AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Focusing back on my brother, I studied him briefly. I could see his agitation building as he waited for my answer. His wild, dark hair was rumpled from frequent passes of his fingers and his lips were tense. "Long version or short?" I finally asked, exhaling loudly. I was hoping he’d go for the short version and this could be over quickly.
His fingers brushed through his dark hair, making it stick up in all directions. "Fuck, Josie. Why is it always complicated? I just need facts. Something concrete."
Tapping my temple, I thought to Nikolaus instead of talking. "Anna is arranging for movers. It's not safe here. The walls may have ears."
His green eyes tightened and I caught him looking over the living room of our apartment. I almost expected him to start lifting vases and looking behind the artwork on the walls for bugs, but he simply waited for me to explain.
Verbally, I spoke. "Anna's settling things. Human things. She's never had the chance since her…change.”
His dark eyebrows rose until I thought they’d disappear into his hairline. He rubbed his lips with his fingers. "Safe for who? You? Or all of us?"
Shrugging, I flipped my long hair over my shoulder. "All of us. I'm not willing to chance it, Nik."
Nikolaus began to walk around the room, lifting up sculptures and pulling books from the bookshelf, just as I thought he’d do. He glanced over at me with a half-smile. "And what is Lukas up to? He’s acting like he’s on a party line."
Oh boy. This was going to be the part where things were going to become difficult for him. "He's making travel plans for Stefan and myself."
He froze with a heavy book in his hand. He didn’t make any effort to move. He simply stood, his shoulders slumping. "You're leaving?"
Nodding, I stepped closer to my brother. Once I was close enough, I placed a gentle hand on his tattooed arm. "I have things to wrap up at Garrett's house. There will be a day I won’t be able to return. You know this."
He slammed the book on the shelf with a loud thump, causing me to jump from the impact. "It’s settled. I’m going with you. You need to tell Lukas to add another person to your party."
Stefan's finger tapping stopped abruptly, drawing our attention to him. His voice was gravelly and deep when he spoke. "The fewer involved is best."
Nikolaus ignored Stefan and spun so he could grip my shoulders. "Garrett was my uncle too. Please, Josie. I need closure too."
His words cut like a knife and guilt crept in through the wounds his words inflicted, gripping my chest like a vice. "I know he was your uncle. But you need to stay here with Anna and help her. Some of this won’t be easy for her to handle.” Silently, I pled with him to understand. “If Kian finds her alone...who knows what could happen. I need you here to handle things and support Anna. She needs you now more than ever."
I wasn't playing fair. I watched him flinch at the thought of our father and Anna together. I just needed him to understand he couldn't come. This was something Stefan and I had to do alone. We couldn't travel with a huge entourage. That would draw attention to us and we needed to fit in, disappear in the crowd. Four ethereal immortals and a half-human hybrid would not allow us to just ‘fit in’. We’d be remembered, regardless how many memories we wiped with our influence.
His green eyes hardened as he stared into my eyes. He nodded and squeezed my shoulders softly before releasing me and letting me go. "You're making me feel guilty and it's not right. Anna needs me and I need to be there for her."
Some of the tension lifted from my shoulders. This had gone easier than I anticipated. I’d expected much more fight from my brother.
“Come and sit, Nikolaus.” Stefan’s voice broke through the silence of my thoughts. Nikolaus looked at me and I gestured for him to sit on the couch. Without a word, I took my place on Stefan’s lap, curling up against the hardness of his chest.
Stefan reached around me to pick up a cell phone. It was nothing fancy, a basic model with no bells or whistles. He handed it to me and I looked up him, confused. His voice floated through my mind. “Give this to your brother. It is a disposable phone. All of our numbers are loaded into the phonebook. It cannot be traced to anyone. It is only to be used to contact one of us.”
His fingers lingered over mine as he passed off the small phone. I nodded and stretched over to Nikolaus, repeating Stefan’s orders. “This phone is untraceable. Only use it to call me, Stefan, Anna or Lukas. All of our numbers are programmed in. We just don’t know who’s listening…this will keep us all safe.”
Nikolaus flipped the cell phone between both hands and shook his head in disbelief. “It’s come to this. Fuck.” I could barely make out his mumbled words. He was talking to himself more than he was to either of us. Stefan’s chin pressed down against the top of my head, his chest rising and falling as he inhaled deeply.
Nikolaus rose and managed a weak smile. He crouched down and took my hand in his. His thumb traced over the top of my hand affectionately. “I suppose this is goodbye then.”
Swallowing back the huge lump that had taken up residence in my throat, I held his hand tightly. “It’s not goodbye. It’s just a see you soon. We’ll be back before you know it, Nik. There are just a few things I need to take care of.”
Nikolaus stared off vacantly, his eyes unfocused. His mind was closed, his thoughts heavily safeguarded from my attempts to peek into it. He was still somewhere else when his words came out brokenly. “Stefan, take care of her. With the exception of Anna, she’s all I have left in this world. I just need your word.”
Stefan’s heavy hand came to rest on my brother’s shoulder. He waited until Nikolaus’ shell-shocked eyes met his own. “With my life. Without her, there is nothing. She will always come first. You have my word.”
Nikolaus stood and tugged on my hair. “Then I’ll see you soon.”
Rising from Stefan’s lap, I pulled my brother to me tightly. I hugged him closely, my lips at his ear. My voice was barely audible, coming out like in a raspy hiss. “Keep them safe. You know him better than anyone else. Do whatever it takes.” I felt his body twitch but it only made me grip him tighter. “Whatever. It. Takes. Ask questions later. Do you understand?”
“Yeah…I understand.” Nikolaus’ words faded out. I knew I’d overwhelmed him. Like me, he’d have to internalize everything before he could fully accept it and move on.
Releasing him, I watched him as he walked to the door. He looked back a final time, his striking face filled with resolve. He’d been given a task, one I knew he’d take seriously. With a final jut of his chin, he slipped out of the apartment, his steps burdened with a weight he hadn’t had when he’d entered.
