Karson entered the room. “We won’t be long, pack your bag, we leave when I get back. If I’m not too late, otherwise we’ll go tomorrow night.” His eyes left mine and moved to Dahlia. “I trust you’re okay to look after her, while I’m away.”
Dahlia nodded, she didn’t look at him. I don’t think she had quite forgiven him for his outburst. He turned to walk away.
“Karson,” I called out.
He paused and pivoted back. “Yes?”
“If there is any other way to settle this without death could you please take it.”
He looked at me thoughtfully, then disappeared as quickly as he’d entered, leaving me with no answer. The sound of the car starting and driving off followed soon after.
“I guess that’s a no,” Dahlia said bitterly, “they’re cruel bastards, with no compassion. I can see you like him. You need to resist his allure, a vampire takes what he wants, when he wants it. They kill mercilessly, they have no real feelings, no empathy, no love, don’t ever forget that.”
I didn’t know much, but I had seen the emotion on Ethan’s face when Katrina and Robert were killed, he was devastated. That’s not the traits of an emotionless being. I’d seen joy, and anger in them both. “Dahlia, that’s absurd, Karson and Ethan both have feelings.”
“You think that?” Fury burned from her words. “You have no idea.”
“I live with him. I know him and he maybe a vampire, but he’s good.” As I spoke the words I realized it was true. I missed Ethan, missed his humor, missed his voice. It didn’t matter to me what he was. I knewwhohe was. At least I hoped I knew. Besides, the thought of up and leaving again, ached to the core of my heart.
“Good,” she spat, ‘the only good vampire is a dead one.” She stormed from the room.
I watched her stride out, unease chewing at my stomach. I went upstairs and called Ethan. I needed to hear him say everything would be alright. We’d get through this, somehow. He answered in two rings. I held my breath and there was a long pause as if both of us didn’t know what to say, finally he broke it. “Amy, are you alright?”
I paced the room. “Yeah. I mean . . . yes, I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
“I am. I’m just a little tired.” Overwhelmed. Shell-shocked. And mildly,deeply, concerned.
“Why did you go to Portland?” His voice hardened. “Do you know the danger you’ve put yourself in?”
I laughed bitterly. “I have a fair idea.”
“Jesus, Amy,” he breathed and didn’t finish.
“Ethan?”
I heard him draw a breath. “Yes?”
I stopped pacing. “Katrina and Robert’s car accident wasn’t an accident,” I said, softly. “I came to ask Karson if he did it. He said he didn’t . . . I believe him.”
There’s a long pause, his voice sounded pained when he spoke, “What makes you think it wasn't an accident?”
“I read the medical reports, don’t ask me how, I won’t tell you. But there were ligature marks on Katrina’s wrists, and a wound to the back of her head and more, but I’ll tell you the rest when I get back.”
There was a long silence, I could hear his breath much louder and faster than before.
“Ethan . . . are you there? Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m here. I’ll see what I can find out, are you coming ho— are you still going to stay here?”
Warmth seeped through my limbs. He wanted me to stay. “Yes, maybe, I think so. I don’t know. If you want me to? If it’s easier on you if I move out, that’s okay, I understand,” I rambled.
“No, I want you to stay. I just didn’t know if you would want to, now that you know.”
“It’s okay, I’ll just have to start waxing instead of shaving, and perhaps you should chop the vegetables from now on, just in case.”
He laughed. “We can talk about it tomorrow.”
