Sunder (11 page)

“Vampires?”

“Yes. I was born this way and I cannot die unless by the bite of their enemy as well. Wooden stakes, holy water, and the sun have no effect on me.
The things that were created on that island were not made by God
. It is something older and much worse. The curse comes down from something as old as the world. We have never had it explained to
us,
no one has ever seen it happen again. Iceland is a normal country now.”

Her face was completely pale, making the glow of her unlikely eyes fierce. She shook her head. “I can’t believe this.”

“I know that feeling. When I was eighteen I knew the change would happen. It always does when the born turn eighteen. But I wasn’t prepared for what happened to me.” He pushed on in the story, hoping she would see him eventually. “This town was made in the 1700s, as a haven for the things like me. The wolves and the vampires and the witches naturally dislike one another, but we knew that if we worked together we would have a better chance. Where there are people like me, there are things that would destroy us. The Knights Templar was made by the church to hunt us, killing us off. They are what we fear and hide from. They murdered my family. I have spent the last hundred and fifty years roaming the world aimlessly, trying to forget how to feel their loss. Recently I noticed, there aren’t any like me anymore, bitten yes, but no born or cursed. The hunters are killing us off faster. I came back here to hide. There are witches who are part of the things hiding here. They protect the town with spells. Hunters can’t come here. They can’t see the town, not without help.” He turned and looked down on her, desperate for her to see his truth. “I have never felt what my father described, that type of love you have for someone instantly that changes the course of your life.
I have never dated
,
I never lied
. I feed. I live as the monster that I am.”

Silent tears leaked from her electric-blue eyes, dragging black down her cheeks as if her tears were ink. He hated himself but he said it—what would it matter in two weeks? It wouldn’t, but at least her last memory of him would be of the declaration and not the hate she would feel. “Until I met you—the moment I saw you—I knew what my father had meant. My heart feels like it beats, though I know that’s impossible. My body feels alive, regardless of the change that occurred when I was eighteen. You make me feel like I am a man again.”

She stood there
shaking,
her eyes darting from the picture to his face and back. He hoped she was processing, but her face didn’t look like that was what was happening. She backed away slowly, shaking her head in small twitches. “I won’t ever tell anyone. I won’t, I swear. I’ll keep your secret, what you think you are. But please, let me go.” She heaved a bit when she spoke, “Just let me go back home. I won’t ever bother you again. I won’t look at you. You won’t even know
we met
,
I won’t either
. I’ll forget you, I swear.”

Something broke inside of him—snapped. It filled him, with bitterness he couldn’t manage. He burst forward, grabbing her arms. Horror filled her face, fear claiming her completely. Her knees buckled and he held her up in his strong grip. “I don’t want you to forget me, Liv. I want you. I want you to see me! If only you knew what you were becoming, you’d hate me less.” When the words left his lips, he could hear his fangs meddling with his speech. The fear on her face was because she was seeing him. She was seeing the thing he desperately didn’t want to be.

He searched her electric-blue eyes for some hint of the attraction he had seen earlier. They still glowed more than they should, but he didn't see any of the look he sought. Instead, he saw his own anger-filled face reflecting back at him with glowing red eyes.

He saw a monster.

His hands dropped to his sides, as he shook his head. “I’ll never bother you again.”

She cried, struggling with breath when she spoke, "It was you outside of my house?”

He didn't move, frightened of what he could do to her. She was so small and fragile, and he feared loving her to death. She wasn’t strong yet, not strong enough to handle him.

Bravely and unexpectedly, she stepped closer for a moment, lifting his face. Black tears streamed her cheeks, but she looked into his eyes hard.

It left him, the blood lust. She took it all away, like she sucked it from him instead of him sucking from her. The warmth of her hands on his face soothed the agony burning through him.

Her face was confusing, conflicted and scared, but there was something else he didn't know how to read.

Delicately, she ran her hand down his cheek. “I will keep your secret and I won’t forget you. I couldn’t, not even if I wanted to.” She turned and walked from the room, turning her back on him like she trusted what she saw in his eyes.

He clenched his jaw, his whole body really. He fought the urge to follow her out into the dark night. He hated the look he had seen on her face. He never wanted to force that look again.

Instead, he stood there, vibrating with anger and self-hatred. Never should he have confessed. He should have spent the time that he had with her, waiting for the Michaels to divulge his little secret—when they finally told her the truth about herself. But even if they had told her, at least he might have had more time with her.

Even if it meant she would change in front of him and they killed each other.

A sound caught his attention. He looked down to see droplets of blood falling from his clenched hands to the hardwood floor. He released his grip, turning and looking back at the portrait of his family.

“They aren’t dead.”

He spun around, seeing Jamie Michaels standing in the doorway of the museum.

“Did you follow me here?”

He nodded. “I was worried. Judith called. She sort of assumed you were after the girl. I guess she was right and wrong. You’re still different than your family, aren’t you? You turned and you didn't hurt her—how do you do that?”

Briton folded his arms across his chest. “I try not to be the monster I was born to be. I imagine you aren’t much different.”

Jamie walked into the museum. “We run, but we hunt only animals. If anyone hurts a human, they die.
Same as your kind.
But we have zones for
running,
we don't change in town in front of people. You have always been odd though, even when you were here before, I could see it.”

“I think we both know that girl isn’t what she thinks she is.”

Jamie laughed. “Yes. That’s a mess. You loving her
is
even worse. I actually feel sick for you. I knew one of our
kind
who loved one of yours. Always ends badly.”

Briton felt sick. He couldn’t shake the feelings inside of him. They owned him until he realized what Jamie had said moments before and frowned. “You said they aren’t dead. Whom are you speaking of?”

“Your whole family. I think. I found the cave a couple years ago. I had a suspicion they never died in the fire. But if it is
them
in the cave, they’re frozen in time, wrapped in a spell and locked away in a cave. No one may enter but a witch of the Whitburn family.”

Rage filled him again, it returned so quickly.
He seethed his words in angry breaths
,
“Take me there.”

Jamie held a hand out. “We can’t get to them, but I’ll show you where they are.”

Liv

I wasn't shaking by the time I had walked two blocks. I was calm and rational. I had nearly convinced myself it was some sort of lead paint–arsenic leakage–asbestos–shitty accident. He was a normal guy, maybe a bit cuckoo, but not a monster. I shook my head, pausing on the sidewalk, and looked back.

Suddenly, he left the museum with someone. Seeing him made my heart race. I jumped into the bushes of the house I was in front of.

“Colliers Caves, you know the place. Meet me there in thirty minutes,” the man next to Briton said and walked away. Briton turned and looked down the road to where I was. I looked around, wondering if I heard someone else talk. How had I heard him speak from two blocks like he was standing next to me?

I was losing my damned mind. That was how. The night actually couldn’t get worse.

I crawled, in my damned skirt, to the side of the house and ran down the alley, scrambling to Liz’s house. My knuckles rapped too hard, hurting slightly when I knocked. I wiped my face clear of the dried mascara I could feel flaking where it had run. I licked my hand and rubbed under my eyes fast.

Liz’s mom smiled when she opened the door. “Hi Liv! How are you? Are you all right?”

I caught my breath, leaning against the house and swallowing the thousand things I might have said. Instead of talking, I decided nodding was a smart move.

Liz’s mom opened the door wide, “LIZ!”

The thump on the stairs was loud, like a huge man was coming down them. When Liz rounded the corner, she smiled wide. “Hey! You’re really early.”

My eyes darted to Liz’s mom, hoping she would leave. She hovered, smiling. So I nodded at the door. “Yeah, the party is earlier than I thought.”

Liz brushed past her mom, waving backwards. “Be home later.”

“It’s a school night. You better be home earlier.”

“Whatever!” Liz sighed and walked away. I followed, not sure if I should say something to her mom or not. “Night, Mrs. Whitburn.”

She waved and when we rounded the corner, Liz gave me a look. “What the heck is wrong with you? You look like you’re about to spazz! You look like crap.”

“I am about to spazz. But I can’t tell you. I have to show you. I swore I wouldn't say anything. Come on, this town is effed. We need to find Josh and go to something called Colliers Caves. It’s like a park.”

“Yeah, I know where it is. My mom took me there today after she explained some weird-ass shit about our weird-ass family.” Her eyes darted back at her house. “We need to walk.” She grabbed my arm, pulling me along the broken sidewalk.

I grabbed her hand, “Wait. What did your mom say?” I panicked. What if she was something creepy like Briton? What if it was true?

“My grandma was a witch, dude, a real one. That shop was hers and she was magical. This town is some bullshit place for weird things or something. She called it a name, started with a V.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “Oh my God. It’s true, isn’t it? Your family must be the ones who are guarding the town with the spells.”

“Dude. How the shit do you know that?”

I opened my eyes. She was pale in the moonlight, more pale than before. “Briton. If you know about the spells, you must know about the monsters here in the lovely town of WOLFVILLE! That shit is making more sense. How did I not see Wolfville meant werewolves?”

She swallowed, but it didn't steady her voice when she spoke, “It’s all real. I saw it.”

“Show me.”

She nodded and pulled me down the road. “My mom said it was a secret.”

“Yeah well, Briton said the same thing. I guess we are both in on the secret.” My feet weren’t hurting, which was super odd. They had been when I had left the house. We ran the whole way to the edge of town.

She pointed at a field as we gathered our breath. “The—cave—is—over—there!” she gasped.

I put my hands on my hips, walking in a circle. “I haven’t run in like four months, since my soccer ended last June.” I felt lightheaded for a second but she looked sick.

“I don't run,” she wheezed.

“We can catch our breath in the field.” I grabbed her arm and pulled her, helping her across the hayfield. I had never crossed one before. The whispering of the long dried grass was eerie, but the way it tickled against me was like having something crawling on me. When we got to the other side, I froze.
I heard a voice
,
I could swear I did
. It whispered on the wind, like the forest called to me in an odd way. I could feel a pull from the darkness. I hadn’t ever been in the woods either, so to see them and feel that was completely creepy.

She pulled me into the trees and instantly there was a trail. It glowed almost. It was the damnedest thing.

We walked silently for a minute before I spoke, “So you’re a witch then if your grandma was?”

“I guess. I mean
,
I always sort of knew things were different for me, like things I could do that other people couldn't. Sometimes when I’m alone I catch a glimpse of someone there with me, hanging out, watching me. It scares me and then it’s gone, but my heart is pounding and my body freezes up. Scary as hell.”

My skin crawled. We were in the woods and she was talking about ghosts. I couldn't fight the urge to look around. It made her laugh. She nudged me. “You are an idiot. There aren’t any ghosts here. It’s just sometimes, and I don't even know if they’re ghosts. They could be something like my imagination.” She glanced at me, stopping dead in her tracks. “Dude. Your eyes are glowing, like hardcore.”

“What?” I raised a hand to my face, feeling my eyes. They didn't feel different when I closed and opened them.

She stepped back. “Dude, they’re like really glowing in the friggin’ dark.
Like flashlights.
It’s spooky. Stop it.”

“I don’t know how.” I panicked, “What did you do? You did some magic juju thingy and made them glow. Make it stop.”

She laughed harder. “I don't get any powers before I’m eighteen. I didn't do it. You are having some kind of reaction to the caves probably. They have some powerful spell on them.” She chuckled when she dragged me along. “Come on, crazy. This night gets any weirder and I’m going to commit myself into the nuthouse.”

I didn't feel crazy, but I was getting a little light-headed. Damned town, damned hot guy making me know shit I didn't believe in, damned witches making my eyes glow. “I need some eye drops.” My insides were clenching. I glanced up at the three-quarter
moon shining
down on us through the trees. I felt like I was seeing it in a whole new light.

When were deep in the forest, with only the sounds of our rapid heartbeats to keep us company, she pulled me into a dark cave. I tried to pull back but she seemed different suddenly. “Liz? Let’s just look. I don’t want to go in.” I swatted at her grip, but it was like a vice.
She dragged me into the scary caves, even when I tripped on a rock I didn't see
,
she kept pulling
. I heard her mutter something. The air grew cold and thick, like we were surrounded by fog. I pulled back but she dragged farther on, jerking me to stay with her. She stopped as suddenly as it had all started, looking around like she was lost as to how we got there.

Her eyes cleared and she looked normal. She looked at the cave and frowned. “Where are we?”

“Really? Really? You just dragged us into this friggin’ cave and now you don't know where we are? What the shit? It’s cold in here and creepy. It’s really dark.” I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and clicked the button, jumping back when I saw what was there. The screen went black and I scrambled to click it on and get the flashlight. She had hers out already and was pointing out the bad shit.

“Is that an altar?” I asked.

“Yeah. It’s just like the one in my grandma’s house.”

“Oh my God, is that a coffin? Oh my God, there’s like five more coffins in here. What the shit? Oh God. Why are we here? Why did I drag us here?”

She gave me a look. “You wanted to see it.”

“NOT INSIDE OF THE CREEPY CAVE!”

She shook her head. “What happened when I dragged us in here? What did I say? Are you sure it wasn't you and the spooky eyes?”

“It wasn't me,” I said as I looked around the large stone room. There were wooden coffins inside of the room, six of them. I backed away from them but stopped when I heard his voice. He was talking, but it was too far for me to make it out. “Briton is here. Hide,” I whispered.

She gave me another look in the bright cell phone lights. I pointed to the coffins. She shook her head and grabbed my hand. We hurried to the far corner of the cave and hid behind a wall. We switched our phones off and sat in the scariest silence I had ever known. My heart was racing, my hands were melting with sweat, and my entire body was trembling.

“What is Briton?” she leaned in and whispered into my ear.

“He thinks he’s a vampire. He has red eyes, so maybe. But my eyes glow blue and I’m still me. I think he’s insane.”

“Judith is a Michaels, right?”

I nodded against her face.

“They are all wolves—that’s what my mom said. They are wolves and then Briton’s family was vampires. They’re the people in the coffins.” She nodded against my face.

My stomach sank. What a shitstorm. I actually felt bad for Briton; his family was here, hidden in a scary cave, and he had thought they were dead.
The image of his face confessing all that weird shit filled my mind.
I liked him more than I should. He was right about the instant attraction thingy. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I really liked him.

How had this happened? How had I ended up in this crazy town filled with crazy monsters with terrible secrets and falling for the king of the weirdos?

Why did God hate me?
Me and Liz.
We clung to each other harder when the voices came to the entrance of the cave we were in.

The man from the alley spoke. “This is it. We can’t cross the lines here. But look, six coffins.”

Briton muttered, “I have seven family members.”

“I would imagine at least one died, Nicolai. It’s impossible they’re here at all, let alone all of them.”

“How do we get them open?”

“We don’t. We leave them in their restful slumber where they can’t hurt anyone.”

Briton seethed, “You WILL help me get them out.”

A struggle occurred. The other man grunted. “NO. I WON’T. THE WITCHES WON’T EITHER! THEY DON’T COME HERE!”

Liz swallowed against me. I could feel her tense up.

The cave fell silent. Then Briton spoke with a smirk, I could hear it in his voice. “You don't hear that, Jamie?”

My head jerked around. Did he hear us there, moving around slightly?

It was silent for a moment and then he spoke softly. “Liv, what are you doing?”

I scowled. How did he know it was
me
? I held Liz, not moving or breathing.

“Holding your breath makes your heart beat faster. I would know your heartbeat anywhere. Come out.” He sounded weird, distant, like he was angry it was
me
.

I stepped out, leaving Liz there. Someone flashed
their
flashlight on me. I winced, putting my hand up. The light went to the ceiling, making the room bright enough to see.