Blood-Red Tear (17 page)

“Aidan
,” I said biting my lip, knowing he wouldn’t like my answer. They exchanged concerned glances, and I rushed to reassure them everything was fine. “He came to give me this for my birthday and then he left.”

“It
’s beautiful, honey; those sapphires remind me of your eyes,” my mother, always the calm one, said.

My father said nothing
, but the slight twitching of his cheek let me know he was holding back his anger. He kissed my forehead and bade me goodnight before walking out with his hands clenched at his sides.

“Do not worry
, I will talk to him,” my mother whispered, before hugging me once more and hurrying after him.

*****

   That night I dreamed of Aidan. We were walking in the forest holding hands as the sun shone through the trees and the birds sang around us. Everything seemed idyllic. I was laughing at something he whispered playfully in my ear when a drop of blood splattered on my shoulder from a tree limb overhead. Aidan’s arm snaked around me instantly, pulling me close as he scanned the trees overhead.

A tree limb above snapped
, sending a wave of leaves fluttering down upon us, and he stiffened, his face hardening. “Run,” he ordered, but it was too late.

I screamed as a vampire
landed on the ground in front of us, his fangs bared, ready for battle. The vampire lunged for me, Aidan snarled, shoving me quickly behind him, his face morphing to that of his vampire form. The vampire launched himself at him, and my powerful vampire prince met him time and again, taking each blow he delivered then offering one of his own in return. I was so engrossed with their deadly dance I did not notice the vampire from my nightmares had snuck up behind me, until he wrapped his arms around me, his hand covering my mouth so I couldn’t scream for Aidan. He began pulling me away. I fought to get free, biting his fleshy hand hard enough that the vampire let go. It was long enough for me to let out one loud scream that drew Aidan’s attention. He scrambled to get to me, fighting off his attacker with renewed vigor, slicing his foe’s neck with his deadly talon-like nails, cleanly decapitating his head from his body before racing towards us.

The vampire holding me
chuckled, piercing my neck with his razor-sharp teeth, tearing through my flesh with reckless abandon.  Aidan bellowed in outrage and attacked. The vampire snarled and threw me to the ground, my blood running down his chin as he met Aidan’s vicious blows. Overcome with fury, Aidan quickly defeated the vampire and came to my side. I lay on the ground writhing in agony, my death imminent. I struggled to breathe, blood gurgling in my throat as he held me close, rocking me in his arms.

“No!” he roared, bending
into the hollow of my neck and burying his sharp fangs deep within my flesh, draining me of the last of my blood before slicing his chest with a long nail and pressing my lips to the wound. “Drink,” he commanded.

*****

    I woke with a start, covered in sweat, my hand immediately flying to my throbbing neck to reassure myself it had indeed been a dream. The dull throb slowly faded away, and after a few deep breaths I was able to get out of bed, and shower. I pulled on my favorite T-shirt and shorts before leaving my room and heading downstairs.

I walked down
stairs to the foyer where the sun from an overhead skylight hit the bracelet on my wrist, making the gems sparkle and shine. I paused to admire the gift and reflect on the time I had spent with Aidan the night before. Although he hadn’t stayed as long as I would have liked, at least he had come and to me that meant everything. I would never forget how it felt to be in his arms or to feel his intoxicating kiss once again. For those few brief moments I had felt as if all was right in the world, as if I was where I belonged. I was pulled from my pleasant memories by the sound of my parents arguing from my father’s office.

“Katie is still too young for this
, Anna! Aidan should have told us he was coming to see her. He knows how I feel about their relationship,” my father bellowed, his booming voice carrying from the office to where I stood.

“Duncan
, you need to stop pushing his goodwill.  If push comes to shove he will take action, and you might lose your daughter. Now, he didn’t stay long, and she was happier than I have seen her since he left last year.  Let’s just let it go, okay?” my mother said tiredly.

“What if he would have lost control
, Anna! What if he would have bitten her? Changed her?  What then? Can you live with the consequence that would bring? Katie has no idea why she is so attracted to him, and I won’t have him using her lack of knowledge to get what he wants!”

“
That’s not fair! This is Aidan we are talking about, Duncan. He isn’t going to willingly hurt Katie or make her choose something he knows he she isn’t ready for.”

“Part of me knows that but another part of me, the part that is her father
, is worried. While I appreciate the fact he has been honest with us about the shift of emotions between them, I am now more concerned than ever about his control.”

“Maybe we need to tell Katie
everything, and then she will understand why it is best for them to be apart right now.”

“Are you kidding me
, Anna? She is drawn to him already, why give her any ammunition to fight us on this?” my father objected. “We have to insist she see other boys her own age. Maybe she will find one who can keep her occupied until…” He stopped and I could feel his unhappiness.

“I don’t see how that will matter in the end
; you know as well as that I it won’t change anything. No other male will do now that she has recognized her feelings for Aidan.”

“When the time comes
, I want her to be aware of all of her options so she can make the decision that is best for her,” he argued vehemently. “There is no way I want her to be limited by something she has no control over.”

“
Duncan, she’s not six anymore. You have to start seeing her as the young woman she has become. Katie has already made her choice. I don’t think any amount of dating is going to change it.”

I
wanted to confront them and demand they explain everything to me, but I was sure they wouldn’t tell me what I really wanted to know, so I walked back upstairs and sat on my bed thinking about what I heard. I understood my father’s fears. I had them too. I loved Aidan, I was positive of that; but maybe my father was right, maybe I was too young and just maybe I
did
need to explore all of my options before I could confidently make the decision whether or not I was ready for a relationship with a vampire. After all, to truly be his I would have to consider giving up my human life, and that was a lot to think about for someone who had barely begun to live.

Chapter Thirteen

   “Katie, we are going to be late.” Paul complained Monday morning as he leaned against the wall, waiting for me to finish my breakfast. Beth captured his hand and shook her head, smiling at his usual teasing. Silence reigned as he stared down at her with such deep emotion shining in his eyes I almost choked on the piece of toast I was eating. The look was one I had seen my own parents share often in my lifetime, and I realized that at some point during my long hiatus from the world they must have bonded. How I had missed such an important thing in my brother’s life? Had I been so caught up in my own grief that I had missed Paul’s happiness, just as I had missed Jess’s and Chris’s? The answer was, to my shame, a resounding
yes
. I had been childish, selfish, and so caught up in my own grief over Aidan being gone that I hadn’t even comprehended my own brother’s feelings for the female who now held him enthralled, and I was ashamed.

I finished breakfast and picked up my bag
, giving Paul a playful smile, hoping I could make it up to him. “You ready, or are you going to stand there all day ogling Beth?”

His cheeks flushed with embarrassment
and he looked down at his feet in a shy, awkward way that was completely out of character for him. “Uh, yeah,” he mumbled, clenching Beth’s hand. “Let’s go.”

*****

When I arrived at the school Jess was waiting for me at our lockers with Josh standing next to her holding her hand, smiling happily as he devoured her with his warm chocolate eyes. They were so in love, so perfect for one another, and I hated that I had been so out of it that I had missed the journey they had taken to get to that point, but I was glad to be in a place now where I could witness their love for one another and rejoice with them.

“
Hey, guys, did you enjoy the rest of your weekend?” I asked as I gathered books from my locker.

“
Yeah, the party was great and we spent Sunday just being lazy and watching movies together,” Jess said, smiling shyly up at the guy who held her heart.

“Any
time spent with you is amazing,” Josh said, kissing her nose playfully.

“Ugh, get a room,” I teased.

“You should try it. Being in love is wonderful,” Jess told me.

Maybe
, if you were with the one you loved, I thought.

“Speaking of
love, here comes Chad,” she added with a wink.

“Hey,” Chad
said as he joined our group.

“Hi, Chad,” I answered politely
, trying not to glare at Jess, who was grinning from ear to ear.

“
Katie, can I walk you to class?” he said hopefully.

I opened my mouth to decline and let him down easily, but
reminded myself I was going to try and explore all of the other options my family and Aidan wanted me to, and dating human males was one of those options.

“Sure
,” I said, trying to ignore Beth’s frown behind him and the little voice in my head that whispered it was wrong for me to be with him.

Chad
smiled with genuine happiness but was quiet and seemed nervous as he walked me to class. At the door, he placed his hand on my arm to stop me before I went inside. “I was wondering…uh…do you think you might want to go out with me this weekend?”

It felt wrong,
but if I had to date, Chad was a good choice. He was a nice guy, good- natured, and was raised to respect woman. “That sounds nice,” I murmured. This was what Aidan wanted me to do.  To experience life as a normal any normal teenager would, including dating. Even if it felt wrong.

“We could go double on Saturday
,” Jess said excitedly behind us, totally unashamed that she had been eavesdropping on our conversation. “Let’s go to the movies.”

“Would that be okay with you?” Chad
asked, looking relieved that we wouldn’t be alone.

Jess grinned
behind him, bobbing her head eagerly.

“
That would be great,” I agreed.

“Let’s see that new v
ampire movie, “
Forever My Love
?” Jess said eagerly. “I’ve been dying to see it and it looks so romantic.”

I cringed inwardly
. Josh, too, seemed uncomfortable with idea and offered another option, which was quickly vetoed by Jess.

The last thing I wanted to do was see a vampire love story
, but I couldn’t back out without disappointing her. “Whatever you all want is fine with me,” I murmured, listening half heartedly as Jess and Chad planned our date while we took our seats.

I looked up once and caught Josh staring at me
, his face revealing nothing but his eyes expressing sympathy. Somehow I had the feeling he understood exactly what I was going through, which was odd given we didn’t know each other all that well and he certainly didn’t know Aidan.

Jess spent the rest of the day talking about
our date Saturday, and although I tried hard to get as worked up as she was, in the back of my mind all I could think of was Aidan and how much I missed him. I couldn’t help feeling that in some way I was betraying him, even though he had insisted I date other guys. Yeah, that’s how in love with him I was. And sometimes, regardless of what the movies, poems, and fairytales say, love sucks.

*****

   When I arrived home after school, I sought out my mother, wanting some of her wise advice to guide me.  I found her in the kitchen, just finishing a batch of cookies, and sat down at the counter, grabbing a warm chocolate chip cookie off the plate. Somehow she always seemed to know when I needed comfort food and, after all, chocolate was a girl’s best friend when she was feeling down. And right then I needed some solace. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hi
, honey. How was your day?” she asked with her usual good cheer.

I took a bite of the warm
, gooey cookie and allowed it to work its magic over me. “MMMM,” I said, earning a smile of appreciation. “Uh, Chad asked me to go to the movies on Saturday. Would that be okay?”

“Who else
is going?” she asked worriedly, not that I held that against her given the disaster with Scott.

“Jess and Josh, Chris and Taylor,
and Chad and myself.”

“So
, all couples?” she asked, watching me closely. “Is this like a date thing?” She sat next to me, and I laid my head on the counter to avoid looking into her all-seeing eyes.

“Yeah
, I guess,” I muttered.

“S
weetie, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. We do not want you to do anything that does not make you happy.”

“
But I want to make Dad happy. Maybe if he sees I am really trying with other guys, he will believe me when I tell him how I feel for Aidan,” I explained.

“Oh
, honey, believe me, he knows exactly how you feel about Aidan. That is the problem.” She moved her hand over mine and patted it.

“This sucks
, you know.” I lifted my gaze to hers. “I didn’t ask to feel this way about Aidan, and it isn’t my fault he’s a vampire. The fact is, he too wants to wait for me to be older before he acts on the feelings we have for one another. I mean, what is that all about anyway? He is so worried about offending Dad that I’m the one being hurt.”

  “Aidan’s hurting too, s
weetheart, but he’s noble enough to ignore that pain and give you the time you need to mature.”

“Yeah
, well, that sucks!” I snapped. 

“S
ometimes we don’t really understand things until after we get through them, but I promise you in the end it will all be worth it. I know you care for Aidan and it hurts that you cannot be together right now, but there’s time for that if you choose that course,” she said, pulling me into her arms for one of her motherly hugs.

I hugged her close, her warm vanilla scent soothing to my scattered emotions
. I was lucky to have her. “You’re the best mom in the world. I’m so lucky you found me.”

“
Oh, I think it’s the other way around.  We were lucky to find you,” she said, softly releasing me from her arms. “Now, let me get to making dinner or you will starve tonight.”

“I doubt that one missed meal would hurt me,” I teased.

“What kind of mother would I be if I allowed my only daughter to go hungry?” she said with mock horror.

“Alright, alright,” I said walking to the door. “I love you, Mom,” I called over my shoulder.

“I love you too, my dear, sweet girl,” she called back.

I
went to the library to see my father. I wanted to explain to him that I was going to try to date human boys for a while, hoping to appease him.  He was talking on the phone as I walked in and held up his finger for me to give him a minute, so I took a seat on the sofa and waited for him to finish.

“Ye
s, I think that would be fine. Do not worry; we can handle it. Listen, I’ll call you later, Katie just came in.” His voice lowered considerably and he looked as if he would rather not talk with me in the room, and I realized immediately whom he was talking to. “Yes, she’s doing okay. Let me call you back in a few minutes.” He looked up at me and smiled. “So, you are going on a date, huh?”

“I hate when you two do that.” I did not know
exactly how it worked, but my parents could hear each other’s thoughts if they wanted to, and it always made me nuts.

“
So, Chad seems nice,” he said, brushing off my complaint.

He
knew Chad and his family well, so he was just making small talk.

“He’s very nice,” I said
, a little flatter than I had intended.

He frowned at my lackluster response.
“You don’t have to marry him, but give the guy a chance. It’s only one date.”

   “Yeah
, I guess you’re right.” I walked to him, gave him a hug, and he kissed my forehead before letting me go. “I love you, Dad.”

   “Not as much as I love you
, sweetheart.”

   I started for
the door but could not resist turning to add, “By the way, tell Aidan hello for me when you call him back.” He looked startled for a moment but then shook his head, and I walked out feeling much better about my upcoming date with Chad.  If nothing else, I was getting out of the house and making my parents happy, so that made it worth it.

*****

It was not until I heard Paul and Beth making plans to follow me on my date later that week that I realized why everyone had been so calm about my going out with Chad. They were sending Paul to keep an eye on me.

“Paul
, please tell me you aren’t going to follow me?” I cried out in protest. He looked at me as if I was crazy, which was not unusual, but was really aggravating. “I am
so
not going on a date with my brother as a chaperone, it would be too humiliating.

“W
e will keep our distance. No one will know we are there, but we have to protect you,” he said, his tone brooking no argument.

“There hasn’t been one threat against me
that’s been credible! I think you are all overly cautious or had bad information or something,” I argued.

“That may be
, but my instructions are to keep you safe, no matter what, and that is what I am going to do,” he said glaring at me, his expression, letting me know the discussion was over.

Aggravated by his over-
protectiveness, I flopped down in my seat and finished my meal as quickly as possible without upsetting my mother, then excused myself and went to my room.

After a valiant attempt to finish the mountain of homework I had brought home with me
, I lay on my bed with my ear buds firmly in place, shutting off the rest of the world until I drifted off into a deep sleep.

Lost in sleep
, I heard a voice called to me in a tone so compelling I was unable to ignore its demand that I get up and follow it. I moved from my bed and walked from my room, down the stairs, and out of the front door. I felt the cold night air on my warm skin as I exited the house and shivered. I made my way across the driveway then walked through the entrance of the garden. I knew immediately something was very wrong. A fast-moving figure darted towards me, its features to blurry too make out, but I felt the evil that flowed around it and knew I was in danger. My brain screamed for me to run, but I found myself locked in place and unable to answer its pleas. A dark, wicked laugh filled the air. A hand shot out, grabbing my arm. Long, jagged, dagger-like claws buried themselves deeply into my flesh. So deep I could swear I felt them scraping the bone. Instinctively, I yanked my arm away, screaming in agony at the pain that radiated up the limb as the claws sank deeper into my flesh in an attempt to maintain its hold. The laughter grew louder, the evil in the air more prevalent, and I screamed again.