Matilda gathers the dessert dishes for the table as the boys and I retreat to Isaac’s office.
***
“Okay, Sophia. We need to gather supplies. I need the twelve-gauge needles. The sixteen-gauge are used for humans, but I find that a larger needle allows for faster recovery of the blood with animals,” Isaac explains. “You cannot help but act like a teacher, can you?” I giggle.
“I believe in lifelong learning, and you have already had a longer life than any mortal, so it’s time to learn something new.”
I smile as I look for the needles. “What next?”
“We need the poly bag, that blood bag that has a little fluid in it. The fluid you see is the anticoagulant, to prevent clotting. We also need the tubing and the cooler. That about covers it.”
“I thought you sedated the animals to make it easier?”
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot. We need the tranquilizer gun. Good catch, kid.”
“Did you seriously just call me ‘kid’?”
Isaac chuckles. “Yep. To me, you are a kid. Now come on and let’s hunt.”
Alexander and I load the supplies in the back of Elijah’s H2 and close the tailgate. I love this Hummer.
Chapter Eight
Accepting
I walk into the school with a smile today. I feel so fresh and renewed after hunting with the boys last night. I can’t stop thinking about the amazing hiking trail they took me to. I am always grateful for our nocturnal vision; I can still see the lush trees, the wildflowers, and the streaming waterfall. This place reminds me of British Columbia. I think that was the most beautiful area we have ever lived. When I see the beauty of the world, I sometimes think it is not such a bad thing having to walk it forever. I get to see change and development and meet new people like Nate. I am beginning to see what Matilda sees. Maybe he is the one. I am getting excited about the rest of the family meeting him tonight.
“Hey sis, snap out of it. I know what you mean. I love it up there, too, but you are going to run people over if you don’t watch where you are going and stop daydreaming,” Alexander points out.
“Are my thoughts ever my own?”
“Nope. I could share them with everyone if you want to complain.” He grabs me around my waist, right in my ticklish spot, knowing he will get a reaction.
I jump and let out a giggle as I turn and smack him playfully. Danika and Matilda both chuckle as we head to our respective lockers and prepare for the day’s classes.
On my way to history class, I see Nathanial. “Hi,” I say.
“Hey gorgeous. Can I take your books for you?”
“Thanks, but I can manage. Wanna walk with me though?”
“Of course. Hey, are you coming to the game tonight?”
“Sure am, my entire family’s coming too.”
“Perfect. I’ll look for you,” he says while opening the door to our class.
Class is over before I know it. Nathanial walks with me to Spanish, this time grabbing my books for me before I have a chance to stop him.
“Thanks, but isn’t that a little old fashioned? Does anyone really carry books for girls anymore? I thought chivalry was dead.”
He smirks, “Not when the right girl is involved.” He lightly brushes a loose piece of hair from my face. I turn my head inward toward his hand and wrist, enjoying the wonderful scent that emanates from his body. It feels as though an electric shock, a brightly charged lightning bolt, is shooting through my entire body as he touches me. It is like nothing I have ever felt before. I’m sure he can tell by the look on my face that something is up, and I can see the same look on his face. He feels it too. So many emotions pass through me in a single moment. I am not sure what to do. The feelings going off within my own walls are beginning to tear them down even more. How does he do this to me? While I am elated by the feelings he brings alive in me, I am so nervous and fidgety around him. This is all so new to me, and I don’t know whether to fight it or accept it.
“Are you okay? You seem a little cold. I have an extra sweater in my bag if you would like it,” he offers.
“No, I’m fine but thank you for offering. It must be the excitement. Believe it or not, this is the first football game I’ve been to.” I laugh, knowing the real reason for my chills.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. High school sports are not that big in Canada.”
“Oh, you’re gonna love it. I will make sure of that.”
“Sweet! I’m looking forward to it. Thanks for walking me to class. It’s nice to have a friend.”
“My pleasure. Catch you later,” he replies.
I know I should stay away from him, but I just have to get to know him better. What a day this is turning into–my every dream and nightmare all wrapped up in one. Nathanial is incredible, and he has dreams and aspirations. I do not want to cloud those or change them. I need to protect him, to keep him safe and on the road he has chosen. My road will lead away from him eventually. I just hope I can control myself with him until then.
Regardless of all this, I will not let my emotions or insecurities ruin my day. I feel great after last night. It has been a long time since I have enjoyed myself like that and just let loose. Hunting is in our nature, but because of the way we choose to live, the way we have evolved has caused us to remove our primitive nature. Doing so leaves us vulnerable; at least this is my reasoning. I am happy my family has chosen to live as members of society, and I hope that one day, more of our kind can do so as well. As I take my seat in class, I try to clear my thoughts and prepare for my day with a smile on my face.
Chapter Nine
Discovered
Nathanial is already beginning to knock down the walls I have built around myself, so maybe I can be a little friendlier. I don’t need to carry around such a chip on my shoulder. At the same time, I still don’t want to get too close to anyone, too dangerous, but friendly should be okay. I can try to be less uptight and just be pleasant to those who decide to express an honest interest–to those like Nathanial.
I’ve been sitting next to a girl named Ebony for the past month. She seems to be friendly. I have been observing her and those around her; she does not appear to have many friends, but she also seems okay with that fact. I don’t understand it, but maybe we have more in common than anyone might think. Spanish class is a no-brainer. I have become fluent in many languages. Noticing that Ebony is struggling, I lean closer to her.
“Can I offer you some help? I know a few tricks.”
She smiles. “Thanks. I have never been good in Spanish.”
I don’t normally let anyone know how diverse I am, but something draws me to her.
I wonder what her story is. We begin to chat a bit during class. It soon becomes evident where she is heading.
“So Nate McCord, huh? He is quite the catch.”
“Nice guy. I literally bumped into him the first day and we have a few classes together. He has been showing me around, but it is not like that,” I insist.
Inside I know it’s not true. I am not sure exactly what I feel for or about Nathanial, but I do know he interests me. I will have to see what happens. For now, I will try to keep him at a reasonable distance without fully closing myself off to him.
“You do know he is a major commodity around here, right? All the girls want him, but he is only interested in football...or at least he was until you came along,” she announces.
“What do you mean?” I am a little annoyed with her implications.
“Well, not only is he the hottest guy around, but he’s also the best quarterback this town has seen in years, if not ever.”
“And your point is?” I ask.
She continues, “Well, every girl in school has been fighting for his attention since grade school, with not one success story.”
“Okay. But I still don’t get your point,” I say, still trying to understand.
“I don’t mean to offend you. I’m just explaining that there may be a few jealous gi
rls around here. Nate’s focus has been on receiving a football scholarship and having the grades to go with it. He comes from a wonderful family, but like most of the families around here, they work hard for what they have and do not have much left for extras like college. Therefore, that is all he has cared about for years. He doesn’t want to be any kind of burden to his family. Since you arrived, Nate has redirected his attention.
Everyone seems curious because everyone knew his goal, but the way he follows you around like a lost puppy is kind of throwing a few people off,” she explains.
I lower my head, slightly embarrassed–a feeling I don’t get often. “I don’t know what to say.”
“We have never seen Nate so attentive to anyone else before. It’s like the opposing team sent you as a distraction.” She giggles.
“Nope, it was just my parents. No one has anything to worry about. I can’t imagine us being anything more than friends,” I insist and I start to loosen up again and joke back.
I realize that Ebony is not trying to insult me. She is just warning me. It is nice to gain the new and valuable information about Nathanial as well.
“Well, just take it easy on him. Our football team needs him, and he has never had a girlfriend before,” she tells me, almost as if she knows just how bad it would be for me to get close to him.
At that exact moment, she notices my necklace, an heirloom of sorts. “My God!” she gasps.
Reluctantly I ask her, “What’s wrong?”
“That necklace. Where did you get it?” She quivers.
“It has been in my family for almost a century. Why?” How could she know anything about it? I wonder. My necklace is white gold wrapping around my day crystal, or black diamond which is shaped as a heart as if the gold is embracing the gem in a hug. It is one of a kind; Alexander made it for me before we had it blessed. The witch that blessed the stones gave them to Alexander to prepare in the useable jewelry for us prior to her ceremony. He is a very talented artisan.
“I have seen it before, a picture of it. Grams told me about it. I just thought it was a story. I never thought it actually existed.”
I watch as she takes a deep breath, awaiting my explanation. “It is nothing really–
just an old family treasure.” I try to calm her, but it’s not working; she knows the truth. How?
I don’t understand. I have to think of something, but I can’t, and I start to panic.
What am I going to do? This girl I met only a few weeks ago knows something is up. How do I explain it to her without letting the cat out of the bag? This cannot be happening. Why me?
Why not Alexander? He is much better prepared to handle a situation like this than I am. I have to think fast. How could Ebony have seen pictures of our stones before, and how did her Grams know the story behind it? We are in the right area. Could her Grams be...? Then I realize it’s true. “Wait a second. Is your Grams Ms. Edwina?” I ask quietly.
“Yes!” Ebony replies, completely shocked. “How do you know?” she asks.
I pause for a moment and blurt out, “My grandmother told me stories of this young girl she knew and her mother too. They resided in the area back in the day. I know my father has been hoping to contact her.”
Although it is partially a lie and I am sure she is aware of it, her eyes say it all. Ebony knows, and our secret is out! We both let out a small gasp and stare at one another for a few moments.
“I think I am okay. Are you? Maybe our families should get together and talk later.
You have nothing to worry about,” I say softly.
“I know. Grams explained that, but I just never believed it was true. I just thought they were stories of an old woman.” Ebony shakes her head in disbelief, sending her long black hair swaying from side to side.
“After the football game tonight we can meet at your Gram’s house. Does she still live nearby, in that same manor she moved into when she married?” I ask. We have been there to visit over the years when passing though.
“Let’s do it tomorrow. Enjoy the football game tonight. I need some time to think all this through. And yes, Grams still lives at the manor. We all do. Will your whole family join us? How many are there?” she asks.
“There are eight of us, four teens and four adults,” I reply.
“That’s different from the stories I heard. Grams said five adults and three teens, although I also remember one left. Is that about right?” she asks.
“Yes. Our family dynamics have slightly changed, but we will explain that tomorrow.”
I remember Ms. Edwina is the granddaughter of the witch that ‘blessed’ our gemstones, making life, as we know it, possible. If her Grams is a witch, then so is Ebony. “Are you about sixteen years old?” I ask her.
“Yes. I just turned sixteen a few weeks ago.”
This means she is coming of age. Sixteen is the age when a young witch realizes their powers. That must be what Ebony meant by ‘changes’. This revelation means she knows our secret as well as us knowing hers. I wonder if she knows what is happening to her. This is something I am not prepared to deal with. Inside I am terrified that someone at the school in this town knows our secret already. It is only our first month here, and it is already out or at least suspected. We may need to move already. On the other hand, Ebony may honor her family legacy. My head feels as though it is about to explode, but I have to keep it cool.
We both sit in class quietly and just listen to the lecture the teacher is giving. I know I am in shock and have to assume Ebony is too. I actually want to run out of class at this very moment and talk to Alexander and Matilda. Part of me wonders if I should try to get her alone and take care of this problem and make sure no one ever finds out the truth. As much as I would like to handle things the old way, I can’t. I must remain true.
I hope that because of who her family is, everything will work out for the best.
I wish Alexander were closer so he could put my fears at ease. Instead, I find myself trying to gauge Ebony’s reaction. She seems to be okay. I notice her doodling on her notebook, the same symbol over and over again. I know that symbol and recognize it from somewhere, but I do not recall from where. It must have been something I saw years earlier.
Once the bell rings I say, “Ebony I’ll see you tomorrow. I will have Elijah call your Grams.” I gather my books and run out of class. I need to speak with my siblings...NOW! Sixth period is cancelled due to the pep rally in the gym to get everyone geared up for tonight’s football game. This break will give me the opportunity to meet up with Alexander, Matilda, and Danika so I can fill them in on what just happened.
I find them within moments.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Matilda asks. She can always tell when I am the least bit upset.
Alexander lets a small gasp sneak out; he already knows what’s worrying me.
Today I am grateful for Alexander’s unique gift, for it is actually better than just a gift.
He enters others’ thoughts, reads them, and interjects his own thoughts. He can also connect whomever he wants to these thoughts, and within a certain radius, he can see into every corner of a person’s mind. Right now, he’s looking into mine. With Alexander around, we can communicate telepathically without saying anything aloud.
It is very cool and useful gift at times like this. Anyone can do this with him, even though most people would not understand what is going on and would just think it’s some kind of odd daydream. Alexander is very good at controlling who he connects to his telepathic web.
As all the excited and noisy students are herding into the gymnasium, we Pierce children stand in a closed circle, having a conversation no one else can hear. Alexander controls our thoughts tightly so that no one else can intercept. I explain the events that came about in Spanish class–all about Ebony being Ms. Edwina’s granddaughter.
“I think we all realize that she knows way too much. This could become very dangerous to our family. We all agree with the way you han
dled things,” Alexander comforts.
Matilda adds, “Now we just need to stay calm. Everything will be fine. She is from a good family and they have been our friends for generations.”
“Is this not the family we need to see about getting me a day crystal?” Danika questions.
“Yes it is. Now we will just have to see them sooner than we originally planned.” I put my arm around Danika’s shoulder. Now is not the time for grudges, for we need to remain a solid family unit. I can see the shock on my siblings’ faces as we head toward the pep rally, somewhat at ease that we at least have a plan.
Although we all agree to stay calm and that there is probably nothing to worry about, we are concerned, but we each try not to let the others see. We’re all scared she may share this with her friends. She promised to keep it quiet, but until we see it with our own eyes, we can’t be sure.
Just around the corner from the gym doors, I spot Ebony. “That’s her.” I watch as she appears to be backed against a locker.
Then she shouts, “I told you to leave me alone! You know nothing about my family.”
I prepare to intervene, but there is no need. The blonde-haired girl falls over backwards, and about a dozen lockers fly open, sending a shower of papers and pencils spewing every which way.
Chapter Ten
Ebony
Walking out of class with my head low, I try to process the information I just received. Is everything Grams told me true? If that is Sophia in the picture with Grams as a child, then it’s true that vampires exist, and if they do exist, that means Grams is a... a witch.
What does this mean for me? Am I a witch too? As I get to my locker and begin to put my books away, I have so many questions. I just wish this day would end. Soon enough, I tell myself.
“Hey, witch girl! Why don’t you hop on your broomstick and fly away?” a voice shouts.