Crimson Echo (32 page)

“I had a feeling. What are your plans for tonight, teleport to Cairo, explore a few pyramids?”

“Nothing that exciting,” he laughed. “We have to run another patrol before sunrise.”

“Why sunrise?”

“That’s when all the Longtooths
are rushing back to their nests. They’ve been feeding all night and when they are full it makes them slower.”

“Vampires?”
I gasped. “Vampires are real? Why don’t you just let them burn in the sunlight, wouldn’t that be easier?”

“That’s a myth, Tristan. The sun can’t actually harm them. They don’t really erupt in flames or fall to a pile of ash. Crosses can’t hurt them, holy water does nothing, garlic has no effect and they don’t need permission to enter anyone’s home. People made all of that stuff up to make
themselves feel better.”

“I’m glad I asked.
I feel so much better knowing all of that.” My words dripped with sarcasm.

           
To think I was actually once afraid of Kane. Suddenly being burned by my fire starting boyfriend didn’t seem so bad when you compared it to having your throat ripped out by a blood thirsty monster. I was sure that these vampires would make Kane and his family look like angels.

“Don’
t worry. I don’t think you would be very appetizing to them. You’ve got witch stench all over you, they can’t stand that.” His lips pulled up to form a perfect smile.

“Oh, well that’s reassuring.”
I scoffed.

“It should be.” He laughed at the
horrified look on my face. “My family didn’t interrogate you too badly back there, did they?”

“They didn’t interrogate me at all. I don’t know what I was so afraid of.”

“You certainly handled yourself well.”

“Thanks, I tried.” I was very pleased with the outcome of the night. My first meeting with Kane’s family went perfectly.

“Are you going to tell me what that was about back there with my mom?”

“Nope,” I smiled.
“That’s between your mom and I.”

“I can get it out of you one way or another!” He smiled devilishly and then reached over the console to tickle me.

“No, stop it!” I screamed in between my laughing fits. “That’s not fair!”

“
You’re right, it’s not fair. I could probably get it out of you faster with a kiss.” He grinned.

I covered my mouth and shook my head. 

“I don’t think anyone more perfect has ever existed.” Kane took my free hand and locked his fingers between mine.

“I agree.” I pulled his hand up to my lips and kissed it.

“I was talking about you.” He rolled his eyes.

“I know and I was talking about you.”

“Can you stop being so damn irresistible for at least five minutes?” He asked as we pulled into my driveway.

“I’ll try
, as long as I get to see you again tomorrow.” I said timidly.

“Aren’t you sick of me yet?” He joked.

“Not even close.”

He laughed at my reaction and then pretended to think about it for a moment.
“How about brunch at my house tomorrow? Mom makes a big meal every Sunday. You’re more than welcome to come if you want. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to see you again.”

“I would love to.” I kissed him and then pulled away after realizing I hadn’t given him any warning.

“You like all of this way more than you should.” He shook his head and leaned over the console to kiss me this time.

“I can’t help it.” I sighed as he leaned away from me.

“Go get some rest, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  
                                                        Chapter Thirteen

                                                          
       Brunch

       
    The next morning I woke up with a new outlook on life— I could almost feel the magic in the air. The night before was more than I could have ever asked for. Kane’s family was so warm and welcoming, even Sabrina. I couldn’t wait to see them all again and get to peek into their world one more time.

            As I dressed in my
staple outfit of jeans and a tee shirt, I couldn’t help but feel anxious about spending the day with the Evans’. I could tell that Aurora liked me, but as for the twins, the jury was still out. I stared at myself in the mirror as I brushed my hair and I couldn’t believe how in a matter of a few short months life had completely turned around for me.

            As I made my way down to the kitchen I found my mom and dad in their usual spots at the table, reading the morning paper and drinking coffee. They both looked up at me apprehensively and then smiled at each other. I thought about darting back up the stairs and fleeing from my veranda, but I decided against it. 
  

“You’re up early,” mom said. “Are you going to see Gabe again?”

“No, I’m having brunch with Kane Evans and his family today.” I admitted and waited for the onslaught of questions that was sure to follow.

“The Evans, who are they?” Dad asked as he folded his paper up and sat it on the table.

“Kane Evans, you know… my boyfriend?”  I whispered, though the word ‘boyfriend’ didn’t seem appropriate for how I felt about him.

“Boyfriend?”
Dad asked, nearly choking on his coffee. “When did you get a boyfriend?”

“Not long ago. I met him at Emporia, his mom is the Dean.”

“I hear they’re quite a lovely bunch. Ms. Evan’s orders flowers from me all the time.” Mom chimed in.

“You’ve met Aurora?” I looked up from my watch.

“No, she has her flowers picked up by her secretary. I’ve never once got to meet her.”

“I want to hear more about this boyfriend of yours.” Dad interrupted her
, pulling out his pocket knife and pretending to clean the dirt out from under his finger nails.

“
Dad, please.” I whined. “He’ll be here any minute.”

“Good, then I can meet this Evans boy.”

“Please don’t so this to me.” I begged.

“Well, you’re going to have to introduce him to us someday.”

“I will, just not today.”                

            Just then the doorbell rang and I ran to the window. I pulled back the curtain and I could see Kane standing on the other side of the door. I looked back at my parents and gave them a pleading glance before opening the door.

“Kane, what are you doing?” I asked as I stood in the doorway blocking him from coming inside.

“I figured I would use the door today. It seemed more appropriate.” He smiled charmingly.

“Is that the Evans boy at the door?” Mom asked from the kitchen.

“Yes mom, we’re just leavin
g.” I tried to push Kane back out onto the porch.

“Are you ashamed of me?” Kane asked.

“Of course not, why would you think something like that?”

“They’re going to have to meet
me sooner or later.” He smiled, sounding exactly like my father.

“Can’t I just have you to myself for a little while longer?
” I pleaded, stepping closer to him and trying desperately to give him my best puppy dog eyes.

“I suppose I can’t argue with that face.” He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead.

            Kane held my hand as we walked back to his car. It was a nice day for once. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the wind was just subtle enough. I looked up at Kane as he looked down at me and I knew it was going to be a good day.

“You’re picking me up in a Bentley?” I stared at the shiny, gray sports car
.

“Do you have an aversion to sports cars?”

“No, I answered. “What kind is it?”

“It’s a limited edition Bentley
Conquest. There are only about five hundred of them in the entire world.”

“Is this your car?” I inhaled the new car scent as I buckled my seatbelt.

“Yes, I don’t drive it much. It’s more of a Sunday car.”

“What’s on the agenda today?” I quickly tried to change the subject
before he realized that I knew nothing about cars.

“Brunch, of course, then I thought we could just have a normal day as a normal couple.” He smiled.

            I couldn’t picture what a normal day as a normal couple would be like with Kane. There was nothing normal about any of this, not that I minded.  I hoped having a home cooked meal with Kane’s supernatural family would be my new normal from now on.

Kane gauged my reaction as I tried to imagine what he had in store for us.
“Well, as normal as you can get with a family of witches.” He laughed.

“I’m excited,” I announced. “I can’t wait to spend the day with you and your family.”

“I’m sure it’ll be one for the books.” He smiled.

“I hope so.”

“Are you going to tell me why you didn’t want me meeting your parents today?” Kane asked as he maneuvered around a car.

“It’s just that… well, I’ve never had a boyfriend before and I’m new at all of this and my dad doesn’t like the idea very much. If he had his way I wouldn’t date until I’m forty. I knew for sure that I wouldn’t let it happen when he pulled out his pocket knife.” I admitted.

“A pocket knife,” Kane laughed. “That’s what you’re afraid of? I’ve told you already that I’m virtually indestructible, a knife won’t even penetrate my skin.”

“But yesterday…”

“That was an athame. That is one of the few tools that can pierce through our skin.” He cut me off.

“The knife your mom used to cut your hand is an athame?”

“Yes, it’s a witch’s knife. It’s mostly used for spell casting though.”

“If the only thing that can kill you is an athame than that must be how the
Seekers can kill your kind so easily.”

“Not easily, and only my own, personal athame can kill me. The
Seekers have found a much more effective solution.”

“What’s that?”
I asked curiously.

“Any weapon dipped in the blood of an Original can easily take a witch’s life.” He frowned and then looked far off into the distance like he was remembering something.

“An Original, what’s that?”

“
Originals are the oldest living witches in the world. They’ve been around since the beginning of time. They are the oldest, smartest and most powerful beings to walk this earth. But with such power comes great sacrifice. An original hardly sees the light of day, they greatly fear being exposed. Most of their life has been spent locked away from society because they know the harm they could do to our kind.”

“If they’re so powerful why don’t they just get rid of the
Seekers?”

“Ah,” he sighed. “They can’t risk throwing of
f the balance— the natural order of things. You can’t eradicate an entire group of people without causing complete an utter chaos.”

“But that’s what the seekers are trying to do to you and every other witch in the world.” I tried to make sense of their stupid rules.

“The Seekers don’t follow the same laws that we do. For the most part they are humans fighting a war that they know nothing about— a war that was started by their ancestors and passed down like a family heirloom.”

“What happens if they attack you or your family?” I asked vaguely, hoping he would understand what I was getting at.

“We won’t turn the other cheek, if that’s what you mean.” He shook his head. “My family tries to live a peaceful life, we don’t like to harm others, but if we are attacked we will fight back. We quite like the life we’ve built for ourselves here in this town and in this community and we would very much like to keep it that way.”

”
I would like to keep it that way too.” I agreed.

            Now that I had found Kane, I didn’t want to lose him or his family. They may not be normal, but I didn’t care— normal is overrated. I couldn’t picture my life without Kane and his family in it. I tried to push the thought of losing Kane away from my min
d as we sped down the highway.

“What’s a normal Sunday like at your house?” I changed the subject, more for my own benefit than Kane’s.

“It’s probably not much different from yours.” He shrugged.

“How informative of you,” I rolled my eyes.

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see for yourself.” He smiled at my irritation as we pulled into his driveway.

I let out a deep breath and unbuckled my seatbelt.

“You can’t possibly be nervous.” He laughed.

“I’m more anxious than nervous.”

“Come on human, it’s time to feed you to the lions.” He laughed and took my hand.

“Thanks.” I glowered at him as we walked up to the front door.

“I won’t let them bite too hard.”