Glen’s smile slightly faltered as he glanced over at Deb in surprise. Deb slowly grinned then looked over at Dahlia as she scrutinized her face.
She recognized her mistake. She wasn’t the subdued Dahlia that she normally was. Her being all smiles would only raise a red flag to the parental units. She glanced over at Sam who was staring at her with a smirk. He also picked up on her mistake.
The only thing she could do was flee.
She stood up from her seat abruptly, grabbed her backpack off the floor, and walked over to Sam as she motioned with a hand for him to get up.
“I forgot, I have to get to school early,” Dahlia blurted out quickly as she thought up an excuse on the spot. “I have to meet up with another student for a project.”
She walked toward the door, Sam lazily following suit.
“Oh, another student? What’s the name?” Deb’s voice carried through from the kitchen.
She stopped short of the door, realizing her second mistake as her eyes widened in dismay. She had never mentioned anybody from school and her meeting up with a student, anyone for that matter, would make Deb want to bake her dreadful cookies.
She really liked to bake.
“Ava,” Her name was the first name she could think of as she slid on her shoes. Hands on the doorknob, she looked back toward the kitchen door to see both Deb and Glen giving her huge grins.
“You should invite her over sometime.” Deb nodded over at Glen then looked back at Dahlia as she clapped her hands together. “I’ll bake cookies.”
“Ava?” Sam scrunched up his face in concentration as he gave his head a scratch. “I don’t know of any Ava.”
“Sure,” Dahlia ignored his comment as she turned the doorknob and grinned back at Deb. Then she gave Sam a deathly stare once Deb’s head was turned. As she waved goodbye, she quickly walked toward the passenger side of the car and waited for Sam to approach. He automatically opened the doors, Dahlia grasping the handle as she slid into the car, slamming the door shut. Sam did the same in return, buckling up his seatbelt and starting the vehicle.
“Why are your parents so damn chipper this morning?” Their smiles were driving Dahlia mad.
Sam grinned identically to his mother’s but then it quickly left his face as he drove away from the house. He stared off into the distance in front of him, not looking at her. “Are you good?”
Dahlia glanced over at him, the light mood changing as she remembered last night and all the pain she had felt. She nodded. “Yes, I’m good.”
Sam stayed quiet for a moment as he concentrated on the roads. Then he spoke again, curiosity in his voice. “Who’s Ava?”
Dahlia startled by her name brought up to her. “Who?”
“Ava.” Sam glanced over at her quickly then returned his eyes ahead. “You mentioned her earlier to the parents.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say. With the way that Ava acted, she would think that he’d know who she was. But it was probably for the best. Ava’s disappearance was bizarre and Dahlia didn’t want Sam involved in any of the strangeness as of late. She might let him in on things once she knew what was going on herself. “Ava’s nobody. It’s just a name I thought of on the spot. I’m not actually meeting up with anybody this morning.”
“I figured as much…”
Dahlia hit him roughly on the arm then made a face at him. He just laughed in return as she glanced back at him. “Listen, Sam. You can head on home without me, okay?”
He raised his eyebrow up at her. “You don’t want me to wait for you?”
She shook her head. “No. I have to do some research at the library. I might be pretty late so I’ll just walk home.” She hoped the lie in her voice wasn’t too apparent, although she was telling the truth.
Just omitting the whole Greyson thing.
“Alright,” Sam said as he glanced over at her from the corner of his eyes. “Just don’t take the scenic route like last time, okay? The park should hopefully be done by then.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Her gaze shifted to the forest in question beside her as it filled up her view. She really had no idea what was in store for her today.
“Sure.”
They made it to school and now Dahlia had to go through the process of waiting. The day seriously could not have been any longer. Each period seemed to drag on even longer than the last and she was getting restless by the moment. As the last bell finally rang, she sighed in relief and packed up her things from her desk, rushing toward her locker. Only taking the essentials, such as her phone and small purse, she left everything else in her locker then took the stairs up to the library. Opening the doors, she walked past rows and rows of stacked bookshelves until she was at the back of the library where the tables were located. They were all empty so she sat down at the table closest to the window where she could easily see the front of the school. She looked out the window as she waited in anticipation for their meeting.
She sat there for what seemed like hours. It got dark and apprehension seeped into Dahlia’s mind as she took a deep breath. For a moment, she thought he wouldn’t even show but then she saw a lone figure standing in front of the school.
Greyson.
Dodging out from her seat, Dahlia rushed out of the library and down the stairs until she was at the front of the building. Pushing the doors open, she stopped suddenly as she saw him standing a few feet away from her. He didn’t move, just continued to stare at her with those blinding green eyes of his. She slowly approached him then stood directly in front of him until they were only inches away from each other.
He reached out a hand for her to take.
“Ready?”
She looked down as his outstretched hand then tentatively placed hers in his. At the instant contact, Dahlia felt a rush build in the pit of her stomach, her body literally hauled from one dimension to another. She suddenly found herself in the forest in front of a small cabin with Greyson beside her. Her phone and purse was still in her other hand, the purse dangling wildly at the crease of her elbow.
“What just happened?” She whispered the words under her breath as she stood in shock, still holding Greyson’s hand tightly with her own, almost cutting off his circulation. The world spun before her as her stomach did somersaults.
Greyson ignored her question and just looked down at their entwined hands, a mix of golden caramel against her pale skin. He then stared down into her face as if analyzing her. She slowly blushed deeply by the attention he was giving her but she couldn’t look away from him.
“You smell like strawberries,” he muttered without warning, his mouth forming a frown.
Dahlia’s eyes widened as she reddened even further. Before she could even respond, Greyson motioned toward the cabin as if he had never even uttered those words. “Welcome to my home—for now.” He walked toward the small house and Dahlia had no choice but to follow. It was the same cabin she had seen him near the night before.
She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried not to faint from the dizziness, whether it was from the quick ride or Greyson’s earlier words. Calming herself, she reluctantly took one step in front of the other as she walked behind him into the house, hand still clutched tightly in his. She knew with the decision to walk over the threshold that her life would change forever.
As she entered, the door banged shut behind her causing Dahlia to jump from his grasp. On edge in these unknown surroundings, she asked the question that was on her mind. “How did I get here?”
Greyson stood with his back facing her as she saw him sigh heavily. Without thinking, she walked closer to him and lightly touched his back, causing him to freeze in surprise. He turned around so they stood looking at one another, neither revealing their emotions except for the slight clench seen in his jaw.
“I have a right to know, Grey
son.” Dahlia gazed intently into his eyes as she said this, determination in her voice.
He slowly nodded as he continued to stare at her then turned his head. “Maddox, come here.”
At the command, a figure came out of the shadows, surprising Dahlia. He was big and burly, almost like a huge teddy bear with muscles. He was the same man Greyson had been talking to within the forest, his ears and face decorated with piercings that gave him an edge. She glanced up as she noticed the polite smile he had on his face, as if welcoming.
But she didn’t like the way he was gawking at her.
Greyson nodded toward Maddox. “Scram, will you?”
His brown eyes finally shifted away from Dahlia to settle on Greyson. “Why do you get to have all the fun?”
“Knock it off, Maddox.” Greyson had a look of irritation on his face.
Maddox continued in an almost singsong voice as he teased Greyson. “If someone knew about this, that someone would be severely pissed.”
Greyson gave him a deathly glare, which quieted him down instantly. Maddox then glanced over at Dahlia as he mumbled under his breath, “I’ll be going now.” And like Greyson did last night, he quickly disappeared before her eyes.
She was almost becoming used to these vanishing acts. She warily stared back at Greyson as she motioned with her hand at the spot where Maddox just stood seconds ago. “Is that what we just did?”
He glanced over to the empty spot and just nodded.
Dahlia slowly nodded her head in understanding. “Okay. Wow,” she sighed then deeply breathed through her nose, pinching the bridge of it as she tried not to pass out from the knowledge. “Care to share?”
Greyson ignored her question and walked further into the cabin where he sat on a worn-out gray couch. Feeling out of place, she awkwardly followed him then cautiously sat next to him. Clasping her hands in her lap, she glanced over at Greyson, waiting for him to speak. As she waited, she gazed at his profile, admiring the strength of his jaw line compared to how soft his lips looked. He was simply gorgeous.
Even his eyelashes were longer than hers.
“This is not the way it was supposed to happen.” Greyson cleared his throat as he wiped the invisible sweat off his forehead.
Dahlia turned her head and she unexpectedly locked eyes with him. Then she mirrored his comment, speaking slowly. “What is not the way it was supposed to happen?”
He suddenly broke his gaze away from her and stared straight ahead.
“You. Being here. Now. None of that was supposed to happen. It’s too soon. I was supposed to keep a distance, but I guess I’m not as strong as I thought I was,” he commented roughly. He said the last part as if chastising himself.
“What’s too soon? Stop talking in circles and let me know what’s going on!” The frustration in her voice was apparent.
He nodded in agreement. “That’s fair. Okay.” He looked at her once more. “Where do you want to begin?”
There were so many questions she wanted answers. She thought back earlier to the blond man, Maddox. “Your friend, Maddox. Is he…dangerous?”
Greyson chuckled lightly but his eyes weren’t smiling. “Don’t worry about Maddox. He’s harmless. He always does what I say. He just has a lot of energy.”
Dahlia wiped the corner of her face as she ignored his last comment. “Okay. Then how about what he just said? About making someone angry that I was here.”
“Don’t worry that pretty, little head of yours.” She began to see that dodging the subject seemed to be Greyson’s thing.
“I thought you said you’d answer my questions. I’m not some little…doll that you have to protect.” She shot daggers at him, wondering why she even bothered to come.
Greyson closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again as he looked over at her regretfully. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“I saw him with you in the forest that night. How do you know him?”
“Maddox and I have known each other forever. We’re close in that sense. Our paths are traveling in the same direction.” He stared intently at her.
“And that path led us here to you.”
Dahlia looked up at him. “You’re really confusing me, Greyson. You think you can start from the beginning?”
He took a deep breath as if that was the most difficult question ever asked.
Perhaps it was.
He tapped his foot and ran his hands through his hair. It was probably the only instance in the short time that they knew each other that he looked hesitant.
“I guess the only way to start is from the beginning,” Greyson muttered under his breath then started speaking again as he looked over at Dahlia. “What if I told you there was more to the world than just…human beings,” he whispered. “Would you believe me?”
Dahlia bit the inside of her lip as she focused on his words. She wanted to deny everything he was saying but she thought back to everything that has been going on in her life until now. How all the strangeness seemed emphasized by Greyson’s sheer presence.
She gave a small smile, looking directly into his eyes. “You’re not an alien, are you?” she asked jokingly. She didn’t want to admit it but she was somewhat fearful on what he would say.
Greyson’s serious face broke into a grin as he chuckled. “No, Dahlia. There are no aliens here.” She breathed a sigh of relief but observed his face, serious once more, as he began to speak.
“My great-great-great (give or take a few greats) grandfather was named Alexander. He grew up in a time that was very different from the way it is now. He lived in a place where order was the way of life and any deviation from that was dealt with by force. It was a hierarchy of sorts with Alexander, along with Maddox’s great-great-great-grandfather, falling somewhere in the middle. They didn’t like the way things were and, as a result, a war broke out, many forced out of their homes. Alexander included. He had to live in a new world that seemed to no longer have any rules. With no rules, chaos ensued.”
Dahlia listened in fascination at Greyson’s words. It seemed like he was telling a fairytale of ancient times.
Greyson continued. “Everyone who was casted out began to live comfortably, beyond their means. They took whatever they wanted and didn’t care about anyone else but their own foolish desires. Regardless of what they had, they still had anger toward the one being that took them away from their homes in the first place. Because of him, they now had to reside with people that they despised, people that they thought were beneath them, and the reason for the conflict from the start. So Alexander and his comrades took things into their own hands,” Greyson paused as if catching his breath.
Dahlia was unable to stop herself from asking, “How so?”
He made a slightly uncomfortable face then continued. “They created a race of beings to take root in the land and wipe out these hated people, the first inhabitants.”
“What? How?” Okay, this was definitely beginning to sound like some sort of horror story.
He ignored her and continued. “Alexander and everyone were ruthless. Selfish. They wanted those first inhabitants eliminated at all cost. Through the use of their powers, the lapsus created these new beings. These beings did what they were told to do, to an extent, but became too difficult to manage.”
He paused as he licked his lips, his green eyes shining brightly as he stared at her. “And in the end, it was all for nothing. The very townsfolk that they hated were the ones Alexander and everyone else needed in order for them to survive in the end. So to prevent any further killings of the first inhabitants, they set out to destroy the very thing they created.”
Dahlia chewed on her bottom lip as she sat next to him, taking in everything that Greyson had just said. Then she thought of everything since she first met him. “That was a great story you told.
Seems sort of out of context, but I gather it’s the root of why I’m here.”
“You’d be correct in assuming that.”
Dahlia turned so she was facing him directly. “Would you mind telling me exactly what it is you are? Because you, Greyson, are definitely not from around these parts.”
He didn’t blink at her comment, green eyes boring straight into hers. “Now what makes you think that?”
She began to feel nervous, her heart rate increasing as she rubbed her suddenly clammy hands together. She took a deep, shaky breath and continued. “You have gifts—”
“Only you would call them gifts.”
“You can show up without me hearing you then flash out without a trace.” Dahlia said this remembering the first time they had met.
“Flash?” Greyson made a face at her description. “I guess you could call it that.”
Dahlia ignored him as she continued. “You can read people’s mind. And according to you, so can I.”
“Yes,” he whispered.
“You know about my scar. Something I’ve hidden from everybody.” She surprisingly reached behind and touched Greyson in the same spot that he had on her the night before. She felt the slight ridge of his scar beneath his shirt as she whispered, still in awe, as she rubbed the pad of her finger against him. “And you really have one too.” She shook her head in fascination.
Greyson quickly grasped Dahlia’s wrist in his hands, almost aggressively, preventing her from continuing her touch. He then seemed to rethink his actions, gently cradling her hand in his, using his thumb to caress the inside of her palm. Her hand tingled where he held her and she looked from where they touched to directly into his eyes. His gaze was so intense that she couldn’t even blink, couldn’t break contact.
Dahlia (Blood Crave Series) Page 11
