House Wyndham Vampires: Half Light Part 14

"Yeah. You too, huh? What're you doing right now?" I looked at Jared. He had his arms crossed over his chest still and looked...skeptical.

"I'm actually in a drive through. Getting a snack." There was a pause. "Are you busy?"

"No."

"Can I see you?"

My heart fluttered. "Yes. Actually my brother's finally free from what he had to do-and he'd love to meet you."

Jared rolled his eyes.

Brandon laughed. "I guess so. Want me to come to your place?"

Oh. No. Jared was shaking his head. And I had to agree. Michel still had access to the house, which meant if he somehow sensed Brandon was here, he could cause more problems. I didn't want him hurting Brandon. And I was pretty sure if he did, I'd kill him myself.

"No, the house is being renovated. It's sort of a mess. Why not...we meet you over at the coffee shop?"

"What if it's closed?"

"Parking lot?"

He laughed again and I could hear a horn beeping from the phone. "Sure. When?"

"Ten minutes?"

"I'll see you in ten." And he hung up.

"This is really weird, you know."

I glared at Jared as I slipped the phone back in the bag. With a smile I grabbed his upper arm and tugged him to the car.

Hindsight, it would have been safer to bring him to our house.

It was dark and chilly when I pulled into the parking lot of the strip mall where the coffee shop sat. The small trees were nearly bare of leaves as the wind whipped up around us. The sky had been threatening to storm all night, but not one rain drop had fallen. It was still windy. And cold looking. Lightening continued to illuminate the clouds, and thunder was a constant.

I realized as I parked near the still open business that I didn't know what car he drove. Or if he even drove at all. Technically I'd been around twenty or so years longer than he had. I had experience driving. But if he'd been in a drive-through...

Jared sat still in the pa.s.senger seat as I turned the engine off. "Uhm...do you see him?"

"No." I looked around the parking lot, then on a whim, stepped out into the bl.u.s.tery weather and ran over to the sidewalk to look in the coffee shop. My heart dropped when I saw him inside talking to Heather. They were both seated at our table with coffees.

Talking.

Nicely.

What the h.e.l.l? He'd just been on the phone with me-and he'd said to meet him.

"What's wrong?"

I jumped. I hadn't sensed Jared at all as he came up beside me. I looked over at him. He was dressed in a light sweater, jeans, and- "Jared...where are your shoes?"

He looked down. "Oops. d.a.m.n. I always forget those." When he looked back up he narrowed his eyes as he peered inside the shop. "This is the coffee place, right?"

"Yeah. He's in there. With her."

"Her?"

"The evil ex. The one that tried to attack me at the football field the other night."

I realized at that moment I hadn't shared that bit of information with Jared. He stiffened and glared at me. "That little girl in there tried to attack you? What'd you do?"

"Avoided her. It wasn't much of a fight, really. It was right before Michel showed up."

"And..." he leaned forward at me.

"And nothing. She lunged at me, I sidestepped, and she got all p.i.s.sy."

"Well," he looked back at the window. "She doesn't look p.i.s.sy now. Looks like she's trying to put the moves on your dude."

"Shut up and come on. I want you to tell me if you sense it."

An odd tinkling noise carried in the air. We looked at one another in question for an instant, until he said, "Ah," and reached into his pants pocket. Jared retrieved his phone and looked at it. "It's Father."

"What?"

But Jared shook his head. I thought he was going to let it go to voice mail. But he didn't. "Yes sir."

I could hear Father's voice on the wind through the tiny speaker. "Where's Carly?"

"She's right here with me."

"Jared-you have to answer me honestly-is she dating a human boy?"

I frowned. Dating?

Jared looked at me and shrugged. "Dating? No, Carly's not dating anyone."

"She's not tried to influence a human? Make him into her Doll?"

My jaw dropped. What the h.e.l.l was Father smoking?

Jared managed to suppress a laugh. "Uh...no sir. That's not really Carly's thing. She's barely knowledgeable about Ghouls."

"That's not the story I got from Michel."

Ah. The conversation was making sense now. The a.s.s had gone straight to Father, just like I thought he would.

Jared held a finger up to his lips to indicate I keep quiet. "Michel is there with you? Carly and I only noticed a little while ago that it looked as if he'd packed up his entire retinue and left."

"He did. He's here at the estate. And he's making accusations that, quite frankly Jared, I find offensive."

I put my hand over my mouth. Offensive? What the h.e.l.l was that a.s.shole saying? If anyone was offensive it was him. h.e.l.l, he was down right perverted if anyone cared to ask me. But I was still expected to bond with him.

Now, let me set something straight here-up until the past two days my experience with Michel Babineaux had been very limited. We'd met only once-when he came to see me and approve his Father's choice of a bond mate for him, approved, and created a blood bond with me. I'd been fascinated when I looked at him and even more so after the bond was made. My entire being ached for him, even before I knew what that meant. I had also been human at the time, so all people like Father and Jared fascinated me.

When Father made me, the bond with Michel was broken. It'd been ten years since that night and I'd started to suspect this new bond between families wasn't going to happen. I didn't know why the bond was that important if Michel didn't care if I was alive or not.

Other than that initial meeting-Michel and I never spoke. Ten years I was bonded as a human, and now ten years as a vampire. I no longer had any emotional ties to Michel because our connection.

"Father-I'm not sure what Michel's been telling you-"

"He's also spoken ill of your actions as well."

"I saved his Ghoul."

"Craft Hood is his Ghoul to save, or to destroy. He is Michel's property."

Jared opened his mouth to protest, but I heard Father interject.

"But-I also know how much of your humanity you kept, Jared. I have met the young man on several occasions, and can probably a.s.sume our Carly didn't want him harmed. As you say, she doesn't understand the rules of Ghouling."

Jared pursed his lips. "Would it be impertinent for me to ask why you called?"

I started chewing on my lower lip again, but I was also keeping an eye on the two in the shop. Their soft conversation started looking like it wasn't soft anymore. In fact, a few of the customers were looking at them with very angry faces.

"Yes it would, but I'm used to it by now with you. I want you to bring Carly home."

That snapped my attention back to Jared and the phone. I held my hand out. "Give it to me."

He did and then leaned against the BMW.

"Father-why?" I said.

"Well, I was pretty sure you could hear me, my dear." His voice as deep and as kind as ever. But I was also very aware of how menacing he could be. "And a good evening to you as well."

"Sorry. Good evening, Father. But why? Why bring me home? I haven't done anything wrong."

"Because I need to prove to Michel that you're still loyal to the families and you will still submit to this bond."

There was something in his tone that caught my attention. Something...strained. "Father...are you alone?"

"Yes."

"Then tell me the truth. Don't make things sound better than they are. You've done that to me all my life-but I've always been able to see through it. And right now, your voice is transparent."

He paused and Jared stepped up close to me to listen. "Michel has pet.i.tioned to end the engagement period. He wants to perform the blood bond on the next full moon."

The world stopped spinning at that moment. I looked at Jared. His eyes were wide. That's next Sat.u.r.day, he mouthed to me in silence.

The night of the dance.

"Carly?"

"What...what about my year? You promised me a year."

"But the Babineaux Prince has made a formal request, Carly. I see no reason to delay."

I swallowed bile and cleared my throat. "I want my year."

"You want to keep playing with that boy."

No.

Yes.

This wasn't happening to me.

"I-" What should I say? Yes? No?

"You haven't tasted his blood, have you?"

"No."

"Has he tasted yours?"

I paused. "No."

I lied.

OMG. I had never lied to Father before.

Jared nodded to the shop and ran to the entrance. I didn't know what he was planning on doing-maybe going to check.

"Michel says you have given this boy blood."

"Michel is a liar."

"He is your bonded."

I didn't say anything. I was watching Jared run inside. He moved close to the couple at the table, who looked like they were arguing now. Loudly. "I want my year, Father. You promised."

"Michel says now-"

"No!"

There was a long pause and I was shocked I'd done that. I yelled. I'd never yelled or lied to Father.

What was wrong with me?