The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (44 page)

  
              “Liam!”

  
              “I'll figure it out. I'll get a job,” I said, daring him to threaten me with something else.

  
              “No, there is nothing to figure out. Ella is staying here until she comes into her powers and then she will attend Hamilton Hill,” my mom said, glaring at my dad.

  
              “Jamila, you're being unreasonable.”

  
              “The only one being unreasonable around here is you,” she spat back at him. “So I suggest you listen to what your daughter has to say or you will have to deal with me,” she warned. I knew my dad was mean, but my mom was definitely not one to mess with when she put her foot down. Satisfied with my mom putting my dad in his place I couldn't wipe the smug smile from my face. That was until my mom gave me a look that said if I didn't she'd smack it right off of me.

  
              “It's because of this boy, isn't it?” my dad asked with a bitter tone.

  
              “No dad. Not completely. Josie's here too and I started to build a new life and...I like it here, it's different. I like different,” I said honestly.

  
              “Just so you know Josie's parents are having the same conversation with her right now.” I knew he said that hoping that maybe I'd change my mind.

  
              “Josie's like me?” I perked up a little.

  
              “I'm surprised your little boyfriend didn't tell you,” my dad said grunting. I knew he was holding back, I could hear it in his voice.

  
              “He said he wasn't sure.”

  
              “We'll talk about him later.” I rolled my eyes. “Now to a more important matter, the real reason we're here.” I looked between my dad and mom, confused. What could be bigger than finding out you're half-vampire? “Ella you need to listen to us, this is very important.” I gave him my full attention. There were certain things my dad didn't mess around with so I knew when I needed to listen and when to tune him out. This was definitely one of those times I needed to listen.

  
              “We believe the recent killings at your school were done by one of our kind,” he said. I sat up. That definitely grabbed my attention. “That's why we hired a guardian for you and Josie. I know you think we're over reacting and being over protective, but we're not. We're just concerned for your safety.”

  
              “Okay, I get that, but you really think I'm in danger? I mean, enough to have a body guard? I'm not completely helpless; I can take care of myself.” I knew my dad wanted to comment, but my mom shot him a warning look.

  
              He paused, taking a breath. My mom patted him on the hand and encouraged him to continue. I had a feeling from the look on his face what he was about to tell me was big. I gripped the edge of table for extra support, preparing myself for whatever catastrophic news they were about to tell me. “Ella,” he started. “You come from a long line of royalty. The highest actually. In fact you are next in line to take over.”

  
              Okay, that, I was not prepared for. “Whoa, wait a minute...take over what?”

  
              “Take over my seat on the royal court,” my dad said.

  
              “You're kidding, right?”

  
              The look on my dad's face said he hoped it was a joke. “I wish I was, but I'm not. This is part of the reason we have been so protective of you over the years and why it is so important you go to this special school, to help prepare you for when it's your time.”

  
              “Okay, but what's the rush? It will be like a hundred years before that happens?”

  
              “Five years.”

  
              “Excuse me?” I said, making sure I heard him right.

  
              “When you're done with school, that's when you will take over,” he said.

  
              “Well not right away. We have to make sure you are prepared and there several other things that will have to be done before she is sworn in,” my mom said, trying to make me feel better, but all it did was make me feel sick to my stomach. Tristan was right. My life is basically already planned out for me. I have no life of my own.

  
              “What if I don't want to?” I asked, trying not to panic.

  
              “That is your choice, but we don't want you to be too quick to dismiss it,” my mom said, jumping in before my father could say something to start another war.

  
              “Having you take over will do great things for us, for our people. I know you're the right person to do this,” my dad said, trying to encourage me to take the position - his idea of the right choice.

  
              “This is just too much.” I got up from the table. “I find out I'm half-vampire and a royal one at that, and I'm supposed to take your place in five years? I can't do this,” I freaked.

  
              “I knew she wasn't ready,” my dad said, making feel small.

  
              “Ella honey, I know it's a lot to take in and you don't have to decide anything right now. We're just letting you know what your options are.”

             
“What options?” I yelled. “Nobody has asked me what I thought, what I want!” I threw a scowl at my dad daring him to say something. “I want, I want to be normal. I don't want any of this. I don't care to be a princess or queen or whatever. I just want to be Ella. I want to be me. A normal girl who goes to a normal school where there are no vampires or witches or whatever.”

  
              “I hate to break it to you, but that will never happen,” my dad said, angering me even more.

  
              “Liam, you are not helping.”

  
              “Would you prefer I lie? I will not do that and before you saying anything,” my dad said directing the comment at me, “I never lied to you about who you are. We just waited until the time was right.”

  
              I bit my tongue on that one. Pick and choose your battles I told myself. “Ella, please, just have a seat. We still have much to discuss,” my mom said.

  
              “Can I take a break? I just need a moment to process all of this.”

  
              “Of course dear,” my mom said looking at my father.

  
              “Take a few a minutes if you must,” my dad said.

    
              I walked out on to the balcony to get some air. I really wished Tristan or Josie were here. I needed them now more than ever. I needed Josie's optimism and her kind heart telling me everything would be okay. I needed Tristan's arms around me, comforting me, telling me this world I've been thrown into is a blessing in disguise. For once I actually wanted someone to lie to me. At the moment I felt better about being in the dark about everything and if I knew it would work I would have Tristan compel me, to forget everything so I could go back to the way things were, before my whole life got turned upside down. I also would give anything to have Kyle here as well, to tell me there is nothing in this world that could destroy me. That he would beat up anyone who hurt me. He was always my protector.

  
              I felt a chill and I shivered, wrapping my arms around me tight. I felt like there was someone else here with me. I looked around. I was the only one. I leaned on the balcony and stared out into the starry night. I felt the warmth of strong arms wrap around me, but I was still alone. I suddenly felt warm, safe, and protected. I felt like I could take on anything and at that moment I knew Kyle was with me. If not in flesh he was in spirit. A part of him would always be with me. “Thank you,” I whispered to the air.

  
              I felt a drop on my shoulder and looked up into the clear night sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight. I wiped the drop from my shoulder and examined it on my finger. It shimmered, a bright gold before it completely evaporated. I took a step back not believing what I just saw. “Ella, are you okay?” my mom asked stepping out onto the balcony.

             
I ran into her arms almost knocking her over. “Oh honey, everything will be okay. I promise,” she said caressing my hair like she always did when I was little. I pulled back and looked up at her. “Ella, you are the strongest girl I know. You are brave, intelligent, beautiful, and more powerful than you know. I know you can handle whatever life throws at you and I believe in you. Whatever you choose to do I am certain you will know in your heart it is the right decision.” She placed a hand on my cheek. “Remember honey, I will always love you no matter what. Whatever you decide, do it because it's what you want. Never make a decision based on what others think you should do, you understand me?”

  
              I nodded, that's the best I could do without breaking down and crying. “Okay, sweetie,” she said, bringing me in for a hug again. “You think you're ready to come back in?”

  
              “Yeah, let's get this over with.” I sat back down at the table and faced my dad. “Okay, let's go back to you thinking one of our kind is killing people. We can deal with the other stuff later.”

  
              My dad nodded, clearly approving of the conversation topic. “We're not one hundred percent sure, but we will be here until we find out the whole truth.”

  
              “Wait, you're staying here, in Vermont?” They both nodded confirming. “But what about work?”

  
              “My business partner is here and anything that needs to be taken care of back home Xander can deal with.”

  
              This was not helping with my anxiety. “We're just taking extra precautions to ensure your safety. We want to make sure nothing happens to you,” my mom said, patting my hand.

  
              “What do any of the killings have to do with me?”

  
              “We believe the killer is targeting our kind.”

  
              “Wait, Skylar was a vampire?” That would totally explain a lot.

  
              “Yes,” my dad confirmed.

  
              “And Jack's roommate?”

  
              “That one has yet to be determined, but we believe he wasn't. We want to be one hundred percent positive so that is why we had the dorms evacuated and classes canceled.”

  
              “You did that?” I asked, shocked.

  
              “Yes, we needed our people in there to do a thorough investigation. They can find things humans can't.”

  
              I hadn't realized how much power my dad actually had. “Okay, so is your job real or is it just a cover story?”

  
              “My job is legit. I am not a secret C.I.A. Agent,” he winked, getting a kick out of it. I rolled my eyes knowing he probably assumed I would think that was cool. “We're getting off topic here,” he said.

   
              “Why do you think our kind is being targeted,” I said, getting back to the matter at hand.

   
              “Because there were other killings, ones we've able to cover up until now.”

  
              “Okay, this just got real serious,” I said, feeling the onset of a panic attack. I gripped my stomach, suddenly feeling sick.

 
              “Maybe we should eat something?” my mom suggested. She always thought food was the solution to all our problems.

  
              “I don't think I could eat anything right now,” I said.

  
              “How about some hot chocolate instead then?” she offered, getting up to make me a cup.

  
              I ran my fingers through my hair trying to calm my nerves. Then I remembered something. “Why didn't I think of this earlier,” I said, hitting myself in the head.

  
              “What honey?” my mom asked.

  
              “My friend Jack. I mean classmate, not friend. Definitely not friend anymore.”

  
              “What about Jack?” my dad asked, annoyed with my ramblings.

  
              “He's a vampire, rogue, I think. Well that's what Tristan said.”

  
              “What does he have to do with any of this?” my mom asked, placing a hot steaming mug in front of me. I wrapped my cold fingers around the mug, it burned at the touched but I didn't care.

  
              “Well, he's kind of what started all of this. There was an incident with him...” I hesitated, careful with my next words. I knew no matter how I said it this wasn't going to end well. “Tristan compelled me so I would forget what happened, but then I remembered.” I looked up at both of them.