Blood Pact

  Chapter 12

  I walked out of my bedroom Friday morning way earlier than I normally did, and I bumped into someone way taller than was normally in the hallway. Looking up into the face of John, I couldn’t help but to give him a confused look. “What are you doing here at six in the morning?”

  “Just discussing some matters with your mother,” he answered.

  Looking doubtful and realizing he was only wearing a pair of sweat pants, “You’re lying,” I told him, “but you wouldn’t tell me the truth anyway.” I turned to leave and started toward the stairs and stopped. “Tell my mom I already left for school.” I went down the stairs before he could respond to my accusations.

  Downstairs I quickly grabbed my things in the front hall, exited the house, and got into my car and left. I left the house early because I had wanted to speak to Nick before meeting the vampires that night. I hadn’t talked to him much since I left the cafe a couple of days before. I knew that I could wait and talk to him at school or even mentally, but I could tell that he was asleep, and I wasn’t feeling patient.

  At his housing complex, I parked next to his car and quickly located what I knew was the townhome he lived in. Looking around I admired the beauty of the landscaping. There were walkways and benches all around giving the place a peaceful look. Taking a breath I rang the doorbell, and through our connection I could feel him stirring but not quite waking up. So I did what anyone with a lack of patience would do; I rang the doorbell again and then used my fist to bang on the door. I finally felt him wake and within seconds could hear his footsteps coming to the door from inside of the apartment.

  Opening the door he looked confused but not surprised to see me. “Hey,” he mumbled and moved aside to let me inside his home.

  Upon entering I could see a sparsely furnished living room with a dark leather couch and large screen TV in a corner. There were no decorations or photos anywhere other than a couple of books on a coffee table in front of the couch. “I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I would pay you a visit.”

  Nick gave me a look that said he didn’t believe me. “Come on,” he said and lead me down a hallway. The first door we passed he told me was a closet, the second a bathroom, and the third door that was cracked open he told me was John’s room. Inside the door, I could see a bed and a bedside table illuminated because of the hallway light, but that wasn’t what caught my attention. It was the picture on the table that caused me stop in my tracks.

  “What is it?” Nick asked when he realized I wasn’t following him down the hallway.

  Before he could stop me and say anything else, I walked to the table and picked up the picture. It was a picture that I had seen my whole life. It was in my mom’s bedroom on her bedside table, my dresser in my own bedroom, and even on our fireplace. It was a photograph taken of my mother and me when I was an infant, only I had never realized that someone had been cut out of the picture.

  I turned to Nick. “This photograph is of me when I was a baby, my mother, and John.” He looked at the picture and shook his head. “Only the picture I have had him cut out of it.”

  “I have never seen this photo before,” he told me. “I’m sorry, I never come in here.”

  “Yeah, it is just weird to me.”

  “Maybe it was taken before he moved away,” he told me. “He said that he and your mom were friends before he left.”

  “Your right,” I agreed. “I just think it is odd that he would have this picture here.”

  “Let’s just get out of here before he comes home,” he told me.

  “Okay,” I told him and mumbled, “I knew he had some creepy thing for my mother.”

  Which Nick heard and just started snickering.

  “You wouldn’t be laughing if it was your mom,” I said and followed him into his room. “Did I tell you I caught him in my hallway this morning wearing only a pair of sweat pants?”

  “No,” he sighed and flopped onto his bed and flung one arm over his eyes. “But that is messed up,” he agreed. “So what’s going on?” he asked.

  “Nothing gets passed you huh?”

  “No, I can just feel the anxiety coming off of you in these crazy intense waves, and you are really jittery.” He moved his arm from his face and looked at me. “How many cups of coffee have you had?”

  “I lost count at five around three this morning,” I told him and sat on the edge of his bed. I looked around his room and could see that it was just as neat as the rest of the apartment. He had a shelf stacked full of books and there was a stand in the corner with different types of weapons. Other than that there was a desk with a computer on top and a dresser where I was positive his clothes were put away neatly, so unlike my own which were just shoved in where they would fit. I sighed and looked at him from my spot on his bed. “I’m honestly nervous about tonight, and truthfully that is not good because I am usually never scared about anything. I am worried about failing. What if this doesn’t work?”

  He sat up behind me, and I leaned into him. “You can do this,” he whispered into my ear. “And I will be right there backing you up.”

  I nodded. “I just hope we can save Sam and no one gets killed.” I yawned, and he let go of me and motioned for me to lie down. I laid down, and he got up and slid my shoes off of my feet.

  “Why don’t we skip school today,” he said covering us up and lying down next to me. “We can sleep all day and be ready for the dance and for whatever happens tonight.”

  “I need to be ready for whatever Taylor has planned for getting ready this afternoon,” I said and closed my eyes and relaxed in the warm and cozy bed next to the comfort of his body.

  Hours later I woke up alone in Nick’s bed. I looked around and could see that it was already two in the afternoon from the alarm clock next to the bed, so I decided to get up and see if I could find Nick somewhere in the house. Walking down the hallway into the living room, I saw someone at the table reading a newspaper.

  I walked into the kitchen and just as I was about to say something, the newspaper was lowered revealing John. “And what are you doing in my home at two in the afternoon?” he asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be at school?”

  “Sleeping,” I answered truthfully. “Where did Nick go?”

  “He left to get something for you guys to eat.”

  “Thank you,” I told him and started go back to Nick’s bedroom to wait for him to return.

  “You can have a seat and wait for him here,” he motioned to the seats around the table.

  I sat down and he and I sat in an awkward silence with him turning newspaper pages every few minutes. Hearing the doorknob turn caused me to sigh in relief. I quickly got up and walked to the door, thankful to see Nick walk through with bags of Chinese food.

  “I hope you like Chinese,” he said and led me back to the table.

  “You totally know I do, thank you,” I told him.

  “You’re welcome,” he said. “When we are done here, I will take you home since Taylor and Hannah are going to your house when school is out.”

  “Oh yeah,” I said, remembering we had plans to get ready for the Homecoming dance after school. “I almost forgot.”

  As soon as we finished eating, we walked outside where I insisted I could go home by myself and would see him later. I gave him a quick kiss goodbye and left for home. At home, I did not have to wait long for the girls to arrive, and before long we were ready for the dance and waiting for the guys to come pick us up.

  “You guys have fun,” my mom called from the door as we all got into the cars to go.

  “We will mom,” I said and impulsively gave her a tight hug. “I love you mom,” I said to her.

  Surprised, she hugged me back. “I love you too,” she said with a confused look in her blue eyes.

  “See you later,” I said and went out to the car to leave for the dance with Nick.

  The few hours we were at the dance, we spent talking with friends and dancing when it was in
sisted upon by my friends. When we both glanced at the clock and saw that it was 11:00, we nodded to each other and made our way out of the gym to the parking lot.

  “Do you know where to go?” he asked when we were standing by his car.

  I nodded and pulled out the piece of paper the vampire had given me from my bag. “So how should we do this?”

  “You are going to drop me off down the street from the address and go to the place while I sneak up to keep an eye on you.”

  “Okay, well here goes,” I said and took a deep breath when we drove away from school.

  A block from the house, I dropped Nick off after he had strapped a sword to his back and then drove to the house by myself. At the house, which was actually a mansion with several wings, I wasn’t surprised to see guards at the door when I drove the car up the circle drive. When I exited the car, they stepped forward and led me through the front door into a sitting room. A gruff vampire built like a linebacker told me to sit and that his boss would be with me shortly.

  I was left alone in the room, and while I waited I looked around and admired the lavish decorations. The walls were a dark burgundy, and the place looked like it was from another time other than the modern amenities such as electricity.

  “What is going on?” I could hear Nick say in my mind.

  “They led me into a sitting room, and I am waiting for the boss.”

  “Okay, which side of the house are you on?”

  “I think it is the west side of the house, close to the front.”

  “Okay, I will look through the windows on that side of the house and find you.”

  The door started opening. “Someone is coming in.”

  A tall vampire with black hair and green eyes entered and scrutinized my appearance. He was quite handsome and appeared to be in his early twenties. He looked a lot like someone I knew, but I couldn’t quite figure out who. Before he could say anything, I spoke first. “I am here now. Will you please let my friend go?”

  He didn’t speak for a moment and nodded. “You are Elizabeth Spencer’s child correct?” he asked in a quiet yet commanding voice. “I thought you would be taller.”

  “What does this have to do with my height?” I answered, becoming annoyed when he just looked at me. “Yes, she is my mother.”

  Without answering, he turned to the linebacker sized vampire standing guard at the door. “Bring the girl.” The other vampire left, and the leader turned back to me. “I will let your friend leave, and then we have another guest coming for a chat.”

  “Okay,” I agreed. I was still confused about what was going on but knew that there was no point in arguing with him.

  A few minutes passed, and Sam was led into the room by the vampire from the door. When she walked in, Sam ran up to me and we hugged. “Are you okay?” I asked immediately.

  She nodded, “Yeah, I’m okay.”

  “Did they hurt you or anything?”

  She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the vampire leader. “She was treated like an honored guest.” Sam nodded in agreement.

  “Okay,” I said still doubtful, but if she said so I would agree with her.

  “Now she may leave,” he said, and the guard stepped forward and tried to lead her out.

  “I can’t leave you here,” she said to me.

  “It will be okay,” I assured her. “I came to get you out.”

  The guard grabbed her arm and led her in the direction of the door and out of the room. After I heard the front door close, the leader turned back to me. “My other guest should be here any minute.”

  I sat back down. “She is out,” I communicated to Nick through our link.

  “I see her,” he told me.

  “Okay, get her somewhere safe.”

  “I can’t. A car just pulled up.”

  “Who is it?”

  “I don’t know,” he told me, “but someone just lead Sam to the car, and a second person is going to the door.”

  “Great.”

  “I can see the person at the car clearly now,” he told me. “It’s your mom.”

  “Oh great,” I said. “Think that means they know I’m here?”

  “Probably, but I can see you now through a window.”

  “Okay, let’s see what happens now,” I told Nick as I heard the front door shut and turned my attention back to the vampire leader.

  “Good, he is here,” the vampire leader said to me.

  We both watched the door, and a few moments later I was surprised to see John walk through the door. “Victor,” he tensely greeted the vampire.

  “Little brother,” Victor said with a maniacal grin.

  What? Little brother? Wow. I couldn’t say that I saw this one coming.

  “I am so glad you could join us,” Victor said and motioned to me.

  John for the first time noticed me sitting there and had a look of shock on his face but quickly hid it before a look of anger marred his pale face. “Why is she here?”

  Not knowing what overcame me, I could not help the words that came out of my mouth next. “Well, you see we were going to go to this party, and he said he would buy us alcohol, but now I am trapped here. So I think it was a trick,” I said with sarcasm. “Do you think he lied to me?”

  John only looked angrier, and Victor only looked more and more amused at his half-vampire brother’s anger. “I just wanted to get to know Alexandra,” he said motioning to me.

  “It’s Riley,” I said quietly.

  “And besides you violated our agreement by coming back,” Victor continued, ignoring me.

  “Stay away from her,” John said with no emotion in his voice. “I have reasons for being here besides that agreement we made.”

  “Please share then.”

  “Mother asked me to come back.”

  Victor had an odd look on his face. “Mother?”

  “Yes.”

  “I am not really caring what Mother’s role in this is.”

  “Look,” I interrupted and stood from my seat. “I understand you two don’t like each other. I mean, I don’t like either one of you myself. I can tell you had an agreement and have mommy issues, and that is sad and all because I feel you. But you,” I said pointing to Victor, “brought my friend and me into your family problems. It is not our problem. So I am leaving, and you people can work out your own issues.” Both of them looked sufficiently stunned, and I started walking toward the door when the linebacker sized vampire blocked my way.

  When Victor started laughing John and I simultaneously said, “What?” to him.

  “Of course you kept it a secret from her,” he said.

  “What secret?” I asked.

  But before he could answer, John attacked him. For the few months I had known John, I had often wondered if he could get angry. I had only ever noticed him slightly annoyed.

  They were moving so quickly that it was hard to keep track of their movements, and a few blows were exchanged. John broke away from Victor and went for a sword from a nearby wall display. He swung it a few times in Victor’s direction, and then Victor went for a sword of his own. The clashing of metal could be heard ringing throughout the room. After a few minutes of slashing back and forth at each other, John had managed to knock the sword away from his opponent. He brought his weapon to Victor’s throat. The linebacker guard started to head for John, so I had to act to stop him from attacking John. I grabbed Victor’s sword and went for the guard. I managed to jump in front of him and raise the sword just in time to stop him from saving his boss.

  He just started laughing at me. “Get out of the way little girl.”

  “Seriously,” I said and swung the sword at him causing him to back up. I kept on swinging until I had him backed up to a wall. “Little girl?” I asked him before I swung the weapon one last time and decapitated him.

  Right after he turned to ashes, the closed door burst open and several vampires came into check on their boss. Victor used their entrance t
o shove John off of himself, and the two began to fight again. Letting Victor handle his own fight, the newcomers turned to me since I had killed their comrade. It was time to call my backup. “Nick, I know you are watching, and I think we need your help now,” I communicated to him.

  Within seconds of sending my thought, Nick burst through the window causing everyone in the room to stop what they were doing. He didn’t stop moving and attacked the vampire closest to him. John and his brother kept fighting each other while Nick and I each took care of every vampire that we came up against. It seemed like they would never stop coming, and just as I was being overpowered by one, a voice rang out through the room.

  “STOP.” The voice was so commanding that every last occupant of the room stopped what they were doing.

  I turned to look at the door and saw one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen in my life. She didn’t look any older than thirty and had hair blacker than night and the same green eyes of the fighting brothers.

  She looked at the vampire closest to me and with a snarl said, “Step away from the girl.” The vampire stepped back without complaint, and she looked around the room at everyone. “Everyone except my children, the girl, and the boy leave,” she ordered, leaving no room for argument from either side of the fight.

  After the vampires left, the woman who I guessed was the brother’s mother regarded me with a curious look. After a moment, she nodded to herself with a slight smile on her face and turned to the door. “Elizabeth,” she called, “your child is here safe.”

  My mother rushed into the room and stood next to me, fussing over a bruise that I could feel forming on my right cheek. When she touched it, I couldn’t stop myself from flinching.

  “The one who did it is dead,” I said with a glance at one of the piles of ash on the floor.

  “What the hell were you thinking?” my mother yelled, making even the vampire lady’s eyes widen. “You could be dead right now.”

  “I’m okay. I had to get Sam away from the psycho,” I said and pointed toward Victor.

  “She was well cared for,” he defended.

  “Oh well, just because you have a problem with your brother, it gave you no right to bring my friend and me into your family drama.”

  “You’re right,” my mom said glaring at him before turning back to me. “He had no right, but you should have come to me, young lady.”

  I just nodded.

  “And you,” my mom turned on Nick, “are in just as much trouble for helping her pull this stunt.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Nick could be heard mumbling while looking down at the floor not wanting to make eye contact with my angry mother.

  “Calm down Elizabeth,” the elder woman said gently. “From what I can tell, they were just doing what they thought was right to help their friend.” I watched the lady and could tell by her mannerisms that she was far older than she looked. “It reminds me of a girl and boy from about seventeen years ago.” My mother just looked down as if in deep thought and the woman turned her attention to me. “Come here, please,” she said and motioned me to her. Too afraid to argue, I stood in front of her, and she looked into my eyes and smiled lightly. “You inherited my family’s eyes.”

  “Um, thank you?” I said confused.

  But she just kept on fussing over me. “And you are wearing a dress to a fight,” she stated.

  Slightly embarrassed by my state of dress, I told her, “Homecoming dance dress.”

  She didn’t acknowledge that I had said anything and looked toward Nick. “Boy, what have you done?” Nick got nervous and I could feel his anxiety through our bond.

  My mother looked concerned. “What?” she asked.

  “They are bonded now,” the vampire lady simply said. “She is definitely her parents’ child.”

  “It was so that we could save Sam and work together better,” I defended even though I was extremely confused by their concern. My mother’s response was just to sit down and stare off into space.

  “What kind of bond, Nicholas?” John said angrily.

  “A mating bond,” Nick mumbled, and before I comprehended exactly what he had said, John attacked him.

  Confused, I watched as Victor on his mother’s order pulled John off of Nick. When they were separated, I walked over to help Nick up and make sure that he was okay.

  “Why?” John asked once he was calmed down somewhat.

  “To help her save Sam,” Nick said. “I thought a bond would help me keep track of her and keep her safe because she was going to come and save Sam whether I helped her or not,” Nick told John. “And I didn’t want anything to happen to her because I am in love with her.”

  “I am so confused,” I said and managed to capture the attention of everyone else in the room. With everyone looking at me, I started ranting first at Nick. “Thank you, but I wish you would have told me what kind of bond that was. I feel betrayed because I didn’t know. Now I am confused about why we did what we did, and if it was because I wanted to or because of this bond,” I said to him, and then I turned to John when I heard him growl and Victor snicker. “And why are you so upset by this? And why in the hell was my friend kidnapped by your brother and the only way he would let her free was if I came here?”

  John looked tense and like someone that might pass out. “Because I am your father.”

  Now it was my turn to be stunned, and I did the one thing I always said that I would do if I were ever faced with my father.

  I punched him in the face and then I walked out.