Punch Her Stupid Mouth
“Amelia?” Karson’s voice was soft. “Are you well?”
I gasped in a breath, blinking to see the entire room staring at me.
“I …” I tried to speak, but my chest was clogged in the memory I’d buried.
“Where did you go?” Karson asked.
He was sitting next to me, the scent of honey and cinnamon filling my nose. I wanted to lean in, rest my head on his chest, have him hold me and whisper that everything would be alright. But the way he’d leapt away from me earlier tugged in my chest and I didn’t risk moving. I was breathing quite well now at least, if panting was considered effective breathing. I took a deep breath to slow my heart rate and swallowed. I didn’t want to tell them all about that night, a night so personal, so racked with grief and guilt. Didn’t want to be seen as weak, broken. Not in front of Monique; she’d revel in my distress.
Then I’d have to punch her in her stupid mouth.
I wrapped my arms around myself. “Somewhere I didn’t want to be.”
Karson and Mary exchanged a concerned gaze. “Sarah?’ Karson asked gently.
I forced a smile and lied. “She’s the gift that just keeps on giving, but it’s alright because I won.”
“If Ethan and Karson hadn’t turned up, you’d be dead. I don’t call that winning,” Monique quipped.
Anger burbled through the despair. “Tell me, Monique, where were you again?” It’s a low blow, one I regretted the moment it fell out of my mouth, and it struck hard.
Michael grimaced, not at my words so much but in anticipation of Monique’s response.
Monique’s dark eyes grew colder than a lake at night. “Had you not made the car stop, had you fucking listened to me, we wouldn’t have been in that circumstance in the first place.”
“How was I to know Sarah would stage a car accident?”
“Had you both listened,” Karson responded in a low growl, “neither of you would have been in danger.”
“She said it herself,” I replied. “She was going to come to the house. She would have found a way to get to us regardless.”
“What is done, is done,” Mary said, collecting my dirty plate. “There’s no point arguing about it all. The focus right now needs to be rest for you all to recover, so if she is stupid enough to come to Portland, you’re all ready for her.”
“We should be working as a team,” Michael agreed. “Not arguing over a past we cannot change. That serves no purpose but to distract us from our present circumstances.”
“Good for you, Brene Brown.” Josh stepped aside as Mary passed him through the door, his dimple flashing as he gave a crooked grin. Rain dripped down the black raincoat he wore. “I can see you with your own television show.”
“Josh.” Karson’s voice switched to annoyance. “Why are you sneaking around, and what is it you want?”
“I’m not sneaking. I jumped through the top window, spoke to Georgie briefly, and walked down the stairs like the normal person I no longer am.”
I stifled a chuckle. Karson’s jaw tightened. He didn’t look amused, though I guess being stabbed and exhausted made humor take a back seat.
“I wanted to ask if you needed everyone tonight. The troops are wet, a little cranky, and if you’re staying home, we figured we might as well get some rest.”
“I think that’s a solid idea,” Michael answered before Karson could deny him. “Everyone is a little on edge right now. A night off is well warranted.”
To my surprise, Karson didn’t argue. “Fine, leave three to scan the wooded area as a precaution, and the rest can go.”
Relief lit Josh’s eyes. “Who do you want to stay?”
Karson sighed with a mix of frustration and annoyance. “I don’t care. Draw straws, play rock, paper, scissors, for all it matters to me.”
“Perhaps whoever stays tonight can have the next two nights off instead,” Michael suggested when he took in the reluctance on Josh’s face to tell the vampires three had to stay.
“Great idea, and to choose who stays, maybe we could play bullseye with knives or?—”
