Forever Viper (6 page)

The tears come then and we both hug each other. Monica beeps her car horn and I quickly say goodbye to Lara. On the way home Monica didn’t speak I know she is trying to protect me and I don’t blame her for the way she is with Lara. What Lara and Eric did was horrible. But she didn’t see Lara lying battered on the floor covered in bruises or the devastation she felt by being told Eric has a child with another woman. So I am willing to give Lara another chance and I have to try and stop the resentment Monica is showing towards Lara. When we get home we both slump onto the sofas and I take this moment to approach the Lara situation with her.

“Monica, you know I love you, and I know you are only thinking of me, but please can you let up on Lara? Yes, she was a bitch to me but I’ve forgiven her. I need her. She is my only contact to finding out any news about Noah.”

I watch as her eyebrows meet in the middle and she looks over at me frowning, “I don’t trust her, but because it’s you and you love me so much, I will be polite. That’s all I can offer.”

“Thanks. I’m going to go and take a shower but can you please think about what I’m about to say? Is it Lara you are really mad at or is it her father?”

She didn’t need time as she shouts after me. “Both of them!”

I pretend to watch TV for most of the night as my mind fills with questions no one has the answers to. I think to myself,
I should be out there searching for Noah not sitting here watching bloody Casualty. Where do you start when the police have no idea where he is either?

I take myself off to bed to wait for Juan. As I lie there the one question that I’m afraid of the most keeps going around in my head,
what if Noah does have another woman?

The bed dips and Juan says, “Hi beautiful.” He tries to kiss me but I move my head to the side and he ends up kissing my cheek. His hand reaches up and he cradles my face and slowly turns it so we make eye contact. “Do you want to tell me what’s wrong and why you just rejected me?”

I wanted to turn away from him again but he has a firm hold on me, so I close my eyes and try and calm my rising anger. I'm not mad at Juan. I'm mad at the situation, at the way I was made to feel this afternoon, but as the song goes, you always hurt the one you love.

I open my eyes and with my next words I tried not to let the frustration I feel come through. “I watched the CCTV today of Noah being taken and the Detective implied that Noah has another woman. I don’t want to believe that but what other explanation is there? His parents don’t know what happened to him and neither do we so what else is there?”

I sigh and Juan tries to answer me but I place a finger to his mouth and carry on talking. “The Detective that questioned me today made me feel like there’s something wrong with loving you both. Noah’s gone, are you going to leave me too Juan? Is that how it works? If the three of us can’t be together, none of us will?” Those last words caused my heart to ache. I asked the question but was I ready for the answer.

He closes his eyes and doesn’t speak. I lie there staring at him waiting and after some time had passed and still nothing I try and push myself away from him. His eyes open and I notice a quick flash of anger cross his face, “Don’t Peppa, don’t fucking push me away. I need you, Noah needs you. I will never let you go do you understand that? We belong together, the three of us will be one again. And Peppa, get the idea of there being another woman out of your head because you are his life, his heart, he loves you. I fucking love you. Stop twisting yourself up inside with that thought.”

I have made him angry yet he still holds me, the tears gather at the corner of my eyes and I shut them tight to try and stop them from falling.

His lips brush against mine and then again and I whisper, “I want him back Juan, I want him to be here holding us both.”

Juan pulls me in closer to him and lets me break down in his arms. He whispers words of love and for me to stay strong for Noah because he will be back with us soon. I want to believe that, I need to believe that, and with Juan by my side I know I can be strong with his help. After I pull myself together and I apologize for my behaviour, Juan asks me to explain what happened at the police station and I go on to tell him all about it. We both know he will have to go in and be questioned too and he told me he will enjoy putting Detective Payne in his place. Once again Juan leaves in the early hours and I wait for the sandman to come for me.

Chapter 5 (JUAN)

When I walk into the room I take a good look at Peppa, I was expecting to see her in pieces but she isn’t showing any emotion, although she looks like the living dead. I gather her up in my arms and hold her tight to let her know I am here for her and it doesn’t take long before the questions start. I was expecting them to be honest. She asks if I can help find Noah. I explain about being entwined again and the blood thing but I let her know that he is still alive and an image of a naked wet Noah flashes in my mind.

A comment is made about Noah’s parents, and I don’t like what I hear. If they don’t back off I will have to do something about that. I don’t like the way they are treating Peppa. If they hurt her, they hurt me but they won’t see me coming.

Monica draws our attention to a newspaper article and my body stiffens when Peppa hands it over to me. I see the photo of me sitting in Noah’s car after his accident. It asks for the mystery man to come forward,
yeah like that’s going to happen.
What was I supposed to tell them? That I offered to change him over to the dark side and become a vampire. Now that would be headline news.

In my head I swear like a trooper. I try not to show any reaction on my face to what I’m reading but I don’t think Peppa is paying attention to me anyway. She appears to have drifted off into her own little world.
How fucking stupid am I? I should have been more aware!
I knew I was worried about getting to Noah in time and my focus was on that, but still, I should have made sure no one saw me. The one thing I am glad about, the photo isn’t that clear but the shit could still have hit the fan. I should have been more careful.
Oh fuck I’m going to have to tell Cruz about this.

I listen to Monica and Peppa talking and they both head for bed. I let Peppa know I will be up in a bit as I need to make a phone call. I phone Saul first, “You still at Jade’s? Ok can you make it up to Cruz tonight? I really need to show you both something and I only want to do it once as Cruz is going to hit the roof. Yes, I need you at my back, it could have been worse but it’s still a potential threat. No Saul, I will talk to you together. Ok, see you later. Oh Saul, how is Noah? Great, that’s good to know, see you later.”

I dial Cruz’s number and the first thing I hear when he answers is a woman’s moan, “This better be good Juan. I’m in the middle of...Oh yeah baby right there. Don’t stop! Bite me harder.”

I shudder with disgust. I don’t want to know what turns Cruz on. “Really? Do I need to hear you fucking? I need to talk to you and Saul later. This is important Cruz.”

“Harder Cruz! I’m so close, yes yes oh god yes Cruzzzzzzzz!!!

I'm so tempted to put the phone down right then but I won't have another chance to speak to him. I needed to make sure Peppa is ok. I hear whispering and rustling of some kind then Cruz comes back on line, “What’s up Juan?”

“First, don’t ever answer your phone when you’re fucking someone, that’s just wrong.”

“Are you jealous Juan? Peppa not giving you any?”

I lose my temper and raise my voice, “You asshole! Look there could be a threat to our nature. I have something I need to show you so make sure you’re around before dawn comes.”

I'm waiting for the shouting and swearing to start but he remains quiet. “Ok, I guess you want to kill me right now but that will have to wait until later.”

Still nothing. “Cruz you still there?”

I hear a moan and a slurping sound. “For fuck sake Cruz! I don’t want to hear you getting sucked off.”

And that’s when I hang up, which is what I should have done in the beginning. I scrub a hand down my face and try to erase the conversation I just had with Cruz from my mind. I head towards the bedroom and with every step I take closer to Peppa my self-reproach heightens.

I crawl into bed and hold her close. I can hear her thoughts and she is struggling to find answers to the questions she keeps asking herself. They are also the ones that I can give her the answers to. I wish I could tell her, that it is me who knows where Noah is and that he is safe. I hate the fact that lie after lie leaves my mouth and they will only get worse over these coming months.

After we talked we lie there in silence. I have to force her thoughts out of my head in the end, because I can’t cope with my falsity. She’s still awake when it comes time for me to leave. Nothing I say to her will make any difference and I have no right to kiss her with my filthy lying mouth, but I do because I love her and I’m trying to protect us all. I get dressed, say goodbye and on my way out I remember to pick up the newspaper and I use my speed to get to Cruz and Saul before the sun peaks over the horizon.

When I reach Cruz’s room and reach for the door handle to walk in, a woman opens it half-dressed and storms right past me. She smells of sex and alcohol and oh yep add blood to that, Cruz must have fed from her. I walk in and shut the door to hear Cruz shouting at Saul, “What is it with you Cassidy brothers? Are you trying to ruin my sex life or what? You have heard of knocking before entering right?

They both whirl around to stare at me when they realize I’m standing there. I look at Saul with a grin on my face, “I’m surprised you haven’t gone blind if you saw what I heard on the phone earlier.”

Cruz pulls on some jeans and sits back down on the bed. Saul walks over to me and pats me on the shoulder, “What’s going on Juan? You sounded serious on the phone earlier.”

Cruz’s head snaps up to look over at us, “Serious? You didn’t mention that to me.”

I walk over and sit next to Cruz and thrust the paper into his hands, “Yes, I did Cruz, but you were too busy with your lady friend and getting sucked off to take much notice.”

He unfolds the newspaper and starts reading the front page and I sit there feeling tense waiting for him to erupt. He lowers his head but I hear the growl that rests at the back of his throat trying to force its way past his lips. He throws the paper in the direction of Saul, but I don’t see if he catches it. I’m suddenly on my back with a hand around my throat, and Cruz’s face inches from mine.

He hisses out his next words to me, “I want to rip your fucking throat out. That photo could destroy everything. You could have fucking exposed us Juan. I don’t give a shit or care that you love him and felt like you had to save him and bring him into our world. It won’t be much of a fucking world if we are hunted and killed.”

My anger rises and I struggle to break free from under his heavy frame but his hand tightens more around my throat to try and keep me in position. I send a thought to Saul asking him to get Cruz off me. Saul jumps on Cruz’s back landing a punch to the back of his head causing him to loosen his grip around my neck and I try and buck him off my body. All hell is let loose as the three of us attack letting out a tornado of words with kicks and punches thrown in, all trying to get our points across. We all end up on the floor with a thud as Cruz’s back takes the full impact, which gives Saul and myself a chance to gain the upper hand and we both pin Cruz to the floor.

His fangs drop down and blood and spittle fly in every direction as he violently shakes his head and body trying to break free from our hold. “Let me go you bastards.”

Saul shakes his head, “Not happening until you calm down and put those fangs away.”

Cruz lets out a menacing laugh, “Fucking Cassidy brothers. You always have to gang up on me, neither of you can take me on your own, back then or now.”

I can’t help the laugh that explodes out of me, “No, because you always had that fucking lion with you.” Somehow this breaks the tension in the room and we all end up flat on our backs laughing staring up at the ceiling.

I let out a sigh and run my hand down my face. I turn my head to focus on Cruz, “Look I’m sorry, I should have been more careful and I know you don’t want to hear it but I wasn’t going to let Noah go without a fight. I needed to give him that option.” Cruz starts shaking his head, “No Cruz, I don’t expect you to understand. Until you feel this intense love you have for your Entwined, you won’t know a damn thing about how it feels. So, you can lie there and judge me, but I would do it all again in a flash.”

An expression of understanding crosses Cruz’s face, which shocks me, but it’s soon back to having that pissed off look. “You better hope there are no more photos out there Juan. I can’t believe you let this happen.”

Saul sits up and turns his head and peers down on Cruz and says, “His mind was on getting to Noah in case the worst happened. Yes, it could have been different and Juan should have been more aware. But look at the photo Cruz, it’s two blurred figures sitting in a car, you can’t make any features out. He made a mistake and I’m sure he won’t let it happen again.”

Cruz sits up and then stands. He didn’t spare us a glance as he walks to the bathroom and says, “Do you know what? I’m so fucking tired with all this Entwined shit. You should have fought it from the beginning, like I have, and none of this would have happened.”

Saul looks at me with shock on his face and my eyes widen as Cruz’s comment sinks in and both our heads turn to Cruz as he opens the bathroom door and shouts out, “Get out of my fucking room so I can get some sleep!” And he slams the door shut.

My head snaps back to Saul, “Did he just say what I thought he said?”

Saul nods his head and says, “Yeah, he’s stupid if he thinks he can fight it forever and I pity the poor woman who ends up with him.”

I pick myself up off the floor, as dawn is nearing. I walk to the door to leave to get some sleep and Saul follows me. As we say goodnight to each other, I tell Saul I will feed first then go to Jade's to see to Noah's needs before we have to be on stage. I head to my room and get into bed. My thoughts turn to Peppa and Noah and the struggles we are all facing.