I stood a few feet in front of him. “I know.”
“It wasn’t the first time he tried to come after me and it wouldn’t be the last. He knew using Jamie was effective and he would’ve done it again.” His hands were tight fists at his side, his eyes shifted between his blue color and the wolf’s yellow. His brother was a rotten person but he was still family and no matter how cruel they were, you always loved your family. Guilt was eating at Caleb.
“I know.” I felt tears stinging my eyes as I watched his emotions turn into a dark place.
Caleb’s voice dropped. “He was my brother. I don’t understand why he had the need to do any of this or why he thought he was better than me.”
“You are.” I snapped. “You don’t kidnap innocent children as leverage and you don’t force someone to work for you out of blackmail. I don’t know what happened between the two of you but he was wrong, not you.” I couldn’t stand there and let him berate himself over guilt he shouldn’t have. There was probably another way everything could’ve turned out but Nick made the choices that got the ball rolling. The fault laid with him. I sighed and took the chance of meeting his eyes. “He would’ve continued to hurt you until you gave him what he wanted. I believe if you didn’t, he could’ve killed you.”
Caleb looked taken back; I guess that wasn’t what he expected me to say. “Thank you.” his eyes settled on blue. “For everything.”
I shrugged and brushed my hair behind my ear. “You’re welcome.” With nothing left to say, he turned around and left the house. I stood there and listened as he drove away. What happened next? There was still so much I had to figure out in my own life that I put to the side when I agreed to work with Caleb. But it’d have to continue to wait. All I wanted to do was sleep off the rest of the sedative.
After a good three hour nap I woke up and took a long shower. It took awhile trying to get off the dry blood from my battle wounds without making it hurt worse. When I was as clean as I was going to get, I left the bathroom in a towel to get dressed in my room. To my surprise my room wasn’t empty. “Hi, what are you doing here?” I asked, awkwardly.
“I came to check on you.” Jared said. “The front door was open and I thought something might be wrong.” He made no attempts to hide the fact he was checking me out, the towel sure revealed enough for him to look at.
“I’m fine. I forgot to lock it when Caleb left.”
He brought his focus back to the subject at hand, causing him to look at my eyes and not my legs. “How was he?”
“As ok as he can be right now.” I felt sad when I remembered how hurt Caleb looked speaking about his ungrateful brother. It would take time for him to get on with his regular routine.
“He’s not talking much and he won’t mention last night. It’s all gone by the way, the house was burned down.”
“Good.” I hoped Caleb and Jamie would find closure to be able to move on. “I have to get dressed.”
“Why?” Jared asked with mock outrage at the horrible idea.
I smiled. I was growing to like his obvious sometimes very bad flirting. “Go before I have to cast a spell that will erase the memory of me in this towel from your memory forever.”
He gasped and I don’t think he was joking that time. “You can do that?”
I couldn’t but I wasn’t going to tell him that. “Do you want to risk it?”
“I’ll go but you’re not getting rid of me. We still have that date to discuss.” Jared tossed the words over his shoulder as he walked out of the room.
“I don’t date.”
“You do now!” he called back as he reached the bottom of the staircase. I should’ve known he heard what I said no matter how low I said it, he was a werewolf. I didn’t date and even if I did, I certainly wouldn’t make the mistake of dating a werewolf or any type of supernatural again.
Chapter 20
After getting dressed and having some breakfast I thought about going to work, except there was the small problem of not knowing whether I even had a job to go back to. There was a few ways a meeting could go with Michael and none of them were appealing. He was pissed off I lied to him and I couldn’t blame him for that either. I did however wish he could understand my point of view, see that I was just too scared to tell him everything about a past I wanted to forget. It was never a question if I loved him or not.
Deep down I just didn’t want to have my heart broken again but sitting at home talking to myself wasn’t going to give me any answers. I convinced myself to leave the house and go have that long over due conversation with Michael.
Outside I looked down the street and saw Caleb’s car in the driveway. With time the alpha would find a way to make peace with his choices. There was nothing I could do for him anymore.
At the Winston mansion my heart was lodged in my throat. Several times on the way to Michael’s office I thought about turning around and calling him on the phone instead.
Michael was the man I most and least wanted to see everyday. There were times I wanted to rush and tell him something and other times I’d fear his reaction. He was a master vampire who once thought he fell in love with a human girl. I wasn’t too sure he’d accept that I was never that human girl. Lies and betrayal never sat well with anyone, least of all vampires.
Michael was standing behind his desk. “Cat naps again?” he looked up away from some paperwork at the sound of my voice.
His green eyes were hard set taking in the different cuts and bruises still not healed on my face. “You look lovely.”
I couldn’t help it and grinned. I was a mess and didn’t bother much to hide it that morning when I got ready. “It comes naturally. Let’s skip the small talk and I’ll just spit it out. I’m going to tell you everything and maybe you’ll understand or maybe you won’t but at least there won’t be anymore secrets.” If there was anyone that should know my truth, it was him after everything we shared. “I was born into a Coven that mixed magic and the ability to shapeshift.” I told him about the history between the witch and the skinwalker. I told him about the laws of The Coven and the cruel ways we were threatened to follow those laws. “I couldn’t do it anymore and I ran. I thought I was being a coward but I finally realized it took a lot more guts to run from something that much bigger than me. I would’ve and could still be killed if they ever found out I told someone. When I met you I wanted to forget that life and for a long time it stopped existing. I never thought I’d ever be part of it again.”
Michael was silent; his eyes were focused on the files on the desk. “Shapeshift? You can turn into them?” it wasn’t until right then and there I realized he didn’t know about that part. He sounded hurt.
“Yes. I inherited the wolf and the coyote along with heavy magical powers. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want it to be part of our life. I can’t run from it anymore and I hope you can understand it wasn’t because of you I lied but because of me. Also, do I still have a job?” I forced myself not to cry. I didn’t want to succumb to the welling emotions I’d been denying for awhile now.
Michael chuckled. “You’ll always have a job.” He finally looked up from the messy desk with his serious eyes finding my face. “This changes everything.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s right, you belong with them. You never fit this life Evie and now I understand why.” He said every word like it was painful to form them.
“Who’s right?” I didn’t like where the conversation was going because I understood what he meant. I’d never fit the mold of a vampire, I could never fully be part of his life.
“Caleb.” He said the alpha’s name with a sigh and walked around the desk to pace. He hid his emotions well but I was always able to read him, he was furious a lot when I was around these days.
“What did he say to you?” My consideration for the other man was quickly fading. Caleb had no right to tell Michael anything about me. “I don’t belong with anyone, I live my life and make my
own choices. That’s the whole reason I left The Coven in the first place. Caleb won’t make me into his little soldier.”
“What do you call what just happened?”
“I was helping Jamie!” I was getting tired of trying to explain that one. “If anything I called the shots. I have never submitted to him. Even before all of this, you wanted to believe something was going on between me and Caleb when that’s never been the case. Can’t you see that I love you?” the words flew out of my mouth before I could realize where I had taken us.
“Evie, don’t—”
“I know because it won’t change anything but damn it, don’t you see if I love you I’m nowhere near ready to think about another man, let alone anything else? You always let your jealously get in the way.” I let out a long sigh. “I didn’t come here to talk about this.” I wiped my hands over my tear soaked cheeks and turned to the door. I should’ve stayed in bed and avoided the emotional shit storm waiting for me.
Michael made it to the door before me and blocked the way out. “I don’t know what you want, Evie.”
“You know damn well what I want.” I wouldn’t say the words and make the tension between us worse but what I wanted was him and to have our life together back. “Right now I want you to accept, or at least understand, my point of view.” I knew when to stop beating a dead horse and when it was time to get out of there. “I’ll cover today’s night shift and start my regular shift tomorrow.” I pushed past him and left the mansion. I put a few miles between us before pulling over and letting out my tears and what they represented. I couldn’t hold them in any longer.
I heard getting over your first love was hard but mine was down right hell. I would love to wake up one day and be able to accept Michael as a memory and not hope for a future that wasn’t there. It wasn’t working out that way though. Thinking logically distance would probably help, I needed to find a new job and manage to go a few days without thinking about him.
I thought about all the times Michael and I were alone without a care in the world. Many of those times I thought about telling him the truth. After he had bitten me and the virus didn’t take he blamed himself, I had come close to telling him then too that I wasn’t human. Now he knew everything and he still wasn’t willing to give us another chance.
I needed to stop fighting for the impossible.
Chapter 21
The drive from Michael’s home back to my street did nothing to ease the rage I felt toward Caleb. I was seeing red. I parked my car back home and marched the distance down the street to his place. It was probably a foolish move considering his state of mind but I knocked anyway. When he opened I noticed two things, (one) he didn’t look much better than when I saw him last and (two) Jamie wasn’t home. I asked where she was.
“She went out with Sarah. She was tired of being home and could use the fresh air.” Caleb explained and let me past the door at the same time. Sarah was Jamie’s cousin and also part of her uncle’s pack. He stood close enough to inhale my scent and did. “You’re angry.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and kept my eyes on him just I case his fragile state turned violent. “Yeah, I went to see Michael. He knows everything now but he said something that has me confused. Maybe you can clear that up. He said you were right that I belong more with your kind than his, when did you speak to him?” it would be a stupid move but I wanted to attack him, take all my anger out on him for having the audacity to do what he did.
“Before I saw you at the hospital we ran into each other.” Caleb said and turned away to sit down on the sofa. He wasn’t in good shape at all when he spoke to Michael. Not that he was now either.
I knew that and I couldn’t blame him for not thinking when his emotions were all over the place and laced with guilt for his brother. “Fine I understand now is a bad time for you, but for the record, I don’t belong to any side. I helped you and now that’s over. I’ll be getting on with my life now.” I turned to leave.
“What life?”
I gripped the door handle and didn’t turn around. “Are you trying to hurt me?”
Caleb stood behind me. “What gives you that idea?”
“You’re hurting and I’m an easy target.” I turned around and met his dark blue eyes. “For now.” I added.
“Is that a threat? It does amaze me how you can pretend to be so tough when you’re actually scared of me. But I’ve seen what you can do and I won’t push your limit.”
“You already have. I can’t believe you said something to Michael when you knew; you were the only one who knew I wasn’t ready to say anything.” I felt tears rushing to my eyes again. “You made it harder for him to listen.”
“He’ll never understand you, Evangeline, and he’ll never accept what you are.”
“I don’t need you to tell me that. I don’t need you to tell me anything. Your life is no picnic so please don’t try and give me advice.” I wanted to leave and slam the door in his pretty face and never speak to him again. If I could just seem to move I’d do exactly that. On one hand I was mad at him and on the other hand I continued to feel bad for him. I didn’t need his advice and he didn’t need me. “You asked me for help and now it’s done with. There’s no reason for us to associate.”
I left and walked back to my empty house. I was sad over Michael but I couldn’t blame Caleb, my love life was a problem way before him.
For the second time that day I found Jared in my personal space. He was coming down the stairs as I was shutting the front door. “You shouldn’t be here.” He said with a cringe, looking like a child caught with his hands in the cookie jar.
I scoffed. “I live here.”
Jared sighed, it seemed whatever his plan was fell through. “You shouldn’t be here now; you could’ve waited a few more minutes.”
“Sorry.” I said mockingly, it was my place and he came in uninvited. “You broke in didn’t you?”
“I’d rather call it a nice gesture.”
“To break in? What were you doing?” I narrowed my eyes as I questioned him, although I didn’t have it in my heart to be actually mad. Jared was a nice change from the emotional turmoil that was Michael and Caleb.
“I plead the fifth.” He shrugged his shoulders and joined me by the front door. “About our date…”
I smiled and shook my head. I couldn’t believe I thought he was the shy quiet type. “I don’t date and if I did, I wouldn’t date a werewolf.”
His eyes took a serious shade, he was intrigued. “Why?”
“You’re control freaks and it’s more a power play than anything else with you guys.” I used the short explanation instead of going into the long drawn out reason I was wary of shapeshifters. I suddenly thought about Kevin again.
Jared was a dominate male who didn’t know how to give up. “Let me prove you wrong. We can make it fun.”
I should’ve kicked him out but again he was a nice distraction. “How?” I crossed my arms pretending to be uninterested.
A mischievous grin tugged at the corner of his lips, I should’ve backed away then. “A bet. You go out with me and if you don’t enjoy yourself then I’ll stop hounding you.” Confidence oozed from his words, you didn’t make it as the alpha’s third by being anything less.
“Not that there’s a chance but, if you win?”
Jared brushed past me and reached for the door, he ran his fingers down my cheek to my neck. “You’ll have to wait and see.” He left, shutting the door behind him. I couldn’t explain why I agreed to play along with his game. It was the first choice I had made in awhile that I didn’t over analyze. It felt good.
Chapter 22
Even after my upsetting talk with Michael it felt good to be back at work. Some of the staff asked where I had been all those previous days. Michael told everyone I was taking care of a family problem and I stuck with that because it wasn’t much of a lie. I kept expecting to hear something from my father or The Coven. Thankfully they stayed away and ther
e was nothing to suggest they’d come looking for me.
LA Amour continued to be the busiest establishment in Celestin City. I greeted humans, most in pairs of two coming out that Saturday night on a date, vampires were out in full bloom too, some with their own kind and others with their human prey. I learned a lot about vampires being with Michael and living in Celestin. I didn’t fault them for their instincts and thousands of years of tradition but I had always known I couldn’t live my life to their rules. As much as I loved Michael, I could never change who I was for him.
That didn’t mean I belonged with the werewolves either because I could take on their shape. I didn’t agree with their lifestyle either. The label of a lone animal applied to me in many ways, I liked living by my own standards and answering to no one.
My shift lasted eight hours, by one o’clock that morning it was time to go home and hand over the reigns to the next shift. The restaurant ran in three shifts to keep all of its unique customers happy. I saw Dominic a few times while he worked in the kitchen and greeted guests but Michael hadn’t been in. It was bittersweet not seeing him, it saved me from anymore saddened feelings. I still missed seeing him though, oh how I did love to torture myself.
I was falling back into my routine like I had hoped for. I went home and found it empty just the way I left it that afternoon. I showered and changed into a pair of running shorts and a t-shirt. I changed the bandage on my arm and noticed the gunshot wound was going to leave a scar; the area of skin was damn ugly and no mix of vampire virus and lycanthropy was going to make it go away.
I went back downstairs to eat the food I brought back from work. There was nothing better than Dominic’s four cheese chicken pasta. It was nearing three in the morning when I finally laid down in my bed for the first time in days. I sank into its comfort and sighed contently to be able to sleep with no pressing matters attacking my focus.
It was nice while it lasted, even my dreams had been peaceful but when it ended, it ended abruptly. A soft haunting voice kept telling me to wake up, he even used my name and that was a problem.