Family is Forever

by Stephens, S. C.

  At the end of the night, only my family and closest friends were left in the house. Trey and Raquel were hidden away in Nika’s old bedroom, heavily making out from the sounds of it. From the look on Dad’s face as he periodically glanced upstairs, they wouldn’t be tucked away for long. Hunter and Nika were sitting together on the couch, holding hands while they discussed their future plans. Like the rest of us, they were going to Montana. Hunter didn’t want to stay at the ranch though. He was trying to convince Nika to go to night school with him. “It’s a chance at a normal life,” he kept telling her. Personally, I thought it was a great idea. I wanted my sister to have the college experience, even if it wasn’t a typical one.

  Starla and Jacen were laughing together in the kitchen. They were both slowly recovering from what had been done to them. Every day, a little more light shone in their eyes. Jake and Simon chatted with my parents about the league while Arianna and I watched a movie after cleaning up the copious amounts of plastic cups left behind by the partygoers. It was all so…normal, and I loved every second of it. My life simply couldn’t get any better.

  It was only a few weeks later, a few nights after my birthday, that I realized how wrong I was. My life could indeed get better. I was hanging out with Trey one afternoon when I got the text that changed everything. Of course, I didn’t realize it at the time.

  “That was weird,” I said, putting my phone back in my pocket.

  “What was weird?” Trey replied, busy on his own phone. With Raquel, most likely. The two of them could barely go five minutes without talking to each other. I’d never seen Trey so hung up on a girl before. It was weird, but cool. Actually, the most shocking thing about Trey and Raquel’s relationship was the fact that Trey was keeping his word about our family secret; he hadn’t told Raquel a damn thing about what we really were.

  Smiling at my loyal, lovesick friend, I relayed the message I’d just received. “Simon just texted me. He says everything with my parents is all set.” My smile shifted to a frown. “And I have no idea what that means.”

  Trey’s face lit up like I’d just told him I’d won the lottery. “Oh man, don’t you remember?” When it was obvious I didn’t, Trey shot to his feet and started bouncing on his toes. “Sex, man! That’s what it means!”

  A tinge of horror crept up my spine. “Simon is helping my parents have sex? Because they have a soundproof door…I don’t think they need his help. And God, I really wish I hadn’t just had that thought.” The image was so strong, I had to close my eyes and shake my head to get rid of it.

  Trey thumping me on the shoulder caused my eyes to flash open. “No, Dude. He’s helping you have sex. You and Arianna. Remember? He said he’d get your parents out of the house for you, and it looks like he has!” Trey brought his hands to his chest, over his heart, then swiped an imaginary tear from his eye. “I am so proud of what you’re about to do, dude.”

  My heart started thudding so hard in my chest, I was sure my parents could hear it, even though they were at home and Trey and I were at the park. “Oh…uh…I see. Cool.”

  Trey looked irritated by my lack of enthusiasm. “Why are you not stoked right now? You should be calling Arianna and telling her the plan.”

  With as casual a smile as I could muster, I said, “I am stoked…I’m just not sure if now is a good time for us. I’m not sure if we’re ready.”

  “You two couldn’t possibly get any readyier, dude.” Trey’s bemused expression turned understanding as he tucked his phone into his pocket. “I get it, you’re scared, but it’s not a big deal. Your body totally takes over. It’s like eating or sleeping, you just know how to do it. And besides, we’re leaving at the end of summer. This could be your last chance, Julian. You have to do it!”

  I raised an eyebrow at his absurd remark. “She’s coming with us to Montana, remember? And we’re going to be together a lot in the dorms, with my parents far, far away…so Arianna and I will have lots of time to…catch up on things.”

  Trey frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, but this could be your last chance to do it here. And you already missed sex on your birthday. Missing this too would just be…sacrilege.” He cringed like he was genuinely pained by the thought.

  I laughed at him, then pulled my phone out of my pocket again. God…were we ready? I’d always been so positive that we were, and seriously annoyed that my parents had never allowed us the opportunity to take it that far, but now that a genuine opportunity had been neatly placed in my lap…I wasn’t so sure. Maybe I’d only felt positive that we were ready because deep down I’d known it couldn’t happen. And then again, maybe Trey was right, and I was just overthinking this. It was Arianna after all, and I loved her. So much.

  Smiling, I texted Simon back and asked him what night my parents were going to be “occupied”. After he told me to make plans for Friday, I texted my girlfriend. ‘My parents are going to be gone Friday night. Want to come over? We’ll be completely alone.’

  I hoped that didn’t sound too forward. Or pushy. I wanted Arianna to be ready for this too, and if she wasn’t, that was totally fine. We’d wait. I’d wait as long as necessary for her. Holding my breath, I waited for her response. When she gave it, I let out a long, stuttered exhale.

  ‘Good! I’ve been wanting to be completely alone with you for a long time now. I love you. I can’t wait to be yours.’

  I turned to Trey with a dopey smile plastered on my face. Trey started laughing, and I knew I looked completely moronic. “Ha ha!” he exclaimed. “A-man is about to get laid!”

  FRIDAY NIGHT TOOK forever to get here, and the entire time I was waiting, I was positive my parents were going to take one look at me and know something was up. I half expected them to cancel on Simon and stay home. Or get me a babysitter. But both options were ridiculous, and I hoped they realized that. I was eighteen. An adult. And they could leave me alone in the house so I could have sex with my girlfriend. Not that I was going to tell them about that part.

  I didn’t relax until Mom and Dad said goodnight and shut the door, and even then, I didn’t really calm down. I was too nervous. Arianna and I had waited so long that I’d sort of built up the moment in my head. If I didn’t mellow out, I was definitely going to disappoint Arianna. Hopefully, she wasn’t expecting too much.

  When I was certain my parents were gone for the night, I texted Arianna and let her know the coast was clear. She responded that she was on her way and my heart started racing. Oh God…this was it. Moment of truth.

  Twenty minutes later, Arianna was lightly knocking on my door. All of my nerves evaporated when I opened the door and saw her standing there with the most incredible smile on her face—happiness, peace, contentment, and excitement, all rolled up in one glorious grin. She had her hair loose and easy, and was wearing a simple black dress that hugged every curve—curves I couldn’t wait to touch. Would she be all right if I pulled her into my arms and began stripping her right there in the entryway? Because, God, I really wanted to.

  “Can I come in?” she softly asked, an amused smile on her face.

  It was only then that I realized I’d been staring at her, speechless, for quite some time. Could she tell by the look on my face what I was thinking? And was she thinking the same thing? Man, sometimes I would give anything to be able to read minds.

  “Yeah, of course,” I said, pulling the door open wider, so she could step inside.

  Almost paralyzing nerves suddenly took me over as I closed my front door. The house seemed larger, and I seemed smaller. I’d never been so completely alone with Arianna—something or someone had always been there, putting a damper on the moment. But now…there was nothing and no one in the way. Just me and my anxiety.

  Arianna’s smile was confident and relaxed, and once again I felt the fear melt away. With how my mood was flip-flopping, brave one minute, terrified the next, I was sure my internal organs would never be the same after tonight. Nothing might be the same after tonight. Jesus.
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  “You want to…go to my room?” I carefully asked. I hated how blunt it sounded, and instantly wished I was smoother. Hunter probably wasn’t so awkward with my sister…and why the hell was I thinking about my sister right now?

  With an adorable nod, Arianna held her hand out for me. “I’d love to.”

  I led the way up the stairs, my heart racing so fast, I felt like I was in a gunfight again. When we got to my bedroom door, I slowly pushed it open and indicated inside. “After you.”

  Arianna giggled at my mediocre attempt at chivalry, and I again felt calmness returning. If only I could keep a firm hold on it. Running a hand through my hair, I shut my bedroom door. “So I don’t know what you—”

  I didn’t get to finish my question. Arianna threw herself into my arms. Before I knew it, her lips were on mine, her fingers were tangled in my hair and her entire body was pressed against the length of me. And just like that, my worry evaporated and pure instinct took over. I wanted her. So much.

  As our mouths melded in fast, frantic kisses, I walked Arianna backward until her legs bumped into my bed. Like they were acting of their own accord, my fingers ran up her spine, then grabbed the long zipper of her dress. As I pulled the metal teeth apart, Arianna let out a low groan. “Yes, Julian,” she whispered into the stillness of the room. It emblazoned me. I slipped the material off her shoulders, then quickly brought my mouth to that tender flesh. She was so soft under my touch. So perfect.

  Not thinking about what I was doing, I pulled her bra strap off her shoulder, then moved the cup aside. It was dark in my room, but I could still make out every curve of her breast. I sucked it into my mouth and was instantly rewarded with another erotic noise from her lips.

  After that, things got even more hectic. The rest of her clothes were torn off along with all of mine, and then somehow we were lying on my bed, completely bare. Every place she touched sent bolts of lightning through my body. It was almost too much—so wonderful it was painful. I needed more, I needed it to end.

  “Now, Julian…please.”

  Her whimpering cry shot right through me, and as I moved over the top of her, only one thought was pounding through my skull. God, I love this woman. As I carefully slid into her, I let her know just how much she meant to me. “I love you, Arianna. God, I love you.”

  She clenched me tight as a spasm of pain ripped through her. Afraid to hurt her even more, I held completely still. I felt her muscles tighten, then start to relax. “I love you too,” she whispered. “Please…make love to me.”

  I found her mouth as I began to gently rock against her. It was hard to go slow, hard to stay in control, but I did it for her. I wanted Arianna to set the pace, wanted to let her decide what this was going to be like—hard, fast, rough or slow. I thought the restraint might kill me, but luckily she only kept it gentle and tender for a little while. Much to my relief, she was soon thrashing underneath me, clawing at my back and begging for more. It was erotic overload, and I could barely keep it together. Hoping I could hold out, I drove into her with abandon. Moments later, we both cried out in unison as a burst of euphoria unlike anything I’d ever felt before rushed through me.

  Was this what I’d been missing all this time? Holy hell…I wanted to make love to her every. Single. Night. We couldn’t leave for college soon enough.

  The next day, I worried that my parents would notice something was different about me, but they never did. Or maybe they just didn’t want to ask. Maybe they were finally letting me go, finally accepting that I wasn’t that scared, lost little boy anymore. I was an adult, I was a man, and I was ready for everything those words implied.

  The first thing I did after I opened my eyes in the morning was text Arianna. I just had to let her know how much I loved her, and that I couldn’t wait to do that again with her. She told me she felt the same, and a sizzle went through me at just the thought of having her in my arms again. I texted Simon next, and thanked him for occupying my parents for me. Even though it was annoying to know where he was every second of every day, I supposed I could have been bonded to someone much worse. Guess Simon wasn’t so bad after all.

  Feeling like I owed my family for all they’d done for me, I helped out as much as I could with the move. Even though we were leaving a lot of our furniture and belongings behind, there was a lot to do with the ranch, and a lot to do with the league. Jake and Simon were completely taking it over after we all left, with Rory, Cleo, and some of the other compelled hunters staying behind to help them. They would keep us in the loop of course, but it was their baby now. I think my dad was relieved to let that responsibility go. Honestly, I think everyone in my family was grateful to have some distance from it. After what had happened with Jake, it was just more of a risk than we’d originally believed.

  Olivia was the only person who wasn’t happy to be leaving. Ben and Tracey were taking her to Montana with us. That fact would have thrilled her a couple of years ago, but now that she was “in love” with Simon, she was pissed. She didn’t want to be that far away from her “honey boo” as she called him. I think Ben was just as eager to leave Utah as I was.

  It felt like it had taken an eternity to get everything ready. Right up until the day when everything actually was ready. Then it felt like the entire summer had only taken a few seconds. As I gazed at the quiet, empty ranch where I’d spent the majority of my childhood, I was struck with melancholy. I didn’t want to leave, but I knew I needed to. We all needed to. It was time to move on.

  Nika put a hand on my shoulder, and as I twisted to look at her, I saw a familiar blend of comfort and concern on her face; no matter how old we got, Nika would always mother me. It was engrained in her DNA. “You okay, Julie?”

  Smiling at her loving nickname for me, I nodded. “Yeah. Just…saying goodbye. A lot happened here, you know?”

  Nika let out an amused snort, then wrapped her arm around my shoulder. “Yeah…I know.” She inhaled a deep breath that she didn’t need, and slowly let it out. As I studied her dark eyes, her smooth skin, I thought about just how much had changed for us here. Both of us. We’d loved, lost, and loved again. We’d watched our family struggle and triumph. We’d fought for independence, and finally won it. We’d grown, and yet at the same time we’d come to understand that there was so much we didn’t know—might not ever know. Becoming an adult, whether you were human, vampire or some odd mixture of the two, was no easy task.

  After giving my shoulder a quick squeeze, Nika said, “So, Arianna is meeting you there?”

  The sigh that left my lungs was both wistful and elated. “Yeah, her parents are flying her there, to help her set up her dorm room.” A room I planned on being in at every possible moment.

  The sound of someone crashing into something swung our attention behind us. Trey was trying to right a bunch of boxes that he’d inadvertently knocked over. Halina hissed at him, and told him to wait in the car while she and Imogen finished packing the moving van. Nika frowned as she watched Trey sulk his way to my station wagon. “I wish Trey’s parents had flown him. Why is he riding with us again?”

  I looked back at her with a smile on my face. “Because he’s my best friend and his parents are no-shows. He doesn’t have anyone but us, Nick, so we have to be there for him. Just like we’re there for Hunter.” I raised my hand to indicate where Hunter was lightning-quick helping Grandma with the boxes, before disappearing into the house, probably to double-check that everything we needed was packed.

  Nika’s frown instantly shifted into a satisfied smile. It only lasted for a moment though. “But Hunter is helpful. Trey is just…Trey.”

  Closing her eyes, she shook her head. I laughed, then thought over everything Trey had done for me over the years—the stuff he remembered, and the stuff he didn’t. “Maybe, but when Trey pulls through, he pulls through big. I probably never would have gotten to keep my girlfriend if it wasn’t for him.” And I could never repay him for that.

  Nika’s expression softened as
she opened her eyes. She started to say something, but was interrupted by a shrill voice yelling at the top of her little lungs. “I. Don’t. Want. To. Go!”

  I looked over to see Olivia walking through the front doors of the house, a step behind Ben. Ben had his eyes closed, and was rubbing his temple like he had a headache. “Noted, Olivia, but for the millionth time, you’re going anyway. Mom and I have decided, and once we put our foot down, there is no changing our answer.”

  Olivia started in on a whining diatribe of how unfair her life was, but Ben’s response to her made me smile. It wasn’t all that long ago that Mom and Dad used to whisper the possibility of Ben and Tracey divorcing. But now that Tracey was in the loop, and fully a part of Ben’s decisions, their marriage had solidified. Another reason I was glad Arianna knew all my secrets. Hiding them from the ones you loved, never ended well. That was a cold, hard fact.

  Hunter and Malachi came out of the house a few steps behind Ben and Olivia. Malachi was telling Hunter all about his time in Montana; he’d lived there as a boy, and was eager to go back. Malachi was currently telling Hunter that the woods were ripe with bears, wolves, and cougars—a veritable feast for hungry vampires looking for a little variety. Hunter was smiling like he was looking forward to a little action, and Malachi shifted into telling him about deer and turkey.

  Much to everyone’s surprise, Malachi and Imogen had started…well, I guess what they were doing was dating. It was weird to think of it that way. Imogen had always been single, and I was used to her being alone. Watching her wrap her arms around Malachi and give him a kiss on the cheek was just…weird. But the smile that lit up her face after she did was pretty awesome to see. She’d been without somebody for far too long.