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Surely there would be war in the heavens. Our gods wouldn’t allow this to exist. Yet at the same time, fate wasn’t always logical, was it? The more people denied my access to Virginia whether by gossip or rules, the more I wanted her. Nothing could have deterred me.
Except maybe death. Even then, who would say that I wouldn’t rise from my grave and locate Virginia for another round of biting?
Zombies weren’t her thing, but ghosts were definitely up her alley. The shelf next to the television was stocked with plenty of paranormal films, documentaries, and other haunted assortments, some of them boasting Anthony’s name while most of them were labeled as Virginia’s. Adhara didn’t seem particularly interested in the spooky stuff, though she didn’t mind war films or other various mediums pertaining to bugs, creepy-crawlies, and cryptids.
They were a strange family. But now they weremystrange family. And I would do everything in my power to keep them.
As I thought about the wording of my petition, I hopped up the steps of my modest cabin and waltzed inside. There wasn’t much use locking the doors in our neighborhood. Nobody ever violated my privacy, and nothing ever got stolen. Mostly, my parents wandered over here—and I did the same with their house, utilizing Dad’s workout equipment that he swore he used. (He didn’t.)
Cold air smacked me in the face. I groaned with irritation—that meant my mother was over here. And she was undoubtedly messing with my environment to make herself cozy. Which meant an extended stay.
Through the foyer and to the left led me to the living room where my parents were slurping tea and each reading a paper from town. One was theBeaufort Timesand the other wasBeau Press. Both of them were full of nonsense.
I rolled my eyes fondly and sidled into the room. “Did you save any for me?”
“Where have you been all night, pup?” Mom piped up from behind her paper. The pages rustled slightly and two beady eyes appeared, accompanied by graying brows and a mop of stringy hair tucked into a bun. “Neighbors said you’d been gone all evening.”
“I had extra work with Wendell,” I lied, and hoped that Gertie would corroborate. Though at this point the Philly cheesesteaks were not going to cut it. I had to up the price before she did. “I just couldn’t sleep. You know me.”
Sheyippedwith amusement. “My son, the rebel.” She folded the paper carefully and glared at my father. “I said,my son. The REBEL.” She swatted her husband who startled easily and dropped his pipe into his lap.
Unlit tobacco littered his khaki pants.
I sighed. “You’re going to give him a heart attack one of these days.”
“If he’d pay attention, he wouldn’t be at risk,” Mom joked, and then rubbed her husband’s hairy arm lovingly. “Isn’t that right, Jeremiah?”
My father beamed proudly, his thick brows bunching up into his receding hairline as he offered my mother his hand. “Of course, my dear.”
I snorted as I drifted past them to get to the coffee table. “Simp.”
“What’s that?” Mom asked innocently.
I shrugged off the question, poured myself what smelled like Earl Gray, and then turned my irritated gaze on them. “Didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Door was unlocked.”
“I know.”
Dad laughed. “Then what did you expect, pup?”
“A warning text,” I teased. “Or something.”
I sipped my tea. There really wasn’t anything else in this world quite like my mother’s tea. Having her around was a blessing and a curse simultaneously.
“We would all love something like that,” Dad joked. “Especially with those Walshes. They could have warned us about their business.”
I clutched the spoon a bit too tightly. “Well, I don’t think anyone could have really predicted all that.”
“Except for that girlfriend of yours,” Mom chided with a mournful tone. “She could have peepedsomethingto save you the embarrassment.”
Dad nodded. “Such a shame.”
“They got precisely what they deserved getting driven into the south.”
I gripped the handle of the teacup, feeling the porcelain crack under my fingers. “We werealsodriven to the south. I don’t see how that’s any different.”
“We ended up goingeast, Slater, to join a respectable pack,” Dad remarked. “Unlike the Walshes who ended up dirty and washed up with a gang ofbikers.”
