Torn (5 page)

           
“Lizzie
what is your problem?” Richard asked sounding annoyed on the other end.

           
“My
problem is you’re calling me at six in the morning. Is there something wrong
with Mattie or Morrigan?”

           
“No
the kids are fine. My mother is getting them ready for school,” he said.

           
“Then
what do you want?”

           
“I
want to know why you and your biker buddy were running through the grocery
store assaulting people,” he said sounding angry. The way he put it Archer and
I had ran through the store like crazy people punching random strangers. I
began to burst out laughing. “What the hell is so funny?”

           
“Well
you see Rich we didn’t assault anyone. We were playing around a little and
accidentally hit Cora in the head with a bag of rice, guess she didn’t
appreciate it but I definitely wouldn’t consider it an assault. That lady is
such a drama queen,” I said still giggling. To my surprise Richard began to
laugh as well and it lifted my spirits a bit knowing he was taking my word for
it.

           
“Oh
Lizzie I’m sorry. She made it seem like you guys bullied her or something,” he
said in between his laughter.

           
“Is
that mom?” I heard Mattie ask in the background and all the laughter stopped. I
waited holding my breath to see how Richard was going to play this. After a few
seconds of silence from the other end I heard the most beautiful word ever
spoken.

           
“Mom?”

           
“Hey
Mattie.”

           
“Hi
mom, I miss you. I can’t wait to see you Saturday!”

           
“I
miss you Mattie more than you even know,” I said trying to push back the tears.
“Everything ok at school? Are you having fun at your grandma’s?”

           
“Yeah
schools good and I like grandma’s house but I really want to go home.”

           
“I
know you do,” I said quietly knowing deep down I couldn’t really promise him
that.

           
“Well
Morri wants to talk to you before the bus comes. I love you mom.”

           
“I
love you too Mattie.”

           
“Momma?”

           
“Hi
Morri.”

           
“Momma
I miss you. I want to go home momma,” Morri said sounding like she was about to
cry which made the tears I had been holding back finally spilled out.

           
“I
know honey, I miss you too. But you know what?”

           
“What?”
she pouted.

           
“I get
to come pick you up Saturday and I’m going to take you to your favorite park.”

           
“The
one with the biggest slide ever?” she asked excited.

           
“Yep,
the one with the biggest slide ever,” I replied happy that she had stopped
feeling sad. I heard the faint sound of a horn honking in the background and I
knew it was their school bus.

           
“The
bus is here momma, I’ve gotta go. Love you.”

           
“I
love you Morri,” I said as I heard her hand the phone back to Richard.

           
“I
just want to go home too,” he said quietly and then he ended the call. That
made me feel like shit and question myself. Maybe I was being selfish here.
Perhaps I was hitting a mid-life crisis, I thought as I walked back down the
hall to Archer’s room, but the minute I saw Archer sleeping peacefully I knew
he was my destiny, no matter the consequences.

                                   
***

           
The
alarm woke us up at nine and I groggily drug myself out of bed. He told me I
could stay here and get some sleep as he was going to pick up the blood and
come right back. I assured him I would be getting no rest without him.

           
We
walked out into the bright sunlight and I found myself squinting in the glare
and immediately rummaged through my purse for my sunglasses. We hopped on his
bike and sped off to our destination. I had passed this building over a
thousand times on my way to town to get groceries or take Pharaoh to the vet.
It was a little white brick building with the letters BDS on it, blood donating
services.

           
We
walked in the building and it was pretty much set up like any place where
people went to donate blood. We walked past the waiting room down the hall to a
small office door that read Myles Sterling Regional Manager. That name sounded
oddly familiar to me but I couldn’t quite place where I had heard it before.
Archer knocked softly on the door and then walked in.

           
Behind
a large desk sat a burly balding man wearing glasses. He looked like he would
be someone’s grandpa until he looked up and I got a look into his eyes. They
were black and my whole deposition about this man changed. I sensed he was
nothing but evil and I wanted to grab Archer’s hand and run. Instead I just
grabbed his hand to feel the warmth his being provided me. He must have sensed
my disdain because he looked at me out of the corner of his eye concerned.

           
“Ah
Archer, I’ve been waiting on you. I see you’ve got a new friend, very pretty,”
he said eyeing me up and down, creepy me out further. I tightened my grip on
Archer’s hand and he flinched.

           
“Uh
yes this is Lizzie, Lizzie this is Myles,” Archer said sounding a bit nervous.

           
“My
pleasure Lizzie,” Myles said sticking out his chubby hand to shake mine. I
didn’t want to touch him but I knew I must as I didn’t want to seem rude. I
quickly shook his clammy hand and the minute my skin touched his I felt sick to
my stomach. I quickly let go and returned my hand to Archer and I immediately
felt better.

           
“Well
let’s get on with it then eh?” Myles asked pulling out a small red cooler from
behind his desk and sliding it over to Archer who stopped it with his boot.
“That’ll be $2500.”

           
Archer
handed him a wad of bills then picked up the cooler and started walking toward
the door. I was thrilled to see the little exchange was over and we could make
a fast exit.

           
“Hey
Archie,” Myles called out and Archer stopped and stiffened instantly looking
over at the chubby man with a pissed look on his face. “You should be very
careful with that one.”

           
Archer
didn’t say anything he just pulled me out of the office and then out of the
building. He put the small cooler in one of the saddlebags and we rode back to
his house. When we finally got back to his bedroom I thought it safe to speak
about our friend Myles.

           
“Was
he talking about me?” I asked.

           
“I
never know what Myles is talking about. He is a little bit out there if you
know what I mean,” he said as he took one finger and rotated it beside his head
symbolizing Myles was a loon. I went up to him then and looked in his beautiful
eyes.

           
“I
don’t want you to ever go back there again. There is something really creepy
going on with that guy. There’s a bad vibe there, from now on you drink from
me,” I said sternly.

           
“But
Liz”- he started. I cut him off immediately.

           
“I’m
putting my foot down with this one. You will drink from me and only me. End of
discussion.” He smiled broadly.

           
“Yes
ma’am.”

Chapter
11

         
“I want you to come
with me Saturday,” I said. “I want the kids to meet you.”

           
“Are
you sure that’s a good idea Liz?”

           
“Why
wouldn’t it be?” I answered with my own question.

           
“One
word, Richard,” he responded as we sat once again watching the sunset from the
porch swing.

           
“You’re
part of my life now and I plan on you being a part of my life for quite some
time. I want you to meet my children who are also a permanent part of my life.
Richard may not like it but he is going to have to deal with it sooner or later
and I’d rather just get it over with so we can all move on with our lives. I
want everyone to put our focus back on what’s important here, raising the kids
the best way possible.”

           
“Ok
but if things end badly don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he said smirking at me.
“Well I should go feed now.”

           
“Ok,”
I said a little sad that he had told me we should wait for him to drink from me
until after he had used up all the blood he had just purchased. I was sorely
disappointed but figured he had a point since he had paid so much money for it.

           
I
stayed out on the porch watching the sun slowly sink behind the hills and I
wondered just exactly where my life was headed. Was I looking at a divorce
here? If so who would get custody of the kids? Probably Richard I told myself
since he was the local celebrity. I resolved it was just as well for me to only
be around the kids on the weekends. Who in their right mind would raise their
children with a coven of vampires? Would I ever even be able to be with Archer
the way we should be together or would the guilt of being with him and giving
up my kids eat at me and in the end cause me to resent him?

           
“It
will all work out the way it’s meant too,” I heard a voice say. I looked up and
noticed Mystic standing in the doorway of the front door smiling sweetly at me
and it made all my doubts and fears wash away.

           
“Thank
you.”

           
“I
know you’re torn right now between your love for your children and your love
for Archer but they are two different kinds of love. Whether you realize it or
not your heart has more than enough love to give to all of them,” she said.

           
“I
know I just don’t see how it will ever work out without someone getting hurt,”
I replied honestly.

           
“Hurt
only makes the bonds of love stronger. Rest assured fate shows us where we
really belong in the end,” she said and then walked back into the house. I had
no idea what her last statement meant. I was never good with riddles but I
guess one day I would figure it out. Archer came back outside then and sat back
down beside me again on the wooden swing. He picked up my hand and brought it
to his lips, my whole body tingled.

           
“It’s
Friday night, feel like going somewhere?” he asked me his violet eyes twinkling
from his recent feeding.

           
“You
looking for some trouble tonight Archie?” I asked playfully.

           
“Nah I
like to keep a low profile, just looking for some much needed stress relief.”

           
“Ok
I’m game, where do you want to go? It’s not like Talon Hills has a lot to
offer.”

           
“Who
said we have to stay in Talon Hills?”

           
“Well
I do have to be back before tomorrow afternoon.”

           
“I
know, no worries,” he said as he took my hand in his and led me down the porch
stairs into the gravel that was the front yard.

           
“Close
your eyes Liz,” he said softly and I obeyed. “Now open them.”

           
I
waited for a few seconds to open them. The whole atmosphere had changed. I
heard waves crashing on the shore and smelled salt in the air and the gravel
beneath my feet had turned from hard and rocky to smooth and sandy. I heard a
seagull cry off in the distance and I finally opened my eyes and gasped. We
were at the shoreline somewhere off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico I assumed
because of the white sand and the clear greenish blue waters that matched his
eyes when he hadn’t fed. I looked over at him in awe and he was focusing on the
sun setting behind the waves of the ocean as if nothing had happened.

           
“How
did you do that?” I asked in amazement, he didn’t answer at first he just kind
of shrugged his shoulders.

           
“It’s something
I’ve always been able to do, but it takes a lot out of me so I don’t do it
often,” he said looking over at me and I noticed his eyes had once again
changed back to the palest of blue which meant he would need to feed again
soon.