The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (45 page)

  
              “Wait, what incident?” “Why did he compel you to forget?” “You remembered?” Both my mom and dad came at me with questions.

  
              I had a hard time deciphering each one. So I thought I would just explain everything. “Jack...bit me and then threatened to kill me when Tristan showed up.”

  
              “What!” my dad yelled, standing up abruptly and knocking over his chair. His fist slammed down on the table making me jump and spill some of my hot chocolate. His face was bright red with rage. He hurried over to one of the guards outside the door, shouting demands. From the coroner of my eye I saw at least four guards run off down the hall.

  
              “Ella honey, why didn't you tell us?” my mom asked, wiping up the spill.

  
              “Because I didn't know, I didn't remember until the other night.”

  
              My dad came back to the table demanding answers. “Why did he compel you to forget, what happened?” he growled, not happy with what Tristan had done. Adding another thing to include on the list of reasons of why my dad could hate Tristan.

  
              “To protect me,” I said, hoping he'd understand.

  
              “But you remembered?” my dad asked, puzzled.

  
              “Yes.”

  
              “How? That's impossible, unless…his powers aren't strong, but even then.”

  
              I was not about let my dad in on Tristan's little drinking habit. I didn’t need to give him another reason to hate him. That list was long enough. “I don't know,” I said, shrugging. “Something just triggered it.”

  
              “What triggered it honey?” my mom asked.

  
              I swallowed. “Um, I'm not sure,” I said, my voice squeaking. My dad looked at me funny. I buried my face in my hot chocolate to hide my flushed cheeks. My sex life was not going to be a topic of conversation with my parents.

  
              “Are you okay?” my mom said, feeling my forehead. “Your cheeks are all red.”

  
              “It's the cocoa, it's hot,” I said, blowing on it and slumping down in my chair.

  
              Two guards returned to the room escorting Tristan. “You,” my dad pointed. “Sit!”

  
              “Dad, what are you doing?” I asked, sitting up.

  
              “Tell me everything that happened the night my daughter was attacked,” my dad demanded.

  
              Tristan sat down next to me. He took my hand and waited for my permission to proceed. “Go ahead, it's okay.”

  
              He leaned in closer to me. “You sure you want to hear this? We can go somewhere else and talk if you want?”

  
              “It's okay. As long as you're here I'll be fine.” My dad murmured something under his breath and I glared at him. Tristan smiled at me not bothered at all by my dad's rudeness. Tristan held my hand in his lap under the table and I knew it was pissing off my dad. Just out of spite I moved in closer to Tristan. I knew my dad was holding it in and wanted to rip Tristan's head off, but right now he needed him whether he wanted to admit it or not.

  
              Tristan turned his attention to my dad and begun telling his version of the story. “The door was locked so Josie came to my room to get the key.”

  
              “Why do you have a key?” my dad interrupted, not happy with this news.

  
              “I'm the Resident Advisor. I have a key to everyone's room in my dorm.” My dad nodded for him to continue. “When I came back with Josie I heard Ella scream. I busted down the door and found Jack with his arm around her throat.” I could feel Tristan tense up at the memory. I squeezed his hand letting him know it was okay.

  
              After a few seconds he continued. “I acted on instinct and jumped him, but he was quicker and got away.” He looked away, ashamed he failed. “Ella was practically catatonic from the trauma so I compelled her to forget. I knew what happened to her with the accident,” he looked up at me. “I didn't want her to suffer, to be afraid.” I kissed his hand and held it in my lap never taking my eyes off of his.

  
              “I understand why you did what you did,” my dad said. “Thank you.” I almost fell over from shock. I thought for sure my dad would reach across the table and clobber him. “Josie was there, too?” he asked.

  
              “Yes, sir.”

  
              “Does she remember?”

  
              “No, sir.”

  
              “But Ella doesn't.” he scratched his chin, deep in thought. “And you have no idea what triggered it?”

  
              “Nope, none,” I said quickly while Tristan shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

  
              My dad signaled for one of the guards. “Where is this Jack now?”

  
              “I don't know. The last I saw him was the other night,” I said.

  
              “When you were alone with him?” Tristan asked, voice panicked.

  
              “Yeah, when we got back from the police station, he was in my room.”  Both my dad and Tristan started yelling. “Relax, nothing happened. Besides, he doesn't know that I know.”

  
              “What do you mean?” my mom asked.

  
              “Because at the time I didn't, I still didn't remember anything. I knew something was off with him because of how weird he was acting. I think he figured out that Tristan erased my memory.”

  
              “That's probably better,” my dad said.

  
              “Ella, you have no idea how dangerous he is,” Tristan said with worry in his eyes.

  
              “I know, no matter how many times you tell me. But if he wanted to kill me don't you think he would have done it already? And didn't you say you think he might have been after my powers?”

  
              “What?” my dad yelled. He turned to the guards and started yelling demands again. “You and you,” he pointed, handing out numbers as they ran off. Then he took out his phone and started dialing fiercely. “You are not leaving this room until we find him,” he said to me.

  
              “What? No way! I am not going to be held prisoner.”

  
              “Ella you are not going to argue with me on this,” he said, turning away from me.

  
              I looked to my mom for help. “We have like, a zillion hired guards. I'll be fine.”

  
              “I'll talk to him honey. Best not to push it now.”

  
              I rested my chin in my hand. “Where's Josie, I want to talk to her.”

  
              “I'll call Jade and see if it's okay with her if you stay there for a while. At least until your father calms down.”

  
              I turned to Tristan and he took both my hands in his. “Still want to be my boyfriend?” I joked.

  
              “Of course I do,” he said, kissing my forehead, making me feel better.

  
              “Ella, Jade said it was fine and Josie was asking for you, too.”

  
              “Let's go,” I said, grabbing Tristan and running out the door while my dad was too distracted to notice.

  
              “Just take one of the guardians with you please!” my mom called out.

  
              “Got it,” I said, grabbing Gabe on the way out. “Come on Gabe, you're coming with us.” He nodded obediently and followed. 

  
              “How'd it go in there?” Tristan asked once we were out of the room.

  
              “They want me to go to this special school,” I groaned.

  
              “I think you should go,” Tristan agreed, surprising me.

  
              “No, I'm not going.”

  
              “Ella –”

  
              “No, I just started school and you and Josie are here.”

  
              “It's not safe if you stay.”

  
              “Tristan, I'm fine. I wish everyone would stop worrying about my safety and worry more about my sanity. Weren't you the one who told me to make my own decisions?”

  
              He stopped and stood in front of me, gripping my hands. “Ella, you know I love you and would die if anything happened to you.” I nodded. “Then please, just think about it.”

  
              “I'll think about it, no promises though,” I said, even though there was nothing to think about. I had already made up my mind about staying.

  
              “That's all I'm asking,” he said, kissing me on the forehead just before we got into the elevator. “What else did you talk about?”

  
              “We didn't get very far. As soon as my dad found out about Jack all hell broke loose.”

  
              “The less you know right now the better.”

  
              “How is that better?”

  
              “Less information Jack can get from you.”

  
              “I'm not worry about that. As long as I have you, I'll be safe,” I smiled, kissing his hand. He smiled back, but I could tell he didn't feel as confident. “Plus we have Gabe now,” I said, patting him on the back.

  
              “Nothing bad will happen on my watch,” Gabe said. Tristan still didn't look convinced. The elevator opened up and we moved back allowing room for the new passengers. A little boy, no older than five, stepped on with his mom. I smiled at him and he blushed moving closer to her. He was holding a small security blanket. I knew this much because I remember Jake had one and he would clench to it the way this little boy did. The blanket was old and dirty, but he didn't care. Judging by the old juice stain on the corner I could tell it hadn't been washed in a while.

  
              Tristan tugged on my hand and I looked up at him smiling. He smiled back and gave me a kiss. The little boy hid his face when he saw us and I laughed. The boy and his mom got off the elevator before we did. When they departed the little boy dropped his blanket. I quickly picked it up and rushed off the elevator to hand it to him. The moment I touched it I had a flash from my date with Tristan. I slowly turned back to look at him. My expression gave everything away. Tristan knew I remembered.

  
              I took a step back in disbelief and Gabe looked at me funny. The doors began to close and Tristan tried to leap out, but more people stepped on blocking his way. “Ella, wait!”

  
              “Stay away from me!” I said, backing up. Gabe managed to break his way out of the crowd. I wasn't surprised. His size was intimidating so I'm sure everyone pretty much moved out of his way.

  
              “Miss Ella, is everything okay?” Gabe asked, concerned.

  
              “No. I mean I don't know,” I said, shaking my head that was still reeling from this new information. I heard the elevator ding and looked up to see Tristan make his way out. “Don't come near me,” I warned. Gabe, having no idea what was going on, stood in front of me blocking Tristan's path.

  
              “Ella, will you please let me explain? Yes there was blood on that blanket,” he said without waiting for a response. “It was Skylar's but it's not what you think.” He took a step closer. Gabe put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “She wanted me to bite her. I refused. I told her we were done. She didn't want to accept it. She cut her wrist open trying to get me to drink, but I refused. I used the blanket to stop the bleeding. I compelled you because I didn't know how else to explain it to you.”

  
              Gabe dropped his hand and I looked up at Tristan. “Ella you have to believe me. I would never lie to you.” I looked into his eyes and knew he was telling the truth, but was still hurt by all the lying and the secrets. 

  
              I was about to tell him when the little boy and mom came back around the corner. “My blankie!” the little boy cried. I handed him the blanket and the mom thanked me. Once they left I turned back around and walked over to Tristan.

  
              “Tristan,” I said, taking his hands. “I believe you, but you need to stop hiding things from me. My parents did that to me and I –”

  
              “I know, I'm so sorry,” he said, wrapping his arms around me. Gabe took a step forward but I put up my hand to stop him.