Dark Days (The Childe Series, #2) (64 page)

“We’re having a movie night tonight, is that okay?” Cat asked, not liking the way her father was acting.

“Sure, sure…you guys have fun. I’ve got to go make some phone calls from the study.” Cat and Ryan watched as Sam left the room and heard the study door close.

“Something’s wrong with him, Ryan.”

“Maybe he’s just tired. Like someone else I know,” Ryan replied.

“It’s not like I don’t have a lot on my mind. Miss Amaya blames herself for the girls taking her cell phone. Matt doesn’t know Hannah’s a vampire. Elle doesn’t know Brandon’s a Varulv. My friends have no idea of this private double life I lead. I’m worried about Linda. I killed someone. And to top it all off, there are still people out there who want me dead. Sleep is the last thing on my mind at the moment,” Cat replied bluntly, counting off every issue with her fingers. “I mean, there is one bright spot, I guess. Mr. Pierson is making a full recovery, thanks to Miss Amaya nursing him back to health.”

“We’ll get through this, Cat,” Ryan said and kissed the top of her head.

“I sure hope so.”

It was only an hour before the end-of-the-school-year movie-fest, and Cat decided to call Julie and see how she was feeling. Not wanting to wake Julie, Cat dialed her home number instead of her cell. Looking out her attic bedroom window across the street to Julie’s house, she saw the light was out in Julie’s bedroom and her curtains were still closed, just like they had been for the whole week. Julie’s mom answered on the fourth ring.

“Hi Mrs. Winters. It’s me, Cat. I thought I would call and check up on Julie.”

“Oh hi, Catherine, Julie is doing much better now. She’s actually right here if you want to talk with her.”

“Sure,” she replied. Claire placed the phone onto the kitchen table as Julie leapt up onto it and plopped down in front of the phone, fur and all.

“Hey, Cat, what’s up?”

“We’ve so missed you at school lately, Julie. We’re holding a movie-fest tonight in your honor,” she replied.

“Aww! Sounds like fun! I’m sorry I have to miss out on all of this. I’m still a little bit under the weather,” Julie said and then proceeded to go into a coughing fit.

“Julie? Julie, are you okay?”

“Yeah…sorry…mono is a nasty thing to get, Cat,” Julie replied as she glared at the offending hairball that she just coughed up.

“Well, I’m going to let you go, sounds like you still need your rest. I will call you tomorrow, okay. Love you, Julie.”

“Love you too, Cat. Thanks for calling.” Before Cat hung up, she heard a random succession of beeping sounds like someone trying to mash the phone’s buttons on the other line, and then a dial tone. “Darn paws!” Julie chastised as Claire put the phone back onto the receiver. “Okay, Mom, I know you wanted me to be patient and wait for Miss Amaya’s spell reversal, but that was the last straw. We need to go to the ministry. I need my mortal body back, like pronto.”

Cat opened one eye peering sleepily at her alarm clock. “What the…it’s after noon?” she groaned sitting up. For the first time in a week, Cat had a restful night after the end-of-school movie-fest with her friends. The house was quiet as she made her way downstairs into the kitchen to find something to eat. A note on the counter read:

Cat,

Please make sure you are home at 7:00 if you decide to go out anywhere. We’re having pizza for dinner.

Love you,

Mom

“I wonder what’s at seven? Like I really feel like going out, anyway.”

Cat spent the rest of the afternoon watching classic black-and-white creature features, not moving until she heard her mom call up the stairs that it was time for dinner. Following the smell of pizza, she entered the kitchen to see her family gathered.

“Hey, sleepyhead, you stay in bed all day?” Taylor quipped.

“I’m allowed. It’s summer,” she laughed hollowly. “So Mom, what’s this thing at seven that I had to be home for?”

“Let’s eat first, I don’t want the pizza to get cold,” Rachel replied.

“But Mom, you like cold pizza,” Cat stated.

“I meant for you guys,” she muttered, not looking at her. Cat turned to her father and realized he hadn’t said a word yet. She went to speak, but then decided to wait until after dinner.

“So what’s with all the doom and gloom, parents?” Taylor spoke up, his mouth full of pizza.

“What have I told you about speaking with your mouth full?” Rachel snapped at him. Taylor looked at Cat in confusion. Cat shrugged her shoulders and mouthed, “I don’t know.”

As they were finishing dinner, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” Sam said, breaking his silence. He quickly left the room and Cat could hear muffled voices coming from the foyer. Before Cat could ask her mom what was going on, the doorbell rang again, followed by the door opening, and more voices.

“Could you two clean up and then join us in the living room? I need to go meet with our guests,” Rachel said before hastily leaving the room.

“What’s going on?” Taylor asked. “I swear a person could get frostbite sitting with those two.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Dad didn’t look well when he came home yesterday. Do you think this is all about me?”

“Miss Red Freak, it’s not always about you,” Taylor tried to joke, but it failed miserably. “There goes the doorbell again.”

“Let’s go see what’s up,” Cat said in a worried tone.

  The living room was full of familiar faces. Aldon stood at the front. “Catherine, Taylor, please come and join us,” he said, seeing them poking their heads around the corner. A knock came at the front door. “Oh, Catherine, could you let Matt in, please?” Bewildered, she went to the front door and opened it.

“My mom told me to come right over. What’s this all about?” Matt asked in a whisper.

“I don’t know, but the only way to find out is in the living room,” Cat said, grabbing his arm and pulling him down the hall.

“Ah good, Matthew. I believe you know everyone, right?” Matt nodded. “Well, now that you’re here, we shall begin,” Aldon announced. Cat and Matt moved to sit by Ryan on the couch in the corner. “I have received news from the Varulv council. I am afraid they require an audience with Catherine for her testimony on last week’s event.”

Cat sank into the couch, the pizza weighing heavy on her stomach. Sensing her distress, Ryan threw his arm around her.

“Now young lady, do not fret, this is just a formality. With all the evidence in our possession, you have nothing to fear,” Aldon said, and then flashed Cat a reassuring smile. “Matthew you are here because, as the only eye witness to the incident, you must accompany us. I’m afraid your parents will be made to believe you are at summer camp. We will discuss the details in a minute.” Matt sat there shell-shocked.

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Aldon continued, “All the evidence that has been gathered points to a traitor in the Varulv council, who we feel conspired with this master vampire in a plot to kill Catherine. As such, we need to be vigilant. Here at home, and abroad. We hope to rid ourselves of this mess quickly with the council, and be home as soon as possible. With Sam and me gone, you will be in charge as usual, Roland. And if Lucien should require any assistance with my basement residents, I am sure you will be available to help. Now, we leave tomorrow. Are there any questions?” Aldon asked as he scanned the room.

Cat buried her face into Ryan’s shoulder, trying to stop the tremors caused by the thoughts of what might lay ahead.