed with a soft click. The last thing I felt like doing was facing everyone, but I couldn’t stay in that stuffy room either. I bet Seth had something to do with what happened. The thought of seeing him made me cringe.
I opened the door and walked out, knowing the others would follow. I knew my silence was rude and bitchy, but it’s not every day your best friend dies. They’d just have to deal with it.
The yard was in complete chaos; those who weren’t crying wore worried expressions. The faculty was lined up on the steps talking amongst themselves, and Mr Gerard, Hopetown Valley’s headmaster, appeared to be rather ruffled around the edges.
Josh, Archer and Charlotte stayed near me, but I paid them no attention as I scanned the crowd for Seth. He leant against the cafeteria wall flanked by Ivan and Blake. When I caught his gaze it took an enormous amount of strength for me not to look away. I angrily swiped at my wet eyes.
Seth’s jaw was set; his face stern. I recoiled at the thoughts he assaulted me with. He managed to give me a complete overview of what happened to Emma in less than five seconds. The next thing I knew I was sitting on the ground, replaying what Seth had forced me to see over and over in my mind.
Emma walked through the gate of the school cemetery towards the graves, and I wanted to scream to her, to tell her to come back, but it was no use. What was she doing there? With a blur of movement she was thrown to the ground. Seth must have been somewhere, watching, as his memory showed Matthew standing over Emma. I tried to blink away the image in my head, but I couldn’t get rid of it. Matthew leant down and picked her up, her eyes wide with fear. She screamed but the sound turned to a gurgle as he clamped a hand over her mouth. His fangs glistened in the moonlight and he bit her.
I got to my feet and tried to run to save her. The sound of more screams reverberated in my head and I felt someone’s arms around me. The last thing I saw from Seth was Emma’s lifeless eyes as she hung limply in Matthew’s arms. Everything went dark, and all I wanted to do was run.
“Grace,” Archer yelled at me. Then I felt the sting of his palm across my face. I stopped struggling and his features came into focus, the darkness fading away.
“Did you just slap me?”
“You wouldn’t stop screaming.”
My back was pressed against something cool, and I turned to see Charlotte holding me. I saw Josh keeping a safe distance and I didn’t blame him. To everyone else it probably looked like I’d gone crazy, and my little performance had quite an audience. Mr Gerard, along with Mr Bruner, was making his way through the crowd. Miss Miller also appeared and advised Archer to take me home.
Seth was nowhere in sight.
“Please, everyone, calm down,” Mr Gerard bellowed while Archer put his arm around me. “Parents are in the process of being notified of recent events.”
Emma’s death had now become an event. I felt sick.
“Classes for the day have been cancelled,” Mr Gerard continued. “Boarders, please don’t stray too far from the dorms. Day students, you may go home.”
Well gee, that was a nice gesture, considering someone just died.
“The police are looking into the situation,” Mr Bruner added. “If anyone has any information we request that you please come forward.”
“Mr Tate,” a gentle voice said, “I suggest you help your sister to the car.” It was Miss Miller. I think I’d been leaning against Archer again and would have fallen over if he wasn’t there. With his arm around my waist he led me towards the gate and out to the car. My entire body felt numb.
“Where’s Josh?” I asked in a panic.
“I’m right here, Grace.” He slipped his arm around me, too. Archer pressed the button on the car key and it beeped as the door lock popped up.
“Ryan! Where is he?” My eyes darted around and I found him standing with Charlotte under one of the Moreton Bay figs. A shiver ran through me. She had adopted her statuesque pose; he was wringing his hands together and staring at the ground.
“We have to tell him,” I said to the boys.
They looked at me as if I’d gone completely mad.
“Grace, you can’t be serious. You’re in shock. You’re not thinking straight.”
“Do not patronise me, Archer Henry Tate. I think he has a right to know.”
Charlotte slowly nodded. She’d been listening and agreed with me. I think Archer would find it hard to argue with her. She gently put her hand on Ryan’s back and led him over to the car.
“You want me to come to Grace’s place?” Ryan stared at Josh, confused. “But I go home on the weekends, and you’re not supposed to leave the school without permission.”
“I don’t think we’ll be missed. If it makes you feel better I’ll call your parents and tell them you’re with me. I was going to ring Dad anyway.” Josh pulled out his phone to make the calls. I leant against the car, feeling extremely tired, and closed my eyes.
“I’m really sorry, Grace,” Charlotte said, putting her cool hand on my arm.
I felt a little better, surrounded by people who loved me, but how was I supposed to survive this? I’d faced death, lost loved ones and fought the powers of evil, but since leaving Heaven I never thought I would again face losing my best friend. I was afraid the memories alone would destroy me. I knew I could live forever, but losing Emma made me feel dead inside.
TWENTY-THREE
JOSH
My dad’s voice was so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “Are you crazy, the answer is no. I’m coming to get you right now.”
“Dad, calm down,” I said. I’d been trying to convince him I was fine and not in any danger—if only that were true. “She needs me.”
“Wh
o, Abby, I thought you two were breaking up?”
He obviously wasn’t listening. Why did all coherent thought go out the window when you mention someone died? Ok, that was probably a very stupid question.
“Would you just listen? Her name is Grace, and her best friend just died. I need to be here.”
“How on earth did she die, Josh? I want you home. I’ve already lost your Mother; I can’t lose you, too.”
“Dad…” That hit a nerve. So far I’d been as strong as I could, but I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes. I rubbed my face and paced in front of Grace’s car. “I can’t abandon her when she needs me.” I stopped and smiled at her.
“When did you start seeing this girl?”
“Would you just say yes already! Her house is ten minutes down the road. We’ll be safer there than here.” Grace cringed, probably because I was shouting. The silence on the other end of the phone was making me nervous. “Dad?”
“Ok, I’ll call the school and tell them I’m picking you up. But you call me twice a day, Josh. And don’t do anything stupid.”
“I won’t, Dad. Thanks.” I ended the call before he could protest any further. Next, we needed to get Ryan’s parents on side. My best friend looked utterly shattered, and it made me want to cry. He actually looked worse than Grace. But Grace was a tough girl, and I’m sure she’d seen things far more terrible in her life time.
Ryan had spoken to his parents during the week. He’d told them all about Emma and how they were seeing each other. Because he was a five-day boarder he should have been going home for the weekend, and he was trying to convince his mum to let him spend it with me. Mrs Pierce was a little apprehensive—Ryan was her baby being the youngest of three boys, and she was just reacting like every other parent would. I could see Ryan getting frustrated, so I grabbed the phone and got in her ear a bit, assuring her Grace’s place would be safe.
“Yes, Mrs Pierce … no one is sure yet how Emma died … the police are looking into it.”
She finally agreed to let Ryan come with me. “Well, I suppose you could do more for him than I could right now,” she said. “Just stay safe.”
“Thanks Mrs Pierce. Ryan will call you twice a day when I call Dad.”
I put my phone back in my pocket, glad we would all be together. Maybe it would make it easier to tell Ryan the truth. I really hoped he would take things as well as I did.
“I’m just going to grab us some stuff,” I said.
“I’ll come,” Charlotte said, quietly.
Grace stiffened.
“Just some clothes for the weekend, we’ll only be a minute,” I said, kissing her on the cheek.
We stopped at the bottom of the girls’ dorm stairs and Charlotte went to say something, but stopped. Her beautiful face twisted through many different expressions before she let out a frustrated groan. I offered her a sympathetic smile. Most people would think sympathising with a vampire was stupid, but most people didn’t believe in vampires, or know Charlotte. She was the quietest, sweetest, friendliest person I’d ever met. Sure, she could rip your head off, but just because you can do something doesn’t mean you will. Over the past five days we’d all grown close, and what she said next nearly shattered me.
“I have to leave.”
“What? No, you can’t. We need you.”
“No, you don’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m the last thing you need. I’m the reason we’re in this mess.”
“Have any of us said this is your fault? We made a choice. Grace made a choice that changed the path of her entire existence; you can’t just walk away.”
“You’ll be safer without me, and no one will be chasing you. It’s me they want.”
“Like hell if I’m going to let you do this, Charlotte.”
“If only you knew the truth, then all you’d want is for me to leave.”
“What? No, I’d never…”
“Goodbye, Josh.” She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and ran up the stairs.
How was I going to tell Grace, and Archer? When I got to my room I grabbed my bag and threw in a few T-shirts and some jeans. Then I went to Ryan’s room and did the same. Grace would not be happy, I wasn’t even sure if she could handle it after losing Emma. On the way back I hoped Charlotte would be waiting for me, but she wasn’t there.
When I reached the car I avoided the questioning looks from my friends. I yanked the door open, threw my bag onto the back seat, and then slammed it shut.
“Where’s Charlotte?” Archer asked, scanning the sea of people still milling around.
“She’s not coming.”
“What did you say?” Archer’s eyes darkened.
“She’s not coming,” Grace repeated.
“You knew?” I asked. “Of course you knew; you know everything. You seem to be taking it well.”
“Not everything,” she whispered.
Archer made to go after Charlotte. I didn’t blame him; I wanted to shake some sense into her, too.
“Arch, don’t,” Grace said, grabbing his arm. “Charlotte is trying to do the right thing. She’ll be back.”
“No, I can’t let her do this. They’ll find her.”
“Arch…”
Grace held him firm and he eventually gave in. He didn’t appear to be too happy—I know I wasn’t.
The four of us watched the school for a while, giving Charlotte time to come back, but she didn’t. Parents came to collect their kids, and some had a few words to say to the teachers. One mum was practically yelling at Mr Gerard. He ended up asking a nearby police officer to escort her back to her car.
Two police cruisers, followed by a forensics truck, came through the gate. The driver of the first car spoke to Mr Gerard before leading the convoy out of the school. I watched more tears silently roll down Grace’s cheeks and pulled her close. Now was probably a good time to leave. I opened the passenger door and helped Grace into the car. Once we were all in, Archer made his way out onto the road. He glanced back a few times, probably looking for Charlotte.
The bright afternoon sunlight shone into the clearing, and Archer parked the defender under the carport. None of us really knew what to say. I felt lost. Where did we go from here? Ryan had never been to the shed, but I think he was too preoccupied to notice anything around him. I hoped the shock of telling him the truth wouldn’t tip him over the edge. He seemed to be teetering rather close, and he could go either way. It wasn’t every day you woke up to discover your girlfriend was dead, and I could sympathise. I felt like I was balancing on the edge myself. Emma’s death brought back memories I didn’t particularly want to face, and I wondered whether the truth even mattered now Charlotte was gone, too.
TWENTY-FOUR
GRACE
Friday Afternoon
My best friend was dead, her boyfriend was almost catatonic, and my brother’s almost girlfriend, who happened to be a vampire, just walked away. Gee, life was good. Josh surprisingly seemed like the only stable one left.
I’d known about Charlotte’s decision to leave since we first learnt of Emma’s death. I knew she felt responsible, and I didn’t blame her, but I was angry at her for leaving. I was where I was at that exact moment because of her, and I wasn’t going to let her get away with it. After everything I’d been through, I refused to let her get herself killed. I needed to think, so I walked to the mouth of the path that led into the forest. Josh started to follow, but Archer held him back.
Please, just give me a little time, Arch.
As long as you come back.
You know I will.
With a heavy sigh I veered off the path and walked west, towards the setting sun. I took out my phone and dialled Emma’s home number. After about ten rings it went to the answering machine, so I left a message. The Shrove’s were probably busy with all sorts of horrible stuff. In a way I was glad I didn’t have to talk to them. It would have been hard not to cry.
I picked my way through the bracken fern and didn’t stop until I f
ound what I was searching for. The low sandstone wall, about as high as my knees, was mostly hidden by undergrowth and stained with moss and dirt. Two rows of graves lay in front of the Tate family mausoleum, which looked like a small old sandstone church. I hadn’t set foot inside the decaying building for quite some time, and it was a place I very rarely visited. The ruins of the old cemetery would become lost eventually; Archer and I were the last who knew of its existence. No one else had a hope in finding it anyway, as it was protected by an enchantment. Only those with Tate blood in their veins could find it and bring others.
The moment I stepped over the wall the flood gates to all my earthly memories opened. I was sad because I knew it was the end of the line; I would never protect another Tate. Archer was the last. Even if he married and had children, I would not be reborn as one of them.
The graves were covered by tangled plants and moss. My brothers, my parents, the entire family line was laid out before me. Now I knew why I hardly ever visited, it was way too depressing. The freshest grave in the family plot—and the last in the row—was Pa’s. So much had happened since he’d left over a year ago. How I wished he was still around. Pa always knew how to fix things, even if they didn’t need fixing. He was like a father to me and I missed him terribly. I brushed the dirt and debris from his headstone then sat cross legged on the cool ground. After everything this week had handed me, I felt I needed some guidance.
“What have I done, Pa?” I put my face in my hands. The tears took over for the hundredth time that day.
I wasn’t expecting an answer, so I was surprised when the trees rustled and a breeze tickled my neck. With a smile I watched as leaves danced across the ground. The cool air of dusk warmed as the gentle wind returned to where I was sitting. Anyone who wasn’t an angel probably would have died from a heart attack at this point, or maybe fainted, but I couldn’t restrain my joy. Pa stood near his grave, the air now still. He was dressed in his pale blue overalls and checked flannelette shirt, the sleeves rolled up, just how I remembered. His form was transparent which meant he didn’t have much time. Once in Heaven, spirits weren’t supposed to return to earth, and it baffled me how he was here.
