Dark Days (The Childe Series, #2) (7 page)

“She found out a week ago that she was adopted? Why wasn’t I told this?” Cat heard Michael ask.

What is he doing here?
Cat thought.

“Erika gave Cat to us to care for. We love her as much as if she was our own. You just can’t take her from us!” Cat could hear her mom’s heart-wrenching sobs clearly through the door.

“Rachel, I’m sorry to upset you. Michael has told us what a wonderful job you’ve done with Catherine. We know she’s truly been loved, but Trevor and I feel she needs to be with us. Her own kind. We can teach her what she needs to survive,” Cat heard the unfamiliar Irish woman reply.

“You have no idea what she needs!” Sam’s angered voice made Cat jump back this time. “She’s the only one of her kind alive and nobody knows what she’s capable of!”

Before she could even think it through, Cat stepped forward and flung the study doors open. She witnessed the shock on the faces of the five people within as they all looked her way. “It sounds like there are more secrets I should know. So, I think I should hear them now,” Cat said quietly, even though she was screaming on the inside. Michael moved first, put his arm around Cat, and brought her to stand in front of the others.

“Cat’s right
. She deserves to know. So,
everyone just calm down and we’ll tell her. Now Cat, you ask the questions and we’ll answer them, truthfully,” Michael stated. Cat looked at the couple seated on the couch and noticed they had bright red hair like hers.

“Who are you?” she asked them.

“We’re your Aunt Ròs and Uncle Trevor,” Trevor answered, squeezing Ròs’ hand as a solitary tear trickled down her cheek from seeing her niece for the first time. “Ròs is your real father’s sister,” he further explained.

“My real father? Do you know where he is?” Cat asked, her voice trembling.

“He’s passed, my dear,” Ròs choked out.

“What? How? What about my real mother?”

“Her too, I’m afraid,” Trevor replied with a sad look on his face.

“What were their names?” Cat asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

“William and Erika,” Ròs replied.

“Oh,” she murmured, her demeanor reflecting the melancholy in her voice. Looking up at Michael, “So, who are you really then?”

“I’m Erika’s brother. I’m your real uncle. I was the one instructed to give you to the Colvins to raise as their own.” Michael said, squeezing her shoulder. T
urning to R
ò
s
, “Now,
R
ò
s
I think it’d be best if you told her the rest.”

Rachel stood to intervene, but Sam took her hand and pulled her down onto his lap, holding her tightly.

“Our family comes from Ireland, where your mother and father met. They married in secret because most of our kin were against their union. In protest, William and Erika fled in search of a safe haven to give birth to you,” Ròs explained.

“Why were they against it?” Cat asked. Ròs looked over to Trevor for help.

“Well, that’s where things get a little complicated Catherine,” Trevor interjected. “In the eyes of our kin, your parents’ relationship was forbidden.”

“Forbidden? Why?”

“You see, we’re different.”

“Okay, so you’re different. What does that mean?” Cat asked, frustration present in her voice.

“We’re vampires,” Ròs explained.

“Vampires?” Cat began. “Vampires?” she asked again in disbelief. “Alright, that’s it. I’ve heard enough of this crap. This is ridiculous. I’m not going to stand here and listen to this after the week I’ve just had!”

“But it’s true, every word. Honest, Catherine, we’re vampires…and so are you,” Trevor implored.

“What? Shut up! Rachel, Sam, are you just going to sit there and let them do this to me? Why aren’t any of you saying anything? Uncle Michael, how can you, a priest, just stand there and not say they’re lying?! You honestly don’t believe what these people are saying, right?” Cat’s voice grew shaky as she looked Michael dead in the eyes and realized he wasn’t going to tell her it was a lie.

“I wish I could, Cat, but it’s the truth,” Michael replied softly.

Cat laughed fretfully. “I can’t believe it. You’re just as crazy as the rest of them.”

“Catherine,” Ròs said as she stood and made her way toward her, “trust us when we say, that you’re a
Childe,
half-vampire and half-human.” Cat’s eyes widened as she listened to her aunt’s words.

“I’m . . . a . . .
Childe
? A
Childe
?”

“Yes, Cat, you are,” Sam stated with a sigh.

“And on your sixteenth birthday, your vampire side began to take over. That’s why we put you on those pills, honey. Those pills help keep your other half at bay,” Rachel explained.

“So wait, Dr. Bane is in on this, too?” Cat asked in a huff.

“Yes, we’ve all known for quite some time now. Dr. Bane, Aldon, and even Taylor,” Rachel continued.

“Do you hear yourselves? You’re all flipping insane! What the hell’s wrong with you people? I just can’t deal with this right now. If you need me, I’ll be in my room,” Cat said and then began to turn toward the study door.

“Catherine Ròsaline Aldridge! You cannot walk away from this,” Ròs growled while baring her fangs. Her eyes turned black as pitch.

As Cat began to turn back around, she asked, “What did you call me?” The moment she finished asking her question, Cat let out a slight scream as the sight before her startled her. Standing in front of her was the physical embodiment of something she thought was only a myth.
Vampires do exist?
Cat thought while staring at Ròs’s and Trevor’s pearly white fangs and jet black eyes. Her knees grew a little wobbly as a wave of dizziness overcame her. “Why did you call me that?”

“Catherine Ròsaline Aldridge is your full birth name. Given to you by your
real
parents,” Ròs explained.

Shaking out of her dizzied state, Cat asked, “So…what you’re telling me is…that I’m like you…fangs and all?”

“Well, in a manner of speaking, yes. But you’re special, Catherine,” Trevor replied. 

“Why wasn’t I told this earlier when all of that weird stuff was happening to me? Instead, you let me believe I was sick or something.”

“Cat,” Michael said, trying to put his arm around her again.

“Don’t!” Cat said angrily, pushing away his arm. “Let me get this straight, you just told me that I’m adopted, and now I’m some
freak
of nature. Awesome,” she remarked sarcastically with a hollow laugh. As angry tears slid down her cheeks, “So, what next? Are you going to tell me people want to kill me?” Cat saw the shock registering on the faces before her. “People are out to kill me?  You’ve got to be kidding. Right?” No one answered.

“Now, Catherine, calm down. That’s why we’re here. We’d like for you to come with us. We can protect you,” Ròs explained calmly with pleading eyes.

“We can take care of her too,” Sam stated directly.

“But you don’t know-”

“Well, you don’t know either,” Rachel said, interrupting Ròs.

“Stop! You’re sitting there arguing and acting like I’m not even here. This is my life we’re talking about,” Cat yelled. Holding her forehead, trying to ease the oncoming headache, “I need to think. I’m going up to my room, and I want to be left alone.” Throwing her hands down to her side and scowling at everyone, “Do you understand? Alone! I’ll let you know when I,” she said pointing to her chest, “am ready to talk. This will be my decision and no one else’s.” As she turned and made her way to the door, “I mean it, no one follow me!” she shouted, slamming the door behind her. Hurrying up the stairs, Cat met Taylor coming out of his room.

“What’s up, Red Freak?”

“Don’t start with me,” she growled, glaring at him, as she continued toward her bedroom.

“What the hell was that all about?” he muttered to himself. As Taylor walked into the study he felt the tension was so thick he could cut it with a knife. “Okay, what’s up with Cat, and who pissed her off?” he asked jokingly. After a few minutes of the adults explaining what happened, Taylor rolled his eyes at the mess they had made with Cat, each one putting the blame on the other for her meltdown. As far as he was concerned, they were all responsible.

Hearing the sound of an engine starting and then tires squealing, Rachel ran to the front door, and threw it open. “It’s Cat! She’s running away!” she cried down the hallway.

“I’ll go after her. I think you guys have done enough damage tonight. Don’t worry, I’ll bring her home,” Taylor stated, grabbing his jacket and moving toward the front door.

“I’d
like to accompany you, if that’s okay?  I promise I’ll let you handle Catherine alone,” Ròs said.

“Whatever, but you better let me do all the talking,” Taylor replied, taking his car keys from the rack.

Ryan felt like a stalker. He had no reason to be on Nehalem Avenue at that time of night. He wondered what Cat would say if she saw him on her street. Suddenly an orange Jeep flew around the corner, and Ryan swerved to the right as it sped by. He caught a quick glance of the driver. Noticing Cat’s distinct fiery red hair, he pulled into the nearest driveway to turn around and follow her. Before he was done, another car sped by and Ryan recognized Taylor’s Mustang in hot pursuit.

Cat threw open the door as she stopped the Jeep and ran down the steep path toward the desolate beach below. She headed for the trees that sheltered the barren clearing. She sat down heavily on the concrete foundation, visualizing how the cabin had looked from her nightmares. Tears flowed freely down her face as she realized this was the last place she had been with her mother. Slouching, with her chest down to her knees, Cat rocked back and forth crying for the parents she never knew.

Ryan pulled up quickly into the parking lot as Taylor and a woman with bright red hair, whom he didn’t recognize, were opening their doors. He immediately realized what she was.

“Beckford, what are you doing here?” Taylor asked, anger present in his voice.

“What’s wrong with Cat?” Ryan ignored his question.

“None of your business, that’s what, now just leave!”  Taylor’s face reddened as he started toward Ryan.

“Now you two, let’s settle down.  Hello, I’m Ròs Cowan, and you are?” she asked blocking Taylor’s path.

“Ryan Beckford.  I’m Cat’s boyfriend.”

“Yeah, but you’re not wanted here right now!” Taylor tried to reach around Ròs for him only to have her push him back gently.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Ryan. I’m Catherine’s aunt,” Ròs said, lightly shaking his hand. “She’s just a little upset at the moment. And Taylor needs to go and find her, don’t you Taylor?” she asked, looking pointedly at him.

“Yeah, but I’m going alone!” he responded, glaring at Ryan.

“Of course. Ryan and I will just wait here for you, if that’s okay?” Ròs smiled reassuringly at Taylor. Without another word, Taylor made his way down the path and followed Cat’s fresh footprints in the sand.

“So, you’re Catherine’s boyfriend, huh? And a fellow vampire, I see. Don’t look surprised my dear, I can smell it on you,” Ròs said as she watched Taylor walking toward the woods. Turning her attention to Ryan, “You care deeply for her, don’t you?” Ryan nodded. “I can sense it. You will keep her secret, I have no worries about that. If I did, I would have already killed you by now,” she laughed at the look on Ryan’s face. “I am only kidding…well, kind of.”