Chapter 9
Forget
I headed to my locker, since everyone was still at lunch. I didn’t want to see Ethan in the garden anymore. I flicked through the books within as students gathered along the row of lockers; I didn’t need to look over to know it was the B-Team talking.
“So you and Valerie; this weekend?” asked Carter.
“Yep,” said Brant. “What can I say? I got a thing for getting girls to squeal, though now that I have seen true beauty in Coffer’s sister. I reckon I could get her to ditch her boy and all.”
“Yeah right Brant,” scoffed Flynn. “She wasn’t looking at you in a nice way.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I know what she was looking at—” said Brant with a gesture to himself.
“That is cold. You know what Valerie will do to you,” said Carter.
“Oh, I know and it will be wild.”
“She’ll squeal at you for hours.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” said Brant smugly. There was some kind of motion made and the group laughed.
I pulled a book from my locker, trying hard not to be seen, but it was too late.
“Hey you reckon Mute Kera is a squealer?” asked Carter.
“I reckon if you gave her a good fright she’d scream, might even call out a word or two.”
I shuddered; placing the book inside, I stuffed a different one into my bag, and closed my locker with haste. Turning sharp, I came face to face with a chest. Cold, perfectly formed in all areas and hard too. I knew that chest anywhere now. The perfect creation in this whole town was the one and only—
Ethan.
His eyes glared at the group behind me.
“Well now, isn’t that sweet,” said Brant. “Gone and got yourself a bodyguard.”
I blushed and tried to step around them. The two strangers from lunch were there, their eyes glaring at the boys.
“What you looking at Coffer?” asked Brant. His eyes darted to the other two, “Oh, you need back up do ya?”
“Watch your back Warwick,” hissed Ethan.
Fear gripped within me. I didn’t want Ethan to get into another fight. The lights flickered. I touched his arm, aware of his cold skin. My touch stunned him; dropping his gaze to my face. He blinked and smiled warmly. The others turned their eyes to us, startled by his actions. The boy placed a brotherly hand on Ethan’s shoulder, to pull him away—from me?
Brant scoffed. “Don’t scare me; I can take you anytime, any place.”
Ethan’s eyes shot to Brant with a glare of hatred. “And I remember I won that round.”
“Huh. You won Mute Kera, that’s what you won.”
“I told you to stop calling her that.”
Brant plucked his lips up with a smug lift of his head. “Mute Kera.”
Ethan stepped closer. It didn’t stop the glaring eyes from the B-Team. Flattening my hand to his chest.
Please. Don’t. It’s not worth it. I pleaded. It’s not their fault they’re nit wits. And … I don’t want you in another fight.
A twitch lingered on his lips, as he stared into my eyes. He was actually listening to me. I dropped my hand embarrassed, and thankful, my hair draped around my face as usual.
“Seems your girlfriend don’t want you fighting.” The flickering lights, brightened as much as my cheeks. “Mute Kera is all blushes for you. Bet you’d make her scream.”
The lights flickered brighter to suddenly pop overhead.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Shocked, shaken and a little distracted. Darkness surrounded us—not pitch black. Something cracked, smacked and even though I knew Ethan was beside me, I was sure he had moved.
“Ahhh!” Brant was clutching his jaw, blood was visible. Everyone was glaring at someone and yet no one knew what happened. Brant was hurt, a split lip. His buddies blinked in alarm at the sudden sight. “You did this you freak.”
Ethan shifted, when his sister stepped forward.
“Boy’s, boy’s, boy’s,” cooed the girl, she flicked her silky white hair and turned with a twirl. Ethan locked my hand into his. It fit perfectly inside his hand. With a nod of unspoken words, he pulled me along the hall; turning the corner, he paused at the wall. The two strangers kept walking, or as I realised—she dragged her boyfriend away. “Let them be,” she hissed.
“You know what Caleb said.”
“And I know what Ethan needs.” She tilted her head to Ethan with a smile.
Ethan turned his attention to me. His eyes held with mine; the silver of forest green showed pleading, much like that first day.
“Sorry about before,” He said casually as if we were catching up.
Which before? I wanted to ask, instead I shrugged.
Ethan stared into my eyes. “I won’t let them treat you like this.”
It’s fine, I rolled my eyes.
“You may not be able to speak up for yourself, but I will. You can’t let them say these things to you.”
What do you care? I folded my arms, leaning on the wall. I was being immature. Just because he didn’t sit with me this one day, and because he ignores me when I ask if he can read my mind and then, he walked off. Tugh. I was being stupid. I dropped my gaze.
He reached towards me, touching my chin and tilting it upwards. My heart fluttered to a deafening sound. Electricity had passed between us in that touch, his eyes widened as too did mine. Seconds passed with staring into his eyes, and it somehow resembled hours. Ethan’s eyes were gentle, soothing to gaze into, but there was something there. Something familiar flickered in my mind. The intensity, the intrigue. Where had I seen that look?
“I care quite a lot about you,” he whispered and before I could muster a thought, he’d turned and walked off.
Not only had he read my thoughts, it was the first acknowledgement he’d shown all week he did.
That afternoon, I walked my usual path home. Ethan was beside me, stalking me like usual. He’d remained quiet throughout my afternoon classes, though he did nod to one question I asked … though it wasn’t an obvious question. Just a thought I was having. Was he going to walk home this afternoon? When he nodded, I was shocked and now surprised, since he was in fact walking with me—silently.
I was just about to cross the street when a motorbike came around the corner. It flew past us at a deathly roar; hitting the skids to swing wide and thunder towards us just as quickly. It pulled up at the curb. Ethan moved to my side, protectively. I frowned. This shouldn’t stop me from heading home, but it did. I didn’t know this stranger, regardless if he was parked right where I wanted to walk. It wasn’t until I focused on the biker—I was captivated. The engine was cut off and a man dressed in black leather, climb from his bike in a wide swing of his long leg. Unlatching his helmet and pulling it free. Black hair and chocolate brown eyes greeted us in one sweep. Inhaling at the sight of the good looks of the Nice One, my dream from days ago tumbled to me.
I gasped. Ethan tilted his head, narrowing his eyes but kept his position in front of me.
The stranger spoke. “Well, now brother, fancy meeting you here. And going to a high school.”
Brother?
“Tristan!” spat Ethan. Venom laced his voice.
“Oh, come now brother. What’s it been? Forty, fifty years,” said Tristan.
Forty? Fifty years? I echoed. He placed the helmet on the bar of the bike and leant next to it. His smiling features touched all of him. Eyes, lips, skin. Amused and relaxed; he was definitely pleasing to gaze upon.
Ethan lifted his chin. “I see you’re still with Mavrick’s coven.”
“That I am brother. You know how it goes. Fun days they are. You still holding that grudge of yours?” He rolled his head, mocking. “Oh, it’s not that bad. Why oh’ why, big brother do you deny me?”
Big Brother? I puzzled.
“You are not my brother, Tristan. What do you want?”
“Oh, is that any way to treat family. I drop in, to say hi; and you’re ready to fight me. You know I won the last one
.” His wicked smile flashed with gloating pride.
I wanted to step closer, to ask him about Stacy. Ethan moved towards me shaking his head at me; my thoughts or my actions? I couldn’t decide. I stayed where I was, caught between listening and leaving.
“Oh, you gone and got yourself a flesher Ethan, who would have thought,” said Tristan taking me in.
I froze at his words. Flesher? What the hell was that?
“Oh, no wait. I see it. Well haven’t you grown up. Found your heart beating I see.”
Ethan ignored him; he placed his hand in mine. The sudden contact surprised me. He was holding my hand, and he was pulling me along the street towards his house. But I live through those woods—
“Hey now brother, don’t be so quick, I came to talk.”
Ethan stopped walking, but didn’t release my hand, with a glance over his shoulder, he hissed. “Then talk already. I have things to do.”
“Oh.” A devilish smile spread Tristan’s lips, mocking him. “I was cruising around town and there’s your scent. You’re still living with that adopted family of yours. Such a shame you’re so loyal to them. Father always said: we’d be friend’s one day big brother.”
I shifted my weight; his eyes held mine. Chocolate brown, deep brown, darkness and despair lingered in there. I stared into those eyes; I felt something familiar. The nice-one. That was all my mind could think.
“Well, isn’t she something,” said Tristan taking a step. “Calling me a Nice One.”
He can hear me too?
Ethan pulled me closer to him. My hand pressed to his chest, my body at his side as he wrapped an arm around me. I didn’t care what they were talking about—Ethan was holding me.
“Leave her out of this Tristan. She knows nothing.”
“You can fix that.”
“Not like you would think.” Ethan tilted his head; a tug on his lips showed an unreadable emotion.
“Oh, I don’t know. She is … Something,” said Tristan leaning on the bike and crossing his arms on his chest. He stared for a length before snapping his attention to Ethan. “Mavrick’s got word of The Oh Powerful Old One. Master Alastair has gone and disappeared.”
“And why are you telling me?”
“You know how those Masters can be. Wouldn’t be surprised if he tranced himself into an eternity of slumber.”
“Your point.”
“Seems the coven has come to his final place of existence. Or should I say; the last place of his scent.”
“And you would think I have something to do with it.”
“Oh please. You can’t take on a Master and win, big brother. I just thought I would give you a heads up that Mavrick is staying until he finds out what’s happened. And don’t be surprised if a few of your high school buddies go missing.”
“You will not touch them Tristan.”
“Please. I have got myself a lovely meal on the side already.”
“Animal!” hissed Ethan. “You should leave before I make you.”
“I am here looking for a Master.”
“I have scented no Master here, or any other Va—” He clamped his mouth shut instantly. Side glancing me, he took a deep breath.
Tristan noticed the laps.
“What. You afraid to say it round your flesher.” There’s that word again. “Trance her and be on your merry way.”
“Don’t work like that Tristan.”
“Sure it does. Come here sweet cakes.” His arched brow raised, his eyes—I swear; glowed.
I cringed into Ethan’s hold.
“Well, she is … Interesting.”
“Not your concern.”
“Oh really.” He puzzled us for a few moments. “Well, as I was saying. His scent is all over that bridge.” He stuck his thumb in the direction of Dims Creek.
I gasped and Ethan was ridged. He reached for me, pulling me closer, away from this stranger who called him brother. Big brother? But that was impossible. This person before me was older than Ethan, least three or four years older.
“Oh, and Ethan.” Tristan called out, all the cool calm and smugness disappearing. “I thought I’d let you know. I won’t be in Mavrick’s coven for much longer. If you need to find me, you’re gonna have to use your nose.”
Ethan didn’t reply, he kept walking, holding my hand with hastened steps.
I glanced over my shoulder at Tristan as he watched us turn down a street and out of sight. It was a time before I heard the motorcycle start and screech away.
How can he be your younger brother? I questioned. Isn’t it supposed to be older—your older brother and what is with years … thirty, forty years? What’s with this Master? And Coven? I couldn’t stop bombarding him with my questions. I know you can hear me. I know you hear my thoughts. He heard my thoughts. Why are you trying to deny it?
Ethan didn’t answer. He turned me around, pushing me to the fence.
“I I need you to forget everything you heard. Please Kera. For me. Just, forget it all.”
Er … not going to happen. Hello. Master, Coven… that’s just like the book I read. Your book. Dundine and Strigoi. How is this possible. This isn’t real. He’s clearly on some kind of drug that makes him think that way. My thoughts tumbled to my dream from days ago. Stacy Gilbert. He had her; he fed off her. A vampire. This was … just too weird. And now that I saw him, the Nice One … I was shocked.
The hair, the jaw line, the skin tone, so much like Ethan, or as Ethan should have been in three years time; muscled, strong of form, taller, handsome with a hint of danger that made me weaker. My body shivered with the thoughts, the idea and sure. Tristan was his blood brother; but Ethan wanted nothing to do with him.
Wonder why.
“Kera. Please,” he whispered. “Please just stop. No more.”
You … you hear me? Don’t you. You can hear me? I pleaded, not for the first time.
His green eyes stared into mine. His jaw clenched, and just as his lips parted, his phone rang. Whoa—when did he get a cell phone? I should get one. Texting would be easier than writing on paper.
Ethan let the simple tune ring for a full thirty seconds before answering it. He moved away from me. “Yeah. No. I know. Yeah … just saw him. We have another problem.” His eyes turned to me.
I stood with defiance this time. He can read my mind, and I wasn’t going to let him walk away from it.
“Well, it’s not that simple. You know that issue we have been discussing. Yeah. That one. Well … happens to be … worse this time. Not far … bout ten minutes. You think that’s a good idea. No. I can’t do that. It won’t work. I’ll try. Might need some help with it. Right. Fine.” He flipped the phone shut, and stuffed it into his pocket.
I stood as I was. This was big, this was important. This was … completely strange and out there. Vampires. That’s what he was going to say. That’s what he stopped saying. Vampires. Master vampire, Strigoi.
Ethan stared at me for a length, not moving.
Well this got a whole lot weird, I said with a raise of my brow. He smiled, running a hand through his rustic curls.
“I … wish you didn’t see him. Or hear him.” He bit his lip.
Suddenly he was in front of me, cupping my face. Whoa—he moved ten feet in a single blink.
“I need you to stay still, don’t move.” His eyes held mine. The dilation of his pupil widened as he brushed my curls from my eyes, all the better to gaze at him. “I need you to forget everything. Forget all that you saw just now. You left school and you are walking home … You’re going to your woods. That’s it.” He exhaled.
Why do you have a silver halo around your eyes?
“Damn it.” He pulled away, gritting his teeth.
It frightened me that he was suddenly angry with me. Maybe he wanted me to forget, there was just no way. I had a dream about that man—his brother two nights ago, the morning after I fell off the cliff, which wasn’t a dream, since the wolf showed up and started talking to me—I mean, liste
ning to me. And seriously? You want me to forget—like you forget that you can hear me. I rolled my eyes and turned to the street. Wanting to cross the street and visit Spirit. Just then, the yellow Porsche pulled up and who should step out, but Caleb and the—
“Brother, I see you took the steps in preparation.”
Ethan ignored his comment. “It won’t work. Caleb.”
“Kera,” Caleb walked towards me. “I need you to … stay right there for me.”
Seriously. What is this? Attack me day. I am going home now. This has been … annoying. Thanks so much for not talking to me.
I took a step and Caleb had his hand on my shoulder. His eyes of blue held mine, and like Ethan’s, the pupil dilated.
“You will forget seeing Tristan and all that was spoken about.”
You … want me to forget, I puzzled. Or are you threatening if I don’t. You know I can’t tell anyone. What difference does it make?
“She has a point,” said his brother. “What difference does it make?”
“Marcus,” Caleb hissed as Ethan clipped his brother around the ear. “Now is not the time to answer.”
You can all hear me? Can’t you?
“Breathe for me Kera.” Caleb wasn’t letting my arm go. His eyes stared deep into mine, Ethan stepped closer as too Marcus. All of them stared, eyes wide. Something was happening. A clouding of my thoughts or … my before thoughts. “Forget all that you saw.”
Noooo! I screamed at them, least in my head I did.
All three of them cringed, but remained as they were. “Forget what you saw and heard,” they chorused.
And just like that.
I did.