Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Betrayal

                       

Winter was over and the snow had almost all melted away.  Spring was just around the corner as April was almost upon us.  I had been back to school for a few weeks and things have been going well.  Alex, Lizzy, Cassy, Will and I were inseparable, we were always together lately and I loved it.  The only problem was that there seemed to be something strange going on with this family and I felt that I should have figured it out by now.  I mean honestly, I’ve been here since September and I still couldn’t put my finger on it!  The twins are the best and I loved them dearly but they would do odd things every now and then, as would the other members of their family.  It wasn’t any one thing that I could pinpoint, I just had a feeling that I was out of the loop. For instance, it was weird when Alex or Lizzy would help me with my homework - it was like they were actually teachers.  They knew things that no ordinary seventeen or eighteen year old student should know and I swear that the twins communicated with each other without speaking. They would get a vacant look in their eyes when they thought that I wasn’t paying attention and the others seemed to be slightly guarded whenever I was around.  Not that they didn’t like having me there.  I always felt welcome and cared for, but, there was definitely something different about this family and I knew I could figure it out eventually.  Even James seemed to be in on the secret.  My thoughts whirled round and round as I stared out the living room window mesmerized by the rain softly splattering against the pane. James and I had just finished supper and I drifted into another world as my thoughts carried me off.

“Anna,” James said quietly

“Yes,” I replied, coming out of my reverie.

“What is that you’re fiddling with?” he inquired. “I always see you playing with your necklace every time you stare off into space.”

“Oh! I hadn’t realized I was playing with it.  It’s a ring that someone gave me for luck. It helps me think,” I replied smiling.

“May I see it?” he inquired, “It looks familiar.”

“Sure.” I replied as I lifted the chain and ring over my head and handed it to him.

“Do you know who it belongs to?” I asked curiously as he studied the ring.

“It reminds me of a family ring that a group of my friends wear,” he mused as he turned the ring over and gently caressed the stone before handing it back to me.

“Really?” I asked, “Who?” But the phone rang and he never answered my question.

            I started thinking again.  Who wore a ring that I knew personally?  I sat and stared out the window contemplating while the shadows lengthened and night came making the rain drops glisten on the glass of the window.  The darkness outside seemed to swallow me whole as I thought of Lizzy’s family.  Will wore a ring on his right hand and so did Max and Stephan.  I hadn’t noticed if George wore one and I knew that Alex didn’t but I could always check tomorrow at school to be sure.  As for my ring, I knew every detail and every contour. It was a large gold ring with an intricate design molded into it.  On the left side were two crossed swords, while on the right side of the ring had a star and crescent moon and the stone in the center was a gorgeous star sapphire.  It was too big for any of my fingers, so I had hung it on a gold chain and ever since the beautiful man with the green eyes and wavy blond hair had given it to me, I had always worn it around my neck. It made me feel connected to him somehow.

Funny, I hadn’t thought about him in years.  How strange was it that I could still remember his eyes and hair shimmering like gold in the sun light when he gave me the ring just before I entered Stacy’s apartment building.  I even remembered the scent of jasmine and vanilla that surrounded me when he stood close to me.  Actually, now that I think about, Alex had that same smell. I first noticed it in November when he protected and comforted me after the break in, and I also remember smelling it when he was helping me with physics.  I wondered why I hadn’t noticed or made the connection earlier but it certainly couldn’t have been Alex who was with me that day, after all he was only a year older than I was.  I shook my head as I headed for bed. There was just no way that he could be the same person it just wasn’t possible.

            The next day at school we were sitting at our usual table in the cafeteria. I took the opportunity to stare at Will’s ring.  The only difference I could see between the one I wore around my neck and his was the stone in the centre was a star ruby.

“Anna, what’s wrong?” Lizzy asked.

“Oh! Nothing” I exclaimed, jerking out of my musings “I was just looking at Will’s ring.”

“That’s our family crest, all the guys have a ring and we have necklaces or bracelets,” Lizzy replied.

“I see.  But I’ve never seen Alex wear a ring,” I commented trying to be nonchalant.

“Oh, he hasn’t worn his in years,” Lizzy replied as I nodded and started wondering if there really was a connection between the ring around my neck and Alex.

“Well, I have to get to class!  See you next period.” Lizzy smiled as she got up to leave.

 I didn’t feel like going to the library as was my custom.  I wanted to think and try to remember that day when I first met the man who gave me this ring.  So I wondered over to my favorite thinking tree, and once I climbed up and was nestled into my favorite nook I closed my eyes and began to dredge up the painful memories from the day I ran from my father; the same day my mother had been murdered.

I was ten years old again and I could almost smell that bus station.

I had asked the ticket agent for a ticket to New York. 

The woman gave me a strange look, taking in my pale face and the

 small knapsack I carried and asked who I was going with and

how old I was.  That was when the blond man who had been behind me in

line smiled at the woman and told her that I was his sister and we were

going to visit our aunt in New York.  He told her that I had wanted to buy

my own ticket.  His voice was smooth and warm and as he spoke she got a

dreamy look on her face. She smiled sweetly at him and handed me my

ticket.

                        We sat in the hard plastic chairs waiting for the bus and when it

arrived he  sat next to me. I found myself strongly comforted by his presence. 

Even though I had just met him I was not concerned about my safety because

I knew he would look after me.  We spoke about different things during

the long ride to New York.    I would wake every morning of our bus

ride curled up on the seat with my head resting in his lap.  The day we

 arrived in New York he took me straight to Stacy’s apartment.

            When we got out of the cab he smiled softly at me as he knelt down and

took his ring off.  He placed the ring in my hand, curling my fingers to

protect it in my small fist.  As he covered my fist with his hand he told me

that it would bring me luck and that one day he would return to ask for

 it back.  I glanced into his eyes which sparkled like emeralds in the afternoon

 sunlight and I could swear that he almost glowed with a heavenly aura him.

 As I stared at his ethereal beauty he smiled and told me not to worry because I

 was protected by angels.

As I recalled this memory I was shocked that he reminded me so much of Alex.  But that was impossible! Alex would have only been eleven. I felt very confused and slightly disoriented as I heard a familiar voice call:

“Hey Anna you’re going to be late for history!” I was immediately jerked out of my reverie which startled me so much that I lost my balance and fell off the branch.  I only had time to register a blur of movement before I landed safely in a pair of very strong arms.  I gasped and looked up into a pair of very amused emerald green eyes as my heart beat wildly.

“You’re such a klutz,” Alex grinned down at me.

The sun made his eyes and hair gleam as my shocked brain registered that it was him. It wasn’t possible but it was.  I began to struggle wanting out of his arms as fast as possible. My heart raced and I stared at him in confusion as he placed me back on my feet.

“Anna, what’s wrong?” Alex asked teasingly. “I only caught you when you fell.  It’s no big deal.”

“I-I have to go.” I stammered as I turned and ran towards the school.  I yanked open the door and bolted up the stairs to my locker but before I rounded the corner I stopped short. I could hear Lizzy and Will talking quietly to each other so I kept silent and out of their sight.

“Lizzy, you know her power is growing.  She was the one who burst that bottle in class,” Will said.

“You can’t prove that Will.  She’s my best friend and I won’t let you or anyone else ruin my friendship with her.  We have to protect Anna and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she stays safe.” Lizzy replied with conviction.

“Lizzy, get real” Will countered. “I know that you and Alex love her, but the reality is that her father is here and how long do you honestly think we can keep that information from her?  She’s going to find out sooner or later and you and I both know that Alex won’t claim her, even to save her life.  He loves her, and has been protecting her since she arrived, but he still isn’t sure how she feels about him.  Especially, since she’s always running away from him.”

“Will, I get that, but it’s her decision when it comes to Alex. Besides, James told us to keep our mouths shut about ourselves and her father.  It’s his decision.  He doesn’t want to scare her with the knowledge that we are half vampire and that full vampires have been protecting her for years.  She doesn’t even know that much about James.  Actually, not even Max knows what James is all about,” Lizzy said.

“Lizzy come off it! James isn’t that hard to figure out.  The issue is we don’t know how dangerous Anna really is,” Will said.

“Anna isn’t dangerous! How dare you say that about her!  You know she is in control of herself.” Lizzy scowled.

“That’s true you know,” Alex said as he joined the two of them casually draping his arm around Lizzy’s shoulders. 

“She’s always on guard and she barely lets her defenses down even around us.”

“And just what do you think she’ll do when she finds out that her dad was seen in town this morning.” Will asked annoyed.

“I don’t know, but I can guarantee she won’t freak out and use her abilities. I know she can handle the news but we aren’t the ones who are supposed to tell her.  Only James can do that,” Alex said shaking his head. “All we can do is watch over her and make sure she’s safe.”

“Alex, James can’t protect her from our secret.  She already suspects something and she has for months.  What do you honestly think she’ll do when she realizes what we are?  She’ll freak out and it won’t matter whether you’re in love with her or not!” Will said in an annoyed voice.

Alex sighed and replied, “You know I want to tell her everything but James said no.  Remember he’s gotten us out of a lot of trouble so I won’t go against his wishes even if I think they are wrong.  Our duty is to protect her and I’ll do that with my life if I must.” He glared at them challenging Lizzy and Will to disagree with him.

“Alex, for a guy who is a hundred and twenty five years old you’re being a bit melodramatic.” Will said rolling his eyes.

“Just because you’re older than I am doesn’t mean you can act like my older brother or tell me how to act or feel.” Alex seemed to growl at him.

I couldn’t listen to anymore, my heart was racing I felt so confused.  I needed to think, I needed to move, he was here and I couldn’t be found not ever.  I put my hand in my backpack to see if my keys were there.  Thank god, I grabbed them and quickly went down the stairs and headed outside.  I couldn’t take my car they would be looking for me soon so I went to plan A: RUN.  That’s exactly what I did.  I ran all the way to the storage shed where my motorcycle was stored.  As I changed my clothes my cell phone beeped I had a new text message.

‘U’r late.’ Lizzy had sent the message.

‘U lied 2 me, I’m out’ I replied and then pulled on my leather jacket.

‘What r u talking about?’ she sent.

‘I heard everything in the hall, u’v all betrayed me.’ I wrote back and then stuffed the phone in my riding bags.

I pushed the bike out of the storage locker and then locked the door.  I started the engine and as I pulled on my helmet I heard Alex call my name.  I revved the engine and pealed out of the parking lot.  What I didn’t expect was when I looked into the side mirror I could see Alex running behind me and he was gaining on me.  I couldn’t believe it, he was yelling for me to stop.  This was really freaking me out so I gunned it and wiped around the next corner and drove straight into the trees at full throttle, I weaved in and out of the trees and then straight down the snowmobile trail.  That’s when it started to rain and thank goodness it did, the rain would wash way my trail and my scent.  It would make it almost impossible for him to follow me. If the stories were true about vampires having heightened senses of smell, sight and hearing, O.M.G. what am I thinking????

I decided to head north since I had lost Alex.  Damn he was fast I had never seen anything like it.  What pissed me off was that James had known their secret and didn’t think he could trust me with it and he hadn’t told me that my father was in town.  How dare he keep me in the dark about something so important, I mean really how stupid and weak does he think I am.  I’m in control of my powers at least most of the time anyway.  I haven’t lost control in awhile and I was much better at moving things around.  The people I trusted and cared about had betrayed me, they didn’t trust me, which meant that I was a liability.  Well I wouldn’t worry them anymore I would disappear then they could get on with their lives.  I knew I was being irrational but I was too angry and I needed to put distance between me and the problem and as the miles and kilometers whizzed by my anger slowly dissipated.  I realized I needed to find a place to stay, I decided to stop at a roadside diner to get something to eat.  I stared out the window lost in thought.  How was I going to figure out what to do?  Could I trust any of them again, they had broken my heart and all I could think about at that moment was how disappointed I was in myself for not realizing that I was with my dream guy, the one I had fantasized about for months after he gave me his ring when I was ten.  I pulled on my chain and looked at the ring that I had cherished for years.  Tears started to well up in my eyes as I looked out the window.

“Don’t worry honey it can’t be all that bad.” Said the waitress as she placed the bill on the table and looked at me knowingly.

“I was betrayed by all the people I trusted.” I replied.

“Well, are you sure you were betrayed or do you only think you were.  Sometimes people do things to protect us and we just don’t understand it.” She said as she walked away.

I looked out the window for a few more minutes and then paid my bill and headed north once again. I finally stopped in a small town called Porcupine, there was a small hotel off the road that I decided to stay at because I wanted to hide my bike.  Not many people were crazy enough to ride a motorcycle this early in the spring season. 

I was so tired from the drive and my emotional turmoil that all I wanted to do was sleep. Then my phone rang, it startled me and hadn’t realized that I had left it on.  |It was in my travel bags.  I dug it out and looked at the name on the screen and my heart ached, it was James.  I went through my missed call list and was surprised to see that James had called every fifteen minutes for the past six hours and Alex, Lizzy, Will, Cassy and Max had all called regularly as well trying to get me to answer the phone.  When I check my message log I had twenty seven messages.  I shook my head in disbelief as I stared at my phone.  I realized that it had GPS tracking so I promptly took out the battery and put the phone back in my bag.  I didn’t want to listen to anything they had to say right now.  I needed to think about everything that I had heard and make up my own damn mind about what I was going to do.  I paced the floor for an hour not coming to a decision so I promptly flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling until I finally fell asleep.