Karma Bites

  This time it’s my turn to chuckle. Does he remember my mom? I’m pretty sure her head would have exploded if he came to me any earlier and tried to explain this. The only reason it didn’t now is because she knows there’s a current danger.

  “You shouldn’t think about your mother that way.”

  “You shouldn’t read people’s thoughts!” I snap. “It’s rude.” Holy crap. How cool am I? I totally just yelled at my vampire dad. There’s a whole new level of danger to talking back when a parent has fangs.

  “You’re taking this too lightly, little one. I know you have to be scared… worried…confused…”

  “Umm, ya think?” I realize I’m being rude again. “Sorry. Yeah, it’s a lot. I’m okay though.” Caleb, Caleb, Caleb. I focus on him. On saving him. That’s what’s important here. I can worry about me, about how Mom might hate me and I might soon become one of the things that goes bump in the night, later. Right now, all that matters is Caleb.

  ***

  The night is coming closer and closer to an end. Dad and I haven’t talked much more. Kind of hard to think of something to say to him, considering the circumstances. After asking, “how ‘bout them Yankees’ I decided to keep quiet.

  Now, I’m getting more and more nervous. We’re not going to find them. The sun will come up and Dad will like… burst into flames or something if we don’t find cover. That thought makes my heart jump. I don’t want him hurt. I just found him.

  “We’re going to have to call it a night, little one,” he says as though he can read my mind. Oh yeah. He can. “We can work on that… once things settle down. I can help you learn to block your thoughts.”

  “Really?” I turn to look at him. I’m not only excited to learn the blocking, but that means he’s going to stay, right? At least for a little while.

  “For as long as I’m welcome,” he answers my thoughts. I love his answer, but the whole mind-reading-thing is still annoying.

  “Good… and thanks. I would like to learn that.”

  Another few minutes of silence and then he speaks again. “I’m going to have to bring you home. There’s nothing more we can do tonight.”

  “No!” I feel like I’m losing my breath. “We can’t give up. We have to find Caleb.”

  Dad sighs. “Not tonight, little one. The sun is coming up. I need indoors. Isaac isn’t going anywhere, believe me. He’s got a plan and he won’t leave until he sees it through.”

  I shiver. Gramps sounds scary. Leave it to me to find out Mom isn’t crazy, and I not only have a vampire dad and ‘best friend’ but a murderous, lunatic for a grandpa.

  I shake those thoughts from my head. “You can’t bring me home. Mom will freak. She won’t let me to go with you tomorrow and I’m telling you, I’m finding Caleb, even if I have to do it myself. I’m not walking away from him again.” Yes. I might not have found them earlier, but I’m finding those claws Caleb told me about and I plan to use them to save him. I owe him that much.

  Another sigh. “I’m giving your mother even more reason to hate me. And a reason to hate myself if things go badly.”

  The sadness in his voice breaks my heart. Almost want to tell him I’ll go home, but I can’t do it. “I’m sorry.”

  ***

  “You have a house in my town?” Actually, scratch that. House isn’t even the right word. He has a freaking mansion in my town. I think that’s a vampire thing. They all seem to have tons of money in movies and books and obviously that transfers over to real life.

  “I told you, I’ve kept an eye on you. I don’t stay here often, but where you are, I know I will always want to be. Of course I have a place here.”

  It’s so crazy to hear him say something like that. So many times I’ve wanted more family. Mom is great and I love her more than anything, but it’s lonely. Her parents weren’t nice people and stopped talking to her when she had me. And Dad was never around and suddenly he is and it feels incredible.

  “Thanks…” I look toward the ground, but then realize I need to watch where I’m going if I’m going to follow him inside.

  Dad presses a few buttons on a keypad before a rumbling sound comes from the windows. I jump, my heart somewhere in my throat when he says, “They’re special blinds to keep out the sun.”

  Naturally. Duh. Why didn’t I think of that?

  He hands me a cell phone. “Call your mom.”

  Joy! Just want I couldn’t wait to do. She’s going to freak out and I get that. I feel bad, but not bad enough to go home.

  I dial and Mom answers on the first ring. “Abigail?”

  “How?” I start to ask her how she knew it was me, but realize she didn’t. She just hoped. Guilt pumps through me. “It’s me, Mom. I’m sorry. I’m okay.”

  I hold the phone away from my ear as she starts to yell. And yell. And yell some more. It’s the crying that really stinks though. When she’s finally quiet enough for me to speak, I put the phone back to my ear. “I know what I did was wrong, but I’m sorry, Mom. I can’t come home. I have to do this… It’s the right thing to do and… Dad will take care of me. All Caleb wanted is the same thing you do, me to be safe. I have to do the same thing for him.” Tears start to pool in my eyes. “I’ll be home tonight when we find him.”

  “Abby!” she yells.

  “I have to go, Mom… I love you. I’ll see you soon.” And I hang up and cry. I hate hurting her this way. Dad pulls me into his arms and begs me to go back to her. Tells me he’ll take care of Caleb, but I tell him, no, no, no over and over until I all the tears are gone. I have to do this.

  When Dad lets go, we separate awkwardly. I curl up on his couch and think about Mom… Caleb… even Gabe. I watch Dad as he paces the room, sits on the touch on the other side of the room, and then paces again.

  “Please… let me take you home.” He begs one last time, but I shake my head.

  “I’ll go alone.”

  “I can make sure you don’t.”

  A shiver of fear slides down my spine, but I ignore it. “I would never forgive you.” The words almost stick in my throat. I hate saying them to him, but I need to take care of Caleb more.

  Resigned, he shakes his head. More silence.

  I feel like I’m going to go insane.

  I need to talk or something. “Do I have any siblings?” I ask. I don’t know why it’s the first question to pop into my head, but there it is.

  Dad looks at me like it’s a strange question too, before shaking his head. “No, Abby. No other family.” Smoothly, he sits down on the couch again.

  “And…” I can’t finish the sentence and then realize I don’t have to say it out-loud. Instead I finish it in my head. Are you married? Do I have a stepmom?

  He looks sad again. “No… there’s only ever been your mom… She’s the only one I’ve ever loved.”

  In this moment, I feel like I can share anything with him. That he’ll understand things I’ve only been able to think before. “I’ve been so lonely. I used to dream about you… That you’d find us and make everything okay…though I guess it was really okay the whole time, wasn’t it? Mom never was crazy.”

  More guilt. I’ve been so mad at her, when really it was the truth.

  “You couldn’t have known. You’re mom loves you though. More than anything. Even when she was pregnant with you. She had so much love for you, I could feel it coming off her. It was incredible.”

  I suck in a breath. I’ve always known she loves me, but it feels good to hear. “I love her too. I’ve had times where I felt like I was being watched too. Never in a bad way, but… just felt someone there.”

  He smiles. “I could never leave you completely alone, little one. Never.”

  I grab those words… hold onto them. They mean everything to me.

  I doze off and on through the day and every time I wake up, Dad’s there, watching over me.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  I’m startled awake when the doorbell rings. The sound makes my heart race and my
palms sweat. Somehow I doubt Dad has too many visitors.

  I rip open my backpack and pull out a stake and my holy water. Dad crinkles his eyes at me, when he sees what is in my hand. “Are you planning on blessing someone?” he asks.

  Hello? Possible murderous vampire at the door and he’s making jokes? He sounds like—oh, he sounds like me. “No, I figured I’d throw it in his eyes or something…. I don’t know.”

  A snicker breaks open on his face. “I told you, we’re not evil, little one. I can hold a cross. Heck, I can bathe in holy water,” he winks. “I can even handle the smell of garlic.”

  Heat scorches my face. “Sorry. Not a vampire expert here.” The bell rings again, making me jump.

  “It’s okay. Whoever it is, is human.” Dad tells me. “Still stay back. For future reference, the stakes work. The others, not so much.”

  I sort of want to laugh, but I’m too scared.

  Dad walks over to the door. I don’t know how I know, but I’m almost positive it’s close to evening. The sun must be going down by now, which is why he seems okay when he opens the door. Still, he stands behind it slightly.

  I hear him talking to whoever is there. Suddenly, Dad’s voice raises, “Who sent you?”

  The person at the door walks in, his eyes glued to Dad like he’s in some kind of trance. Holy crap. My dad is trancing this guy? Dude, this is so crazy. I don’t even take the time to pretend I’m dreaming because my luck has never been that good.

  “I don’t know… We met after dark.”

  “Where?” Dad says.

  The tranced guy rattles off an address.

  “Do you know anything else?”

  The man shakes his head.

  I’m in awe of what’s going on in front of me. It becomes even more of a freak-show when Dad says, “You won’t remember coming here. Get in your car and leave. Don’t come back here or to the previous address you gave me.” And then he touches the guy’s forehead before the man turns and walks away.

  Dad’s face is grim when he walks back in. I totally want to make a joke about what I just saw happen, but I can’t make myself do it. This is real. This is my life. And it’s scary as hell.

  “What…what is it?” I finally find my tongue.

  “It’s a message from your grandfather.”

  Gulp!

  ***

  We pull down the road of an old, abandoned house at the end of town. It’s one of the biggest and oldest places in town, but it’s been empty for as long as I can remember. It’s creepy too. Perfect place for Dracula to hang out. We totally should have looked here more closely.

  The house is on a hill, without any others close by. Off to the right is the forest that stretches for miles. The same ones Caleb lives in. Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. Caleb’s dreams pop into my head and I wonder how much of those were because of the two vampires in this house.

  “If I know my father, he’s likely alone besides the boy and Gabe, you said his name is? He’s never trusted easily and his arrogance makes him think he doesn’t need anyone. Hopefully, I can use that to my advantage.”Dad’s voice sounds tense… nervous, making me want to rethink my plan of being the super hero here.

  No! I can’t let myself do that. Not after what Caleb did for me.

  We step out of the car. I can’t believe he sent us a message to meet him. I can’t believe I’m here. My heart’s racing a million miles an hour. I’m sweating even though it’s not hot outside. What was I thinking? I’m not one of those kick butt girls who saves the day in the end.

  “You’ll be fine, Abby. I promise you. I’m not losing you now.”

  I wrap my arms around his waist. Even though I like how it sounds when he calls me little one, I like hearing him say my name too.

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Dad strokes the back of my hair. “Remember, what we talked about. Stay with me the whole time, until I tell you differently. Focus on my voice. He can read your mind, but not mine. You’ll hear me here.” He touches my temple. I nod.

  “Try not to focus too much on what I say so he can’t get it from you. Like I said, the bracelet will help, but he’s very powerful too.”

  My legs feel like Jell-O, making it nearly impossible to walk, but I push on, not willing to let there be any space between myself and Dad.

  “Behind me,” he says inside my head as we walk up the stairs. Ever had someone talk inside your head? It’s freaky. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it.

  As soon as we step onto the front porch, the door flies open. There’s no one there. Vampires can do some crazy stuff. How many times have I made fun of vampire abilities and they’re real? Yeah, karma sucks.

  “We’ll be fine,” echoes inside my head and I trust it. I trust him.

  We step inside to a wide, open room. It’s hardly furnished. There are boxes everywhere, a few pieces of old furniture and what looks like statues covered with white sheets. Statues? Really? I feel like I’ve just stepped into Dracula’s crib.

  “Christopher, I knew you would come.” A chill sweeps over me at the voice. It sounds evil, if that’s possible. Or maybe I’m crazy. Not sure that’s such a bad option anymore.

  “Father.” I grab onto the back of Dad’s trench coat when he talks. His voice is somehow different. Colder than I’ve heard it. “You invited me. How could I miss the show?”

  Isaac ignores the second part. “Oh, so I’m still your father? I must ask you, what kind of good son would let their father believe them dead for all these years? You dare call me father, after the things you’ve done?”

  He’s standing in the front of the room, looking almost like he’s from a movie. The same blond hair as us. He’s tall, so tall, but there’s something menacing about him. The way he stands so tall, the evil tilt of his eyes.

  The house is huge, even bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside.

  “And maybe I can ask you what kind of good father would try to control their son the way you did me? Who would have killed me rather than let me walk away from you? You know me. It was only a matter of time before I found a way to get away from you.”

  Where Dad’s hair is short around his head, Isaac’s is long, reaching his shoulders.

  “Because you think yourself better than me? No, it’s because you’re weak, Christopher. You always were.”

  “No, because I don’t enjoy destroying people,” Dad bellows, making me jump. My fist tightens in his jacket.

  Isaac laughs. The sound stabs me like little pinpricks all over my body. “We could have had everything! All the power over the vampire community and humans too if you would have just been willing to take it! You would have rather played house with the human than to stand by my side.”

  Mom… He knows about Mom. Of course he does. If he knows about me of course he has to know about her too.

  “Because unlike you, I know how to love.”

  Isaac laughs again. “I love too, Christopher. I loved you. I love power. I love my people, which is why I will lead them. You and I, we love differently. You’re too soft! I had to find myself another son who isn’t afraid to do what needs to be done.”

  Gabe. I know its Gabe. It sickens me in so many ways.

  Isaac starts speaking again. “I thought you dead for years. You should have known I would find out eventually. That I would hunt you down. And look what you led me to… straight to the girl. And do you want to know a secret? I guess, it’s not a secret, but only something you won’t be around to see.” He’s got to be fifty feet away from us, but it feels too close. When he takes a step closer, I fight the urge to run.

  “Soon, Christopher, you will be gone. The woman will be gone and I’ll have your daughter too.”

  My heart drops. He thinks he’s going to have me? To kill Mom? No, not her. I won’t let him hurt her. I feel for my backpack to make sure it’s still there.

  No, little one.

  I ignore Dad in my head. I’m tired of being scared. Tired of letting pe
ople walk on me. Somehow all the years of fear, of being the vamp freak transform into anger…courage. I want the claws Caleb believes I have. I want to use them to defend him. To defend Mom. To finally defend myself.

  I step out from behind Dad and look into another pair of eyes that match my own. “Never! I will never be yours and you better stay away from my mom.”

  My strength falters a bit when someone else steps beside him. Gabe. My best friend. The vampire who only pretended to care about me all along. His eyes look hollow. So dark and cold. Nothing like the boy who sat and talked with me. Who brought me to watch movies in the park. A cry threatens to burst free, but I bite it back. I take a step forward.

  Isaac, the jerk, claps. “Bravo, child. I knew you’d be special. You’re not afraid of me?”

  Abby, don’t talk to him. Come here. It’s Dad, but I ignore him. “This is pretty fangtastic and all, but I’m not feeling the whole Interview with the Vampire thing. Leave me and my Mom out of this.” I kind of want to take a minute to cheer for myself. I’m pretty good in a clutch, but the way Isaac’s eyes train in on me, makes me stagger.

  “Oh, I can’t wait to have you, child. You’re already mine. We’re blood and unlike my son, I don’t turn my back on my family.”

  “Oh, you just murder their parents and send psycho boys after them?” I’m not sure where my courage is coming from or if it’s even a good idea I’m saying this, but I can’t stand in the background anymore.

  I let my eyes find Gabe again. It pierces me through the chest to see him there. Somehow, I hoped it wasn’t true, but seeing him next to Isaac, I know it is. He’s betrayed me. He would have made me trust him more, then turned me over to Isaac.

  “Yes, he would have. That’s what a good son does.” Stupid! I’m letting him in my head.

  Isaac turns to Gabe. “What is it with women that makes men so stupid?”

  His comment confuses me.

  Isaac speaks again. “You’re confused? Well let me spell it out for you. I found this boy in the gutter. On drugs and I gave him immortality. All I asked in return was allegiance. Loyalty after one son already turned his back on me. But as it turns out, he’s just as weak as your father. What is it with you Thompson women? You poison my children against me. Now I will have to kill Gabe as well as your father. Luckily for him, he won’t suffer as much as your other young man is.”