B007Q4JDEM EBOK (10 page)

I had the cordless phone with me ready for when I found the
digits
. I dialed the number and Kate answered saying that Paul took the day off. She did, however, give me his home number to call. I nervously input the number and waited for his answer.

“Hello?” It was definitely Paul's voice.

It took me a moment, but finally I choked out a greeting. “Hey, Paul...”

“Alexis!” I could hear the joy he got from hearing my voice. “Is everything okay?”

I glanced at Salem, “Yeah, everything is fine. I just wanted to see you again...and to say I’m sorry for the way I acted yesterday. I’ve done some thinking, and I want to talk about…things…again.”

“Vampires, you mean?”

I cringed at the word. “Yes, those.”

“Okay. Do you want me to drop by your place?”

“No!” I spoke too harshly; hopefully I hadn't arisen any suspicion about Salem being here. “I'll come to you. I’ve been cooped up in
this
place by myself for way too long.”

“You know, you are more than welcome to stay with me
if you ever need to or want to,” h
e sounded a little too eager.

“Thanks, I'll think about it. Where can I meet you at?”
I scrawled the address down hastily and hung up. Salem watched me from the edge of my bed, anticipating what Paul and I discussed.

“I'm driving over there after breakfast, do you want anything?” I about slapped myself on the forehead. “Never mind...”

Salem laughed. “I'll find something to satisfy my hunger while you are away.”

I wasn't sure how to respond, still uncomfortable with the idea of how he fed himself. I shuddered at the thought and clambered down the stairs. I grabbed two slices of bread, popped them in the toaster and waited impatiently, and hungrily, while they cooked. Moments later, the bread jumped out of the appliance. I smeared some jam across both slices before sitting down at the dining table and eating them quickly. Salem sat across from me, watching intently. It made me feel self-conscious.

“I'll
be back before long, hopefully,
” I said
after I finished eating,
grabbed my car keys and ran outside.

I followed the directions Paul had given me. They led me into a quaint trailer park nestled between a park and an elementary school. I imagined it got quite noisy around here. I scanned through the lot, looking for trailer 16. I found it toward the very end. The trailer looked okay from the outside –
peach
paneled walls, four worn steps leading up to a tiny porch. The door was flimsy, I was almost afraid that knocking on it would cause it to fall over, but I rapped my fist against it anyway.

Paul opened the door slowly,
and then
pulled it open complete
ly. “Welcome to my humble abode,” h
e said sarcastically.

“It's not so bad,
” I said. The entrance was cramped; to the immediate left was the living room, which could scarcely hold more than
a
ragged brown loveseat, a TV stand and a small TV. To the right was a square dining table pressed up into the corner with only two chairs. The kitchen contained two counters, a small fridge and a microwave. I felt bad for him as I scanned the place.

“Do you want to sit down?” h
e asked, distracting me.

“Oh, sure,”
I agreed and sat on the loveseat. It was surprisingly comfortable, despite the fact that I sank into the cushion.

“How are you?” h
e said, making an attempt at small talk.

“I'm all right...how have you been?”

“Not bad,” h
e smiled. “Work has been tiring, but I do enjoy it.”

“Work as in as a mechanic, or...other work?” I didn't look at him as I spoke.

“Mechanic. I haven't had much 'other work' in a few months.”

“That's good,
” I sighed, feeling uncomfortable. “I wanted to ask you something...”

“What is it?” h
e sat down beside me, offering me a soda.

I popped the can open, flashing him a smile in thanks before I took a sip. It was warm, but I drank it anyway. “I had a
weird
dream last night, and I was wondering if you could help me
figure it out
.” I wracked my brain trying to figure out how I was supposed to ask Paul about this without mentioning Salem.

“
Well I ain’t much of a psychiatrist or anything,” he chuckled, “but I’ll do my best.”

I described the dream exactly as it had happened, without naming names. Paul just stared at me intently as each word escaped my mouth. “Do you have any idea what it means?”

“Not exactly, no.”

“Someone told me that your – our last name,” I corrected myself, “means
‘raven’
. Is there any
meaning
behind that?”

His eyes scrutinized me carefully, “Who told you
that
?”

“That's not important.”

“It
better not be who I think it is,” h
e replied coldly, narrowing his eyes. “But, there might be some
meaning
to
it. Our bloodline has been around for a long,
long time
and every Waldron ancestor has been involved in vampire slaying. History claims that some of them have been able to
turn themselves
into ravens, but it's
probably just all stories and tall tales
.”

“Do you believe
it really is just all made up
?”

“Of course. I know that might sound odd coming from someone who kills the undead, but real
ly – transforming into birds?” h
e shook his head. “That's ridiculous.”

“I guess
you’re right
,
” I looked down. “There was another thing that was bothering me.”

“Is it about Janet?”
h
e frowned. I guess he must have seen the news, too.

“No. But
, I am a little concerned about her
too
. I think Mark...might have had something to do with it.”

His eyes grew suspicious, “Do you think he is a vampire?”

“I might know that
he is,
” I whispered, worrying what Salem might think – was I betraying him by telling Paul this?

“If he is...” he gritted his teeth, “h
e'll regret having laid a hand on her.”

“Calm down, Paul. It's not for certain. It may have
just been
a bear attack
like the news said
.”

“Have you spoken to her?”

I told him about the conversations I had shared with Janet and about how skeptical I was of her story.

“Sounds awfully suspicious to me. I might need to
be makin’ a trip to Denver
.”

I gulped. “Back to that other question...” I wanted to sway him away from that conversation altogether before he
did anything irrational
. “What can you tell me about my mother...my real mother?”

Paul's face displayed an expression of anguish, and I knew I wasn't going to like the s
tory. “Her name was Destiny,” h
e smil
ed faintly as he spoke her name, “w
e met in high school, fell in love, and got married when I was 24, she was 22. I hadn't told her my secret, I was afraid she would freak out. Of course, once I did tell her, she did freak out. She was very uncertain about
whom
I
was –
what I
was –
but I insisted, time after time, that I wasn't crazy,
and that
vampires do exist.

Eventually, she had her proof. I took her hunting with me. She was terrified at first, but thrilled all the same. About a year later, you were born. She adored you, Alex...”
h
e
sighed, looking at me briefly, “y
ou look so much like her.”

“I do?” I whispered, wondering just what my mother looked like.

“Yes, so much so it is hard to believe you are not her.
You definitely have her eyes; the shap
e of your face is the same, too,” he laughed lightly.
“During my next hunting trip, she insisted she went along
again
. I tried to convince her to stay home with you, but she insisted you would be safe with a baby-sitter.
She hadn’t been able to go
along with me in a long time due to the pregnancy and recovering
and all. Well
,
she eventually convinced me
, and I r
egret it more and more each day that I let her come.

It was late in
January
; we were scouting through
the woods – a common feeding ground – when one approached us. He was stronger than I
had been prepared for
...I told Destiny to hide, but it was no use. I knew he could smell her
, I knew he could hear her...” h
e paused; I could see the grief in his eyes. “He took her from me...from us...I vowed that day that I would kill every last one of
those bastards I could find
until the day I
that I die
!

That was when I sent you away. I didn't want to, you have to understand that. You were the world to me, Alex.
You were all I had left of her.
But it was for your own good, you were safer that way.”

“I understand,
” I said, watching a tear trickle down his cheek. I could feel the moisture
welling up
in my own eyes, but I forced it back. “Paul – dad... there is one more thing I need to know.”

“Anything, Alex,” h
e reached over and gently touched my hand. I smiled warmly, feeling closer to him than I ever had.

“What happened t
o the vampire that took mom
?”

“He escaped,” h
e replied bitterly. “Of all the vampires I have fought in my lifetime, he was
one of the few
to escape.
I might not be the greatest of hunters, but it is rare that I let one get away.
He was
old
and
powerful. I can still remember the way he looks, t
he sound of his voice, his name,” h
e shuddered.

“Dad...”

“Yes?

“What was his name?”

“Raziel,
”
h
e seethed, and I tried to cover up my sudden gasp at the sound of his name.

I leaned over and hugged him tightly, hoping he hadn't noticed my reaction. I wanted to hurry out of his house and find Salem to tell him what
all
I had
found out
. “I a
m so sorry for everything you’
ve been through. I am so sorry about mom
...
.”

He wrapped a bulky arm around
me. “Don't worry about it, Alex,
” I could feel the moisture of his tears soaking through the thin material of my
shirt
.

“Oh, crap!” I said, releasing Paul and nearly dumping my soda on the already-stained carpet.

“What's the matter?” h
e looked alarmed and curious.

“I told a friend of mine that he could throw a party at my house tonight
,
” I hung my head in shame. “How in the world did I get myself into this mess!?”

Paul laughed. “It’s part of being a teenager.”

“I’ve got to get home as soon as possible. Maybe I have time to call him and stop it.”

"If high school is anything like it was when I was there, the house is probably already full!"
h
e laughed again, with a
gleam of nostalgia in his eyes
.

“You're only making it worse
,
” I grumbled. “Thanks for answering my questions.”

“Anytime. Never hesitate to come over – and if the party gets out of hand, you know where to find me. I can come get you any time and you can stay here.”

“I might just take you up on that offer
,
” I smiled and went to get up.

“Oh, wait! Before you leave, I have something for you
,” h
e stood from the lumpy couch and went down the hall. I heard a door open then close and he returned with a cardboard box. “I meant to give you this on your birthday.”

“You didn't have to get me anything, Paul.”

“I
'm your father, of course I did,” h
e smirked, pushing the box into my arms. “Go
on
, open it up.”