MoonNight (23 page)

 
I told her hugging her again.
 
On top was a big gigantic bow.
 
 
 
“Thank your father, it was his idea.”
 
 
 
 
“Thanks dad,
” I
said nodding towards him.
 
 
 
“No problem,” he told me.
 
 
 
“Are you sure you’re not hungry?”
 
my
mom asked.
 
“You look like a vampire.”
 
 
 
It took a lot of
self-force
to keep my mouth from bursting out laughing.
 
 
 
 
“Just the Alaskan atmosphere.”
 
I smiled and laughed.
 
 
 
My parents looked at me and laughed too.
 
 
 
The house was so familiar.
 
It was now nine in the morning.
 
We went back in the house and played board games as we had when I was little.
 
Then my
mom gets
all my yearbooks down for me to look at.
 
It was fascinating.
 
I could tell they were wondering what had happened while I was away for two months.
 
Still all my senses were on at all times for any danger.
 
There were still plenty of hunters heading straight for this house.
 
And one vampire protecting.
 
 
 
 
Lunch time came.
 
I told my mom I would get something to eat while I tried out my new car.
 
Anything to make excuses now.
 
Even though I hate driving, or anything that had to do with cars.
 
Around town was so crowded.
 
This was L.A. after all.
 
Taxis filled the streets.
 
Pedestrians walk back and forth.
 
The fastest I was going on this downtown road was ten miles an hour.
 
So I turned around and headed back.
 
I kept getting strange feelings the werewolf protectors or someone would show up while I was away.
 
 
 
And believe it or not when I got back, a car filled the drive way.
 
A beautiful red convertible with that west coast sign. It was empty meaning they had already weirded my parents out.
 
I
hopped out of the vehicle and burst through the front door.
 
The first person I hugged was Carson.
 
 
 
“I love you babe.” he smiled to me.
 
 
 
“Love you more.”
 
I said slowly letting go of him.
 
 
 
There were four couches in the living room.
 
The werewolves were squished onto one.
 
My parents giving me a strange look on the loveseat.
 
And Galen sitting on the biggest couch all by himself smirking.
 
 
 
“Hello Loren, Dimitri, Jeremy, Regan...” I cocked my head to the side.
 
“And Galen.”
 
 
 
 
“Leslie, your friends showed up while you were away.
 
We were just telling them some stuff about you.”
 
My mom gave me a meaningful look.
 
 
 
My stomach dropped in embarrassment as they all secretly held in laughs.
 
I was afraid of what she told them.
 
 
 
I stood there like a statue by Carson.
 
I also forgot to inform my mom that I had a boyfriend.
 
 
 
 
“Well,” she broke the silence.
 
“I’ll get dinner started.
 
Anything you guys prefer?”
 
 
 
“Chicken!”
 
Jeremy said and smiled.
 
 
 
“Yeah chicken,” Regan replied.
 
 
 
“Well I’ve got to go take care of my room.”
 
I got up stretching my arms.
 
 
 
Galen stood up and followed me.
 
Carson glared.
 
I ignored it, afraid they’d make a scene in front of my dad.
 
 
 
“Hey,
” Galen
said when we were alone in my room.
 
 
 
I ignored him and hung up some of my clothes
lying
around.
 
 
 
“Fine I’ll just sit here,” he said seating himself on the side of my bed.
 
 
 
I walked over and lied down on my bed next to him splaying my hair out.
 
Carson then walked in and sat down on the other side next to me.
 
 
 
I took both of their hands.
 
“I'm scared.”
 
I whispered to both of them.
 
“If anything happened to
any
of you guys I would never forgive myself for ever going to that summer program.”
 
And I broke down crying.
 
 
 
They hugged me on either side even though I just
knew
they were glaring at each other.
 
 
 
“Don’t be babe.”
 
Carson told me.
 
 
 
Loren poked her head in the door with her beautiful red hair.
 
“Your mother
’
s calling you Leslie.”
 
 
 
 
I quickly wiped my tears and headed down to the dinner table with them.
 
At least I could still eat without puking it up.
 
 
 
When we were all seated eating our baked chicken my dad asked, “Aren’t you guys a little young to be getting tattoos?
 
And are you guys all siblings?”
 
 
 
“Dad they’re eighteen that’s not too young.
 
And no best friends try to be alike.”
 
I told him.
 
 
 
Even though I knew he
didn’t comprehend
any of this he said, “Ah I see.”
 
He turned towards Carson.
 
“Are you forgetting to ask something?”
 
 
 
“
SIr?”
he asked puzzled.
 
 
 
He just leaned his head forward as if saying, ‘you know it’.
 
 
 
“May I please be your
daughters’
young partner?”
 
Carson asked.
 
 
 
I scrunched my eyes.
 
My dad always had to make things as awkward as possible.
 
 
 
“Whatever makes her happy.”
 
My dad said.
 
 
 
Apparently no matter how many times I say I’m
eighteen
he still has complete power over me.
 
 
 
 
And that’s when everything became a blur.
 
Carson jumped up onto the table shattering every piece of glass.
 
And then they all did.
 
And I knew why.
 
The door crashed down.
 
Sondra came in first.
 
 
 
“Run Leslie!
 
Run!”
 
She
screamed at me.
 
And then three
vampires
came in behind President Alijondra.
 
Their eyes were shifting colors and they were baring their teeth.
 
 
 
“Mom, dad run to your room and lock it!”
 
I screamed at them.
 
They didn’t have to think twice.
 
 
 
Then the Riccolis stepped in.
 
Including Lea.
 
Who in their right mind would bring her in?
 
 
 
I thought they would pounce and attack immediately.
 
But then five wolves came in behind.
 
The one that had bitten me and four other ‘protectors’.
 
 
 
Carson jumped down and covered me.
 
We all stood there in three groups.
 
 
 
 
“Well well well,” president Alijondra spoke up.
 
“I think it’s time to choose.”
 
 
 
And I knew what she was saying.
 
Three people couldn’t fight the other while revolving around one target.
 
 
 
 
“We’re staying together.”
 
Jeremy glared down at her.
 
 
 
“Alex.”
 
I heard
Carson’s
hot breath next to my ear.
 
 
 
“Have you even given the girl the choice?
 
Told her both sides?
 
Told her how
weak
you guys are?”
 
Alijondra sneered.
 
 
 
“I stay with them.”
 
I said stepping out from behind Carson.
 
“Who’s joining?”
 
I looked at each one in turn.
 
Sondra stepped forward next to me.
 
Then the Riccolis.
 
I nodded to
them respectively.
 
“Anyone else?”
 
I asked.
 
 
 
The rest stepped besides Alijondra and her vampires.
 
“And what exactly,” she started. “Are five werewolves, two vampires, and one fairy going to do against my thousands?”
 
She asked.
 
 
 
“Everything.”
 
I told her.
 
 
 
“So this is it?”
 
Regan asked.
 
“Anyone else want to join us?”
 
And I knew he
highly doubted
what I had said.
 
But that’s okay because I was too.
 
It was silent for a minute.
 
 
 
“Yes, your clan is a traitor to the wolves.
 
You lie, you deceive.
 
It’s time to ally with our enemies.
 
It’s not about who is who anymore.
 
It’s about who stands on which side.
 
And you weaklings have chosen that.”
 
Alex finished off in his raspy voice of a chain smoker.
 
 
 
Still no battle was breaking out.