Dark Days (The Childe Series, #2) (50 page)
“We’ll be right back. I’d stay, but I don’t think your cocoa will taste very good if I leave it up to your mother.” He chuckled and then bent over to kiss Kirsten on the forehead. Kirsten watched her tall and handsome father leave the room.
“It does feel like a memory, I don’t care what anyone says,” Kirsten whispered to herself while pulling the covers up to her chin.
A huge snowstorm hit a few days following Cat’s birthday. The white snow quickly turned into dirty mush a couple days later. Hurrying to his car, Sam shivered in the frigid February wind. Tearing off one of his bulky gloves with his teeth, he put his key into the rickety door lock. He had endured much teasing over his antiquated car, but he loved his old dependable Volvo. His heater made a gurgling noise as the cold air turned warm and then blissfully hot, thawing him out. Pulling out of his parking spot, he made his way cautiously out of the parking lot.
With the condition of the roads, he figured it would take about twenty minutes to reach Aldon’s. Sam had received a text from him asking if he would swing by before heading home. “It must be something important for him to want to see me in person. I only hope it’s not something about Cat again. Last month was enough.” He laughed, “Look at me talking to myself. Next I’ll be answering, and then they’ll lock me up for sure.”
Arriving at Aldon’s mansion, Sam saw Elsie holding the front door open, ready to take his coat from him as always. “Good to see you, Sam. He’s in the study. Hot chocolate coming right up,” Elsie said as she hung his coat in the foyer closet.
“Oh Elsie, you know me well,” Sam replied with a smile. Elsie just laughed softly as she headed toward the kitchen, leaving Sam to make his way to the study.
“Sam, thank you for coming by. I do hope my text was legible. Druanna insists I get up to speed with all these newfangled devices, but I think speaking on the telephone is a better way to go. Even though my preference is still the good old face-to-face meeting.”
“I know what you mean Aldon. It took me forever to figure out my dang computer and it still baffles me at times. So what is so urgent?” Sam asked, taking a seat across from Aldon’s desk.
Aldon leaned back in his chair, “We’ve been summoned by the Varulv Council. We must leave for Austria tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? What’s this about?”
“Some of the council members are worried about the ramifications of our Catherine knowing what we are. They have requested an audience with us to help clear the air of their concerns. I know it is short notice, but I feel we must abide by this summons. We surely do not want a bunch of rogue Varulvs coming our way and causing more trouble.” Sam gave Aldon a strained look. “Don’t worry. It will be fine. We shall convince them all is well and quell their concerns.” The door to the study opened and the clanking of teacups announced Elsie’s arrival. “Elsie, lifesaver that you are, is that homemade hot chocolate I smell?”
“Yes indeedy,” she replied.
“Mmmm, good. Come, Sam, let’s enjoy.” Sam cracked a smile but feared things were not going to go as smoothly as Aldon believed.
“So, Dad, when will you be back?” Cat asked at breakfast the next morning.
“Hopefully I’ll only be gone about three days,” Sam answered, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.
“It’s because of me, this council thing, I mean. They must not like the fact you adopted a half-vampire, huh?”
“Let’s get this straight, Ms. Catherine Colvin. Whether they like it or not has nothing to do with what we want. What you have to remember is that we’re your parents and we love you. And we’d love you even if you had three heads and fifteen toes! Got it?” He grinned at Taylor’s expression.
“Hey, wait a second, if she had three heads and fifteen toes, I’d seriously have to rethink this whole brother bit. I mean, it’s bad enough she’s red-headed, left-handed, and pale as a ghost, come on! Oww, Mom!” Taylor moaned as Rachel swatted him with the newspaper.
“You, young man, better hurry and eat, with less talk. Your sister is beautiful.” Rachel laughed as Taylor made a face then took a big bite from a piece of bacon.
“Everything will be fine, Cat, no worries. Now I have to go and pack. You two be good for your mom, and I’ll be back before you know it,” Sam said, leaving the room. Mounting the stairs he mentally crossed his fingers, hoping that he was telling the truth.
Cat walked into Biology and immediately realized that her usually calm and collected teacher looked frazzled. She was reading the textbook with her fingers drumming on the desk beside it. “Good afternoon, Miss Amaya,” Cat said softly so as not to startle her.
“Oh, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“What are you reading?” she asked.
“Nothing, just…the next chapter. I’m going to practice on your class today. I really didn’t sign up for this you know. I’m sure Melvin…Mr. Pierson would’ve handled this just fine. But I know I’ll just make a mess of it. Ugh,” Miss Amaya groaned and put her head in her hands as Cat leaned over and read the chapter heading:
Sexual Reproduction
.
“Ah, I see…well-” Cat stopped as the rest of the class began to trickle in. Taking her seat, Cat watched as Miss Amaya rose to her feet. She noticed Miss Amaya’s knees were a touch rickety.
“Now, for today’s class I have a little movie to show you. Dustin, the lights, please?” She turned on the projector and nothing happened. Tapping it a few times, Miss Amaya became more flustered when it still wouldn’t turn on. “Dustin, turn on the lights, please.”
I don’t understand! It’s plugged in! This was the last projector too! What am I going to do?
Miss Amaya complained to herself. Looking around the room at the students, “It would appear I’m having technical difficulties at the moment, we will begin shortly.”
Well, I guess I’ll just have to use those darn show-and-tell diagrams in the closet,
she thought as she continued to fiddle with the projector, trying to make it work. Cat felt bad for her teacher. Miss Amaya was so flustered and the class could sense it. Cat hoped the students would behave themselves, but figured that was a long shot.
“Okay, now here we have a diagram of the…uh…female body,” Miss Amaya stammered, her face slightly flushed.
“Where’s the ta-tas?” a muffled voice came from the back of the class, along with a few snickers.
“Jeremiah Karns! The
BREASTS
are not shown on this poster. No more questions until
after
my presentation, please. Now where was I? Yes, the female body is made to house a fetus for about nine months-”
“How did the fetus get in there? And is it true that Valentine’s Day is the best day for a fetus to start?”
“Jeremiah, that is quite enough. Silence, please. And no, Valentine’s Day has nothing to do with fetuses. It’s just a holiday next week.”
“If it’s a holiday, then why do we have to come to school?” Jeremiah asked with a big grin on his face.
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the school board next time they meet. Alright, CliffsNotes version. Male sperm meets female’s egg. Egg grows into a baby and nine months later it’s born. Any questions? No? Well then we’re done,” Miss Amaya said, ignoring the numerous hands in the air. “Turn to page 300 and read the next ten pages. Quiz tomorrow.” Moans filled the room. “That will teach some of you to act better in class. And for all the others who didn’t act up, I’m sorry.” Miss Amaya plopped down in her seat and buried her face in the textbook.
