Chapter 20: Chapter 20

At first, I’d found it hard to get into the room but after fumbling with the lock on the door, I was finally able to enter the room. Everywhere was so messed up like a hurricane had paid the room a visit. On the floor in front of me, traced in jagged bullet holes as if it were ‘connect the dots’, were the words: WE HAD A DEAL.

I knew immediately that it was Avyanna the moment my mind went back to the conversation I’d had about Leon’s apparent inhuman nature. I had promised not to tell Leon and she had threatened the lives of Emrys and I. I knew it had something to do with Leon’s current situation but I couldn’t get it.

I hurriedly got my phone out of my pocket and tried to call Brielle but her phone kept going to voicemail. My heart was beating so fast I could have sworn that if someone was with me, they’d hear it. I fumbled with the keys and tried to call Emrys who wasn’t picking at first but picked on the third ring.

“Emrys, there’s a problem,” I said immediately he picked up. “What happened?” he asked sounding just as panicked as I was.

I tried to stop my beating heart but there was something about the air that made it continue racing. “Someone got into the house and raided my room. I’m scared whoever it is might be here and try to hurt me.”

“I’ll be there in 5,” he said and hung up immediately.

I rushed to one of my bags to get my inhaler when the panic attack became more serious. After a few minutes, I was able to calm myself down and I sighed, glancing around the room nervously. I felt dirty and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to have my bath in the room without freaking out at the slightest thing.

I decided to have my bath in Brielle’s room hoping that she wouldn’t mind. I picked up the necessary things like my oil, my special creams, toothbrush, soap, and others. Once I had everything, I knew I needed in a bag, I picked up the clothes I’d change into and walked to Brielle’s room while praying to God to protect me from dying.

Brielle’s room wasn’t too far from mine so in less than a minute or two, I was in her room headed for the shower. I thanked God that she didn’t lock her doors and promised not to touch anything or snoop around as tempting as it was.

I decided to play Canada by Lauv and Alessia Cara to use it and get myself in and out of the shower in time so I don’t get affected. The song was just three minutes so after that, I was out and drying myself with the towel still watching around for anything suspicious.

I quickly dressed myself in a white tank top and purple shorts because I wasn’t ready to spend time dressing and packed my hair up in a ponytail. I picked up my things and ran back to my room to drop them off before waiting for Emrys.

Fortunately, I didn’t need to wait too long because as soon as I was in the room, he rushed in and his eyes bulged as he took in the room, looking between the mess and I. “I thought you were joking.”

As much as I didn’t want to, I couldn’t help the smile that formed on my lips and I shrugged. “Maybe next time you’ll take me seriously.”

“How did this happen?” he asked with still wide eyes as he stepped into the room. “What deal did you make?”

“It’s a really long story and I think she’s after me for not keeping to my end of the deal,” I said with a sigh. “I can’t even get peace because Leon is half dead, my father is in the hospital probably in a coma, and just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, I walk in and meet this.”

Emrys walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “What kind of person did you get yourself involved with? How did you even manage that?”

“Truth is, I don’t even know,” I said softly not knowing whether I should tell Emrys everything or not.

“Let’s go down and have some coffee and you can tell me everything that happened,” he said with a soft smile and waited for me to walk ahead of him.

I did so and we headed for the living room but I noticed Emrys had left me at a point to go on while he went to the kitchen probably to get the coffee. I sat down on the biggest couch but still felt uncomfortable so I began to play a tune by tapping my fingers on my thighs.

“Here you go,” Emrys said with a smile as he handed over a cup of coffee to me. “I put in extra sugar because I know you like it.”

“Thank you,” I said with a grateful smile as I took it from him. “I’m sure you want me to tell you all that’s going on now.” He nodded and sat on the couch. “You have to promise not to tell anyone.”

“I promise,” he said and I smiled knowing that I could trust him.

I began to tell him everything from how I found out about Leon’s secret life from Avyanna to how she attacked Leon causing him to almost die. I just told him every single thing and I guess I was expecting him to tell me how much he didn’t believe me. His reaction was the last thing I expected. He spat out his coffee like I’d just told him I was the one that killed his parents.

“You know about the wereworld?” he asked me with wide eyes and I just stared at him with a confused expression. “Why didn’t Leon give me a heads up?”

“You talk to Leon?”

“Not exactly. There are just somethings that have to go through Brielle and I so it connects us a little,” he said with eyes still boring me like he didn’t expect me to be aware of all this.

“And I’m guessing you’re not human then. Is there even any human in this world around me?” I asked with an exasperated sigh. I was getting tired of finding out things that people hid from me.

“Taniya is human. I met Ryker and I can tell he is completely human though he’s just aware of our world like you.”

“What about you, then? What are you?”

“My father was a vampire, and our mother was a selkie. I got the vampire blood from my father and Brielle the selkie blood from her mother. Our fathers were twins and our mothers were best friends.”

I nodded slowly. “If what you’re saying is correct, I’m guessing your parents and your sister didn’t die from such natural causes.”

“You were always a smart one,” he said with a small smile. “My sister died from brain tumor though. She was just a selkie and we actually didn’t know she had it. By the time we found out, it was too late and there was nothing Amara could do.

“My parents, on the other hand, were murdered and my father’s weakness in the moment of my mother’s death was the reason he died.”

“I’m sorry,” I muttered.

“You shouldn’t be,” he said as he waved his hand to dismiss me. “So, Leon really has it bad? I knew something was wrong with him when he didn’t call to check on you like he had promised. Initially, I thought it was because you were staying over at his house but I realized something else was up.”

“Amara said he won’t make it,” I said trying with every last bit of strength in me to not cry. “I just feel like it’s all my fault.”

Emrys stood up and came to sit on the arm rest of the couch I was on then he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “It’s not your fault. I’m sure there has to be some logical explanation that does not involve you.”

I leaned on his shoulder. “I didn’t imagine our story coming to an end like this. I just always thought there was more for him.”

Emrys sighed as he placed his head on mine. “Me too. I never really liked him but he was a good person. Good people don’t deserve to die like that.”

I raked my hands through my hair the more I thought about it. “I don’t know about you but I feel like I want to do something and get my mind off things. Can you take me to a grocery store or something? Somewhere I can just busy myself to do things and not think about Leon?”

“Sure. Anything you want,” he said standing up almost immediately. “Do you want to go now?”

“Yes, please,” I whispered.

I stood up and took his hand as we left the house, walking towards the car side by side. I’d always noticed that for such a large house, Emrys and Brielle never bothered to get maids of butlers. I was going to ask why but I’d always forgotten and at that moment, I didn’t even feel like finding out as curious as I was.

We got into the car and Emrys drove away almost immediately. I knew he was going to take me to a far town where he wouldn’t be too recognized and I was touched that he had even agreed to take me despite not being in clothes that could hide him from the crowd.

When we got to the grocery store, it seemed like it was only minutes after he had started driving that we got there. I just didn’t think it was that near especially when he had said he was taking me to the next town. I guessed that it was the silence and my never-ending thoughts that made the drive seem so short.

“I’m going to stay in the car for obvious reasons so once you’re done, come back and we’ll leave.”

I pulled him into a hug and whispered in his right ear, “Thank you so much, Emrys.” I didn’t think it was possible but he actually blushed. “No problem.”

Stepping out of the car, I picked up my purse that I had hurriedly taken with me knowing that if I was going shopping, I would need money. The store was actually almost empty and I didn’t even expect the sight that greeted me as soon as I walked in.

“Ryker?”

He turned around immediately, one hand still on the shopping cart, and stared at me but if he was surprised, he didn’t show it. “Are you stalking me?”

“Funny enough, I have better things doing than stalking your depressed ass,” I said, rolling my eyes as I walked closer to him. “What are you doing here?”

“I think you should answer that question by realizing where we are. A lot will make sense after that,” he said and started walking away from me.

I groaned and tried to match my pace with his. “I’m asking why you are in this town.”

“I could be asking you same,” he said with a shrug and I crossed my arms, making sure to glare at him. “Things are cheaper here than in Atham City.”

“Oh. Did you get the job, then?” I asked with a wide smile. “Didn’t your boyfriend tell you himself?”

“He didn’t actually,” I said assuming that the boyfriend he was talking about was actually Emrys. “So, did you get it?”

“I did but it’s not like I’m happy about it. My first shoot was disgusting to say the least and my brain was always busy devising new and interesting ways of bringing them to sudden, gagging, agonizing death in a way that would have unnerved me if I didn’t hate them.”

I stopped in my tracks for a minute before walking again. “Your heart is as cold as my room and I can’t feel my toes in that room so it’s bloody cold.”

“Why, thank you,” he said stopping momentarily to give me a little bow before continuing his walk to the section he was looking for.

“I don’t even know what words to use and describe you. Insane might just have to do,” I said with a sigh, shaking my head, before stopping when I saw where he stopped. “Broccoli?”

“My sister is on a whole veggie diet thing and I’m not complaining as long as she isn’t forcing me to eat that.”

“I’d like to meet her sometime.”

“No,” he said immediately. “There is no way I’ll have to deal with two dreamy girls. One is already enough as it is and I find it depressing that I have no way of resting from Linn’s nature when I see you in my free time.”

“I’m just trying to be your friend,” I said with a frown.

He turned to me, glaring at me so hard that I thought I would die from the intensity. “Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I do not want friends as much as you think?”

“Look, I know we don’t know each other that well but I’m still worried about you. No one deserves to be alone.”

“I never said I’m alone. I have Linn and that’s enough for me.” “It feels like you’re broken. Let me help you.”

“I’m not broken. Sure, I’m cracked. Sure, life has given me a lot of shit that has been too hard to handle on my own. But broken? Nah, I’ll never be broken.”

“Why can’t you just let me help you? Please.” He started walking again and I had to quicken my pace to match his. “What is wrong with you?”

“I’m bitter and complicated. It’s one of my charms.”

“I don’t think you know what that means. Or how to count.” He stopped immediately to pick up milk. “What’s the real problem?”

“It’s just so cruel to let people love you if all you’re doing is promising that you’ll one day break their hearts. My heart is dead. Love is dead.”

I smiled. “Love can never die, Ry, not completely. There were too many romantics, too many poets, too many places where lovers could meet and kisses could be shared, too many friendships, too many families.

“There is still love to be found in you. It just needs someone to whisper it back to life. This is spell work. It is time consuming, full of errors, but it is not impossible.”

“You can paint the house but you can’t change what happens inside it,” he muttered and I knew I was already winning so I grinned.

“You can if you add a couple of windows and let the sun in.” “How the hell are you so optimistic?”

I placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled even bigger this time. “I guess I just thought that if I joined the dark side of pessimists, I’d be wasting hours and hours of happiness.”

He nodded but didn’t say a word and I decided to walk with him after getting what he wanted and we’ll pay together. Suddenly, I didn’t need to shop to get my mind away from Leon.

Helping someone did it all for me. Of course, that was until I heard the words that brought my mind back to him.

“Paris, we need to talk.”