THERE WAS AN unmistakable buzz in the air—an almost palpable energy that permeated the student body, making every student walking past me in the hall seem to shimmer, like they were radiating from the inside out. It was the last day of school, the last day of my senior year, the last day of captivity. I couldn’t wait for it to be over with, and yet at the same time, I didn’t want it to end. I wondered if everyone felt this conflicted about change, or if it was just me. Nika and I had fought hard to leave the ranch and be a part of normal society. It hadn’t always been easy, and Nika had unfortunately been unable to complete the journey with me, but I wouldn’t trade any of it. These stale halls and cracked walls had taught me so much about life—about real life. About who I wanted to be and who I didn’t want to be. I was sad to see it go especially since, when I left, all trace of me would also be taken. No photos, no mementos, no memories left intact. Well, at least no memories that we could still influence would be left intact. Thanks to Henry’s compulsion-proof vaccine, some students would always remember me until age took their minds, of course. But it was a small percentage, one my family could live with. They didn’t have a choice but to be fine with it.
“Dude, why are you all sullen? It’s the last day. We’re almost free!” I looked over to see Trey beaming at me. His eyes were bright and clear; they had been all year. Ever since he’d found out about my family, his herbal pastime had taken a backseat. I supposed his new girlfriend helped with that too.
“Yeah, Julian, we’re on to bigger and better things. All four of us.” Raquel squeezed Trey’s arm, and looked up at him like he made all her dreams come true. And I supposed he did. Even though it had been weird at first to see them together like that, Trey was a much better partner for Raquel than Russell, and she was good for Trey too. Life had a strange way of working out sometimes, but I had to admit, life knew what it was doing.
“I’m fine,” I said. “It’s just strange leaving all this behind. I’m excited for tonight though. My house, right?” My eyes shifted from Trey and Raquel to Arianna. She was smiling up at me so brightly, I felt the heat of it against my skin.
Leaning up, she gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Yep, we wouldn’t miss it. Will Nika be there?” Nika and Arianna had completely rekindled their relationship. They were just as close as they used to be. And they talked about boys just as much as they used to, although, the boys in question now were always Hunter and me.
I nodded at her question. “Yeah, she’ll be there. Hunter too.” As if that needed to be said. Hunter and Nika were attached at the hip.
Arianna squealed then hugged my arm. “Good, this is going to be so much fun!” Twisting to Raquel, she exclaimed, “Let’s get to class. We can figure out what we’re going to wear tonight!”
With a flurry of giggles, they were off. I shook my head as I watched Arianna walking away from me. “They sure are excited about this graduation party.”
Trey smacked my arm. “Well, duh. Your parents are letting down their guard and letting a bunch of teenagers ransack their house. It’s going to be epic.”
I smiled at the truth in that statement. It certainly wasn’t going to be as big and chaotic as my birthday party last summer, but Mom and Dad were allowing a bunch of kids from school to come over to the house later. It was a far cry from how reluctant they’d been to just let Trey come over a few years ago. Guess they were loosening up, now that my time here was almost over.
As I went through a mental checklist of all the prep work that needed to be done before anyone arrived—the minor changes that were needed to convince the world Starla was my mom—Trey skewed his face in disbelief. His expression jostled my thoughts, and even though I knew I would regret it, I couldn’t help but ask, “What?”
“I was just wondering…how is it that Raquel and me beat you and Arianna to the sack? How is it possible that it’s your last day of senior year and you’re still a virgin?”
I sighed while I looked around to see if anyone had heard him. Luckily, it didn’t appear that anyone had. “We’re waiting for the right moment, okay? And it’s a little difficult with my family watching over everything I do.” And unfortunately, Arianna and I wouldn’t get a break from their prying eyes this summer. Mom and Dad had already quit their jobs, so they could help with the process of moving everyone to the new ranch, and to properly say goodbye to the city. Or so they said. Personally, I think they just wanted to keep me a virgin forever. They’d only loosened up so much, after all. But even if they were still working, it wouldn’t have mattered much. Arianna’s parents had made her get a summer job to help pay for college. I’d asked Nika to compel them to change their minds, but she’d refused. Morals, or some crap like that.
Trey rubbed his jaw, like he was contemplating all of life’s mysteries. “Yeah, that is a problem. Maybe Simon and I could create a distraction for you? Something to lure your Mom and Dad away for a while.”
Just as I was about to tell Trey that my parents would never fall for any plan that the two of them came up with, Trey grinned and held his hand up in greeting. I didn’t need to turn around to see who he was waving to, the sire-bond had already alerted me to the fact that Simon was approaching. Luckily, I no longer felt the desire to jump to my feet and ask him if he needed anything. That…had been a truly embarrassing few months.
“Hey guys,” Simon said as he joined us. He nodded hello to me, then shifted his gaze to Trey. He had an odd, devilish look in his eyes as he smiled at my best friend. “So we need to come up with a plan to get Emma and Teren out of the house, huh?” The fact that he’d heard all of that made me roll my eyes in annoyance; I couldn’t get privacy anywhere. Simon’s next comment though made me reconsider if that was a bad thing or not. “Maybe it could be something as simple as a league thing? A mandatory meeting. Or a hearing? We did just break up an attack, and both sides need a good talking to. I’m sure your parents would be down for that,” he stated, focusing on me.
That wasn’t a bad idea. Jake and Simon were all gung-ho with the league now, it was pretty much all they ever talked about, and Dad would gladly help them out if they needed advice or just an extra set of ears. Dad would also probably talk Mom into going with him if the situation were serious enough, leaving me a few hours of peace. “Yeah…actually, that might work. Thanks, man,” I said, surprised at his suggestion.
Simon shrugged. “It’s the least I can do, considering what you did for me. And…I’m happy. I love being a part of the league, it’s given me…purpose. What we’re doing, stopping both sides from overreacting, it’s important. Crucial even.”
A small laugh escaped me. “Overreacting…that’s funny coming from you.”
Simon’s eyes started hardening, but then they immediately softened. “Yeah, I suppose it is. I guess I just know firsthand the crazy stuff fear can make you do. I want to help others avoid that…if I can.”
With a smile, I nodded. I understood all too well what he meant, and even though we’d had our issues in the past, I respected what Simon was doing with the league. It was painful to admit, but I was slowly growing to like him. It might be the bond that was finally changing my feelings, but maybe not. He wasn’t so bad now that he wasn’t an obstacle between my girlfriend and me. Yeah, regardless of how it had happened, I didn’t hate Simon anymore, and I certainly wasn’t jealous of him. My life was good. No, my life was great.
The rest of school alternated between flying by and dragging so slowly I was positive I was stuck in some sort of time loop. When it was over, I postponed going to my car. I wanted to walk through the buildings and commit to memory everything I’d probably never see again. The bleachers in the gym where I’d lusted over Raquel. The boy’s locker room where I’d bared my teeth at Russell. The hallway where Hunter had fired a gun on my family. The supply closet where Arianna and I used to make out. The classroom where I’d futility tried to get Arianna to notice me after my grandmother had wiped her memory. The spot on campus where we met up every day after school—a huge maple tree that would sprinkle us with helicopter seeds in the fall and shade us with big leafy branches in the spring. It was where Arianna was waiting for me now so I could give her a ride home, just across the high school on the other side of a cemetery.
“Hey, that took you a while. Everything okay?” she asked. Her caramel hair was tucked up into a ponytail. I wanted to pull it free, and run my fingers through the long strands, but I knew how long it had taken her to get it that perfect; I didn’t want to mess it up.
“Yeah,” I answered her. “Just…soaking it all in.”
I sighed and Arianna gave me a light kiss on the cheek. “It will be okay. Whatever happens, from here on out, we’re in this together.”
The look on her face, the warmth in her voice, it made every nerve-ending tingle with life, made every hair stand on end. Yes. Together. “Even if together means going to college in Montana?” I asked with a playful smirk.
Her eyes brightened in response. “Especially if it means Montana! I’ve always wanted to visit.”
I had to lift an eyebrow at that. Montana was famous for emptiness and space. No one wanted to visit there, and only a select few chose to live there. I was pretty certain only Alaska was less populated, but since Montana was a heck of a lot warmer, I’d heartily chosen to apply for colleges there. Truly, the isolation made it the perfect place for a bunch of vampires who wanted to lay low, relax, and keep to themselves. That was the major reason why I’d picked the state when I’d started searching out higher education. My grandmothers had given me a half-dozen locations to choose from, but right from the start that one had struck a chord with me. After everything my family had done for me over the years, I wanted to do them a favor, wanted to move near an isolated ranch that would give them peace of mind…for a decade or so.
Arianna giggled at my expression, then grabbed my hand and started leading me to my car. The drive to her house was short and sweet. She gave me a kiss that ignited my blood and left me with an aching want that only made the separation more meaningful. When I saw her again, the missing part of me would be filled. And luckily for me, that was happening soon. The parental-approved party was starting in just three short hours. So much to do, so little time.
Once Arianna and I parted ways, I sped home to do what I hated most: clean. Mom and Dad tried to help, but I was determined to do it on my own. I even did all of the set dressing, swapping out our real family pictures for photos of Nika and me with Starla. The student body who still remembered Nika thought she had been homeschooled for the last year and a half. Nika was excited to say goodbye to all her old schoolmates. I think that was finally what made my parents give their okay to this party. Nika had never really been given a chance for closure.
When the house was as sparkling as I could get it, Mom gave me a smile of approval. Forty minutes later, the guest started arriving. An hour after that, my home was packed with kids who were either excited to be done for the year, or excited to be done with school completely. Everywhere I looked, people were having a good time. The music was loud, the food was plenty. It was certainly a night to remember, and I made sure to commit every person who walked through my door to memory.
At the end of the night, only my family and closest friends were left in the house. Trey and Raquel were hidden away in Nika’s old bedroom, heavily making out from the sounds of it. From the look on Dad’s face as he periodically glanced upstairs, they wouldn’t be tucked away for long. Hunter and Nika were sitting together on the couch, holding hands while they discussed their future plans. Like the rest of us, they were going to Montana. Hunter didn’t want to stay at the ranch though. He was trying to convince Nika to go to night school with him. “It’s a chance at a normal life,” he kept telling her. Personally, I thought it was a great idea. I wanted my sister to have the college experience, even if it wasn’t a typical one.
Starla and Jacen were laughing together in the kitchen. They were both slowly recovering from what had been done to them. Every day, a little more light shone in their eyes. Jake and Simon chatted with my parents about the league while Arianna and I watched a movie after cleaning up the copious amounts of plastic cups left behind by the partygoers. It was all so…normal, and I loved every second of it. My life simply couldn’t get any better.
It was only a few weeks later, a few nights after my birthday, that I realized how wrong I was. My life could indeed get better. I was hanging out with Trey one afternoon when I got the text that changed everything. Of course, I didn’t realize it at the time.
“That was weird,” I said, putting my phone back in my pocket.
“What was weird?” Trey replied, busy on his own phone. With Raquel, most likely. The two of them could barely go five minutes without talking to each other. I’d never seen Trey so hung up on a girl before. It was weird, but cool. Actually, the most shocking thing about Trey and Raquel’s relationship was the fact that Trey was keeping his word about our family secret; he hadn’t told Raquel a damn thing about what we really were.
Smiling at my loyal, lovesick friend, I relayed the message I’d just received. “Simon just texted me. He says everything with my parents is all set.” My smile shifted to a frown. “And I have no idea what that means.”
Trey’s face lit up like I’d just told him I’d won the lottery. “Oh man, don’t you remember?” When it was obvious I didn’t, Trey shot to his feet and started bouncing on his toes. “Sex, man! That’s what it means!”
A tinge of horror crept up my spine. “Simon is helping my parents have sex? Because they have a soundproof door…I don’t think they need his help. And God, I really wish I hadn’t just had that thought.” The image was so strong, I had to close my eyes and shake my head to get rid of it.
Trey thumping me on the shoulder caused my eyes to flash open. “No, Dude. He’s helping you have sex. You and Arianna. Remember? He said he’d get your parents out of the house for you, and it looks like he has!” Trey brought his hands to his chest, over his heart, then swiped an imaginary tear from his eye. “I am so proud of what you’re about to do, dude.”
My heart started thudding so hard in my chest, I was sure my parents could hear it, even though they were at home and Trey and I were at the park. “Oh…uh…I see. Cool.”
Trey looked irritated by my lack of enthusiasm. “Why are you not stoked right now? You should be calling Arianna and telling her the plan.”
With as casual a smile as I could muster, I said, “I am stoked…I’m just not sure if now is a good time for us. I’m not sure if we’re ready.”
“You two couldn’t possibly get any readyier, dude.” Trey’s bemused expression turned understanding as he tucked his phone into his pocket. “I get it, you’re scared, but it’s not a big deal. Your body totally takes over. It’s like eating or sleeping, you just know how to do it. And besides, we’re leaving at the end of summer. This could be your last chance, Julian. You have to do it!”
I raised an eyebrow at his absurd remark. “She’s coming with us to Montana, remember? And we’re going to be together a lot in the dorms, with my parents far, far away…so Arianna and I will have lots of time to…catch up on things.”
Trey frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, but this could be your last chance to do it here. And you already missed sex on your birthday. Missing this too would just be…sacrilege.” He cringed like he was genuinely pained by the thought.
I laughed at him, then pulled my phone out of my pocket again. God…were we ready? I’d always been so positive that we were, and seriously annoyed that my parents had never allowed us the opportunity to take it that far, but now that a genuine opportunity had been neatly placed in my lap…I wasn’t so sure. Maybe I’d only felt positive that we were ready because deep down I’d known it couldn’t happen. And then again, maybe Trey was right, and I was just overthinking this. It was Arianna after all, and I loved her. So much.
Smiling, I texted Simon back and asked him what night my parents were going to be “occupied”. After he told me to make plans for Friday, I texted my girlfriend. ‘My parents are going to be gone Friday night. Want to come over? We’ll be completely alone.’
I hoped that didn’t sound too forward. Or pushy. I wanted Arianna to be ready for this too, and if she wasn’t, that was totally fine. We’d wait. I’d wait as long as necessary for her. Holding my breath, I waited for her response. When she gave it, I let out a long, stuttered exhale.
‘Good! I’ve been wanting to be completely alone with you for a long time now. I love you. I can’t wait to be yours.’
I turned to Trey with a dopey smile plastered on my face. Trey started laughing, and I knew I looked completely moronic. “Ha ha!” he exclaimed. “A-man is about to get laid!”
FRIDAY NIGHT TOOK forever to get here, and the entire time I was waiting, I was positive my parents were going to take one look at me and know something was up. I half expected them to cancel on Simon and stay home. Or get me a babysitter. But both options were ridiculous, and I hoped they realized that. I was eighteen. An adult. And they could leave me alone in the house so I could have sex with my girlfriend. Not that I was going to tell them about that part.
I didn’t relax until Mom and Dad said goodnight and shut the door, and even then, I didn’t really calm down. I was too nervous. Arianna and I had waited so long that I’d sort of built up the moment in my head. If I didn’t mellow out, I was definitely going to disappoint Arianna. Hopefully, she wasn’t expecting too much.
When I was certain my parents were gone for the night, I texted Arianna and let her know the coast was clear. She responded that she was on her way and my heart started racing. Oh God…this was it. Moment of truth.
Twenty minutes later, Arianna was lightly knocking on my door. All of my nerves evaporated when I opened the door and saw her standing there with the most incredible smile on her face—happiness, peace, contentment, and excitement, all rolled up in one glorious grin. She had her hair loose and easy, and was wearing a simple black dress that hugged every curve—curves I couldn’t wait to touch. Would she be all right if I pulled her into my arms and began stripping her right there in the entryway? Because, God, I really wanted to.
“Can I come in?” she softly asked, an amused smile on her face.
It was only then that I realized I’d been staring at her, speechless, for quite some time. Could she tell by the look on my face what I was thinking? And was she thinking the same thing? Man, sometimes I would give anything to be able to read minds.
“Yeah, of course,” I said, pulling the door open wider, so she could step inside.
Almost paralyzing nerves suddenly took me over as I closed my front door. The house seemed larger, and I seemed smaller. I’d never been so completely alone with Arianna—something or someone had always been there, putting a damper on the moment. But now…there was nothing and no one in the way. Just me and my anxiety.
Arianna’s smile was confident and relaxed, and once again I felt the fear melt away. With how my mood was flip-flopping, brave one minute, terrified the next, I was sure my internal organs would never be the same after tonight. Nothing might be the same after tonight. Jesus.
“You want to…go to my room?” I carefully asked. I hated how blunt it sounded, and instantly wished I was smoother. Hunter probably wasn’t so awkward with my sister…and why the hell was I thinking about my sister right now?
With an adorable nod, Arianna held her hand out for me. “I’d love to.”
I led the way up the stairs, my heart racing so fast, I felt like I was in a gunfight again. When we got to my bedroom door, I slowly pushed it open and indicated inside. “After you.”
Arianna giggled at my mediocre attempt at chivalry, and I again felt calmness returning. If only I could keep a firm hold on it. Running a hand through my hair, I shut my bedroom door. “So I don’t know what you—”
I didn’t get to finish my question. Arianna threw herself into my arms. Before I knew it, her lips were on mine, her fingers were tangled in my hair and her entire body was pressed against the length of me. And just like that, my worry evaporated and pure instinct took over. I wanted her. So much.
As our mouths melded in fast, frantic kisses, I walked Arianna backward until her legs bumped into my bed. Like they were acting of their own accord, my fingers ran up her spine, then grabbed the long zipper of her dress. As I pulled the metal teeth apart, Arianna let out a low groan. “Yes, Julian,” she whispered into the stillness of the room. It emblazoned me. I slipped the material off her shoulders, then quickly brought my mouth to that tender flesh. She was so soft under my touch. So perfect.
Not thinking about what I was doing, I pulled her bra strap off her shoulder, then moved the cup aside. It was dark in my room, but I could still make out every curve of her breast. I sucked it into my mouth and was instantly rewarded with another erotic noise from her lips.
After that, things got even more hectic. The rest of her clothes were torn off along with all of mine, and then somehow we were lying on my bed, completely bare. Every place she touched sent bolts of lightning through my body. It was almost too much—so wonderful it was painful. I needed more, I needed it to end.
“Now, Julian…please.”
Her whimpering cry shot right through me, and as I moved over the top of her, only one thought was pounding through my skull. God, I love this woman. As I carefully slid into her, I let her know just how much she meant to me. “I love you, Arianna. God, I love you.”
She clenched me tight as a spasm of pain ripped through her. Afraid to hurt her even more, I held completely still. I felt her muscles tighten, then start to relax. “I love you too,” she whispered. “Please…make love to me.”
I found her mouth as I began to gently rock against her. It was hard to go slow, hard to stay in control, but I did it for her. I wanted Arianna to set the pace, wanted to let her decide what this was going to be like—hard, fast, rough or slow. I thought the restraint might kill me, but luckily she only kept it gentle and tender for a little while. Much to my relief, she was soon thrashing underneath me, clawing at my back and begging for more. It was erotic overload, and I could barely keep it together. Hoping I could hold out, I drove into her with abandon. Moments later, we both cried out in unison as a burst of euphoria unlike anything I’d ever felt before rushed through me.
Was this what I’d been missing all this time? Holy hell…I wanted to make love to her every. Single. Night. We couldn’t leave for college soon enough.
The next day, I worried that my parents would notice something was different about me, but they never did. Or maybe they just didn’t want to ask. Maybe they were finally letting me go, finally accepting that I wasn’t that scared, lost little boy anymore. I was an adult, I was a man, and I was ready for everything those words implied.
The first thing I did after I opened my eyes in the morning was text Arianna. I just had to let her know how much I loved her, and that I couldn’t wait to do that again with her. She told me she felt the same, and a sizzle went through me at just the thought of having her in my arms again. I texted Simon next, and thanked him for occupying my parents for me. Even though it was annoying to know where he was every second of every day, I supposed I could have been bonded to someone much worse. Guess Simon wasn’t so bad after all.
Feeling like I owed my family for all they’d done for me, I helped out as much as I could with the move. Even though we were leaving a lot of our furniture and belongings behind, there was a lot to do with the ranch, and a lot to do with the league. Jake and Simon were completely taking it over after we all left, with Rory, Cleo, and some of the other compelled hunters staying behind to help them. They would keep us in the loop of course, but it was their baby now. I think my dad was relieved to let that responsibility go. Honestly, I think everyone in my family was grateful to have some distance from it. After what had happened with Jake, it was just more of a risk than we’d originally believed.
Olivia was the only person who wasn’t happy to be leaving. Ben and Tracey were taking her to Montana with us. That fact would have thrilled her a couple of years ago, but now that she was “in love” with Simon, she was pissed. She didn’t want to be that far away from her “honey boo” as she called him. I think Ben was just as eager to leave Utah as I was.
It felt like it had taken an eternity to get everything ready. Right up until the day when everything actually was ready. Then it felt like the entire summer had only taken a few seconds. As I gazed at the quiet, empty ranch where I’d spent the majority of my childhood, I was struck with melancholy. I didn’t want to leave, but I knew I needed to. We all needed to. It was time to move on.
Nika put a hand on my shoulder, and as I twisted to look at her, I saw a familiar blend of comfort and concern on her face; no matter how old we got, Nika would always mother me. It was engrained in her DNA. “You okay, Julie?”
Smiling at her loving nickname for me, I nodded. “Yeah. Just…saying goodbye. A lot happened here, you know?”
Nika let out an amused snort, then wrapped her arm around my shoulder. “Yeah…I know.” She inhaled a deep breath that she didn’t need, and slowly let it out. As I studied her dark eyes, her smooth skin, I thought about just how much had changed for us here. Both of us. We’d loved, lost, and loved again. We’d watched our family struggle and triumph. We’d fought for independence, and finally won it. We’d grown, and yet at the same time we’d come to understand that there was so much we didn’t know—might not ever know. Becoming an adult, whether you were human, vampire or some odd mixture of the two, was no easy task.
After giving my shoulder a quick squeeze, Nika said, “So, Arianna is meeting you there?”
The sigh that left my lungs was both wistful and elated. “Yeah, her parents are flying her there, to help her set up her dorm room.” A room I planned on being in at every possible moment.
The sound of someone crashing into something swung our attention behind us. Trey was trying to right a bunch of boxes that he’d inadvertently knocked over. Halina hissed at him, and told him to wait in the car while she and Imogen finished packing the moving van. Nika frowned as she watched Trey sulk his way to my station wagon. “I wish Trey’s parents had flown him. Why is he riding with us again?”
I looked back at her with a smile on my face. “Because he’s my best friend and his parents are no-shows. He doesn’t have anyone but us, Nick, so we have to be there for him. Just like we’re there for Hunter.” I raised my hand to indicate where Hunter was lightning-quick helping Grandma with the boxes, before disappearing into the house, probably to double-check that everything we needed was packed.
Nika’s frown instantly shifted into a satisfied smile. It only lasted for a moment though. “But Hunter is helpful. Trey is just…Trey.”
Closing her eyes, she shook her head. I laughed, then thought over everything Trey had done for me over the years—the stuff he remembered, and the stuff he didn’t. “Maybe, but when Trey pulls through, he pulls through big. I probably never would have gotten to keep my girlfriend if it wasn’t for him.” And I could never repay him for that.
Nika’s expression softened as she opened her eyes. She started to say something, but was interrupted by a shrill voice yelling at the top of her little lungs. “I. Don’t. Want. To. Go!”
I looked over to see Olivia walking through the front doors of the house, a step behind Ben. Ben had his eyes closed, and was rubbing his temple like he had a headache. “Noted, Olivia, but for the millionth time, you’re going anyway. Mom and I have decided, and once we put our foot down, there is no changing our answer.”
Olivia started in on a whining diatribe of how unfair her life was, but Ben’s response to her made me smile. It wasn’t all that long ago that Mom and Dad used to whisper the possibility of Ben and Tracey divorcing. But now that Tracey was in the loop, and fully a part of Ben’s decisions, their marriage had solidified. Another reason I was glad Arianna knew all my secrets. Hiding them from the ones you loved, never ended well. That was a cold, hard fact.
Hunter and Malachi came out of the house a few steps behind Ben and Olivia. Malachi was telling Hunter all about his time in Montana; he’d lived there as a boy, and was eager to go back. Malachi was currently telling Hunter that the woods were ripe with bears, wolves, and cougars—a veritable feast for hungry vampires looking for a little variety. Hunter was smiling like he was looking forward to a little action, and Malachi shifted into telling him about deer and turkey.
Much to everyone’s surprise, Malachi and Imogen had started…well, I guess what they were doing was dating. It was weird to think of it that way. Imogen had always been single, and I was used to her being alone. Watching her wrap her arms around Malachi and give him a kiss on the cheek was just…weird. But the smile that lit up her face after she did was pretty awesome to see. She’d been without somebody for far too long.
Mom approached while Nika and I were watching our extended family. She hugged Nika, then rubbed my shoulder. “You guys ready? Did you get everything that you want to take to college with you? God…I can’t believe you’re off to college already. I swear, just yesterday you were in diapers.”
Mom’s comment made me groan. She’d been dwelling on our childhood a lot lately, it was kind of driving me crazy. What was a drop in the bucket for her was forever for me. I’d been waiting for this moment for far too long. As always, Nika stepped in and prevented me from sticking my foot in my mouth. “Yep! We’re all packed. I can’t wait to see Ashley and Grandma Linda at the new ranch.”
Instead of seeing us off at the old ranch, Grandma Linda, Ashley, and Christian were greeting us at the new place. Grandma Linda was going to stay for good, while Ash would leave with her husband after a few weeks. I think Mom planned on pushing the vampire-transfusion remedy on Grandma Linda as soon as she could. I hoped she did, and I hoped Grandma said yes. Now that permanently dying was avoidable, I wanted everyone in my family to do it. Even if I had to be the blood bank for them. I’d have a pint drained from me every day if it meant my family could live forever.
Before I could remind Mom that I wasn’t a baby anymore, Dad came up to our group. “We’re all set. You guys have your phones on you? Mom and I will be right behind you, but better safe than sorry.”
Patting my pocket, I nodded. “Yeah, we’re all set, Dad.” Maybe I’d have to tell both parents I was no longer an infant.
Wrapping his arms around Mom, Dad nodded. “Good. We should head out then. Get as much road behind us as we can before the purebloods need to stop.” He cringed, then looked down at Mom. “Great-Gran is not excited about sleeping in the ground, but there’s not much we can do about it on the road. Kind of hard to make a place light-proof on short notice. Even for Gabriel. And he’s been researching it for weeks.”
Dad smiled and Mom laughed. Now that things had settled down, Halina and Gabriel were just like they used to be. No tension, no drama, just a lot of awkward sexual innuendo that was completely inappropriate for family members to hear. They kind of reminded me of Starla and Jacen, although…Starla and Jacen weren’t quite the same as they used to be. They were more…subdued now. Deeper. More appreciative of life, and everything they’d been blessed with. After spending a few minutes with those two, I loved my life so much more, and it wasn’t because they were broken or anything. Quite the opposite. They were more…alive. They had a zest for love and life that was infectious and inspiring. It was a little difficult to imagine Starla as the ungrateful, annoying spoiled brat that she used to be.
They were in the backyard now, taking in the splendor of the ranch one last time. I kind of felt like joining them, but I knew it was time to leave. Looking over at Nika, I tilted my head toward the car. “Ready, sis?”
She smiled at Hunter, and I turned to watch Hunter nod in response to her unasked question. Looping her arm through mine, she nodded. “Ready. Let’s go start our new life.”
We shared a laugh as we started moving toward the car. Trey was already in the back of the wagon, thumping the seats to a drum solo only he could hear. Mom and Dad had walked over to the moving truck, to say goodbye to Jake, Simon, Rory, and Cleo. I waved at Simon as we walked by. My internal radar would always let me know where he was, so this wasn’t really goodbye for us, but it felt permanent as I got behind the wheel. Who knew when we’d be back here?
Nika slipped into the passenger’s seat while Hunter opened the back door to sit by Trey; Hunter immediately pulled Trey out of the car and motioned for Nika to join him in the back. She giggled as she zipped into the seat with him, and I rolled my eyes. This was going to be the longest road trip ever.
As I started the car, Starla and Jacen zipped into view. Jacen opened the door of the moving van for Starla, and she gave him a brief curtsy before she got inside. Halina hopped into Gabriel’s car with Imogen and Malachi. Grandpa Jack blurred to his truck—a sight that was still odd to see—and opened the door for Alanna. Ben and his family piled into Ben’s SUV, and once everyone was in a vehicle, the caravan began to move.
Dad honked a goodbye to the group of humans watching the nest of vampires leaving their home. As we passed through the massive gate bearing the Adams name, I lifted my eyes to the rearview mirror, so I could watch the outline of the roof against the dark sky. I watched the steeples and chimneys, statues and shrubs that I loved so much recede into nothingness, then I forcefully shifted my eyes back to the road, and the new possibilities it presented.
On the last stoplight that would lead us out of this town and into our new life, I pulled out my phone and texted Arianna. ‘On my way, babe. See you soon.’
Her response, as always, was instant. ‘I. Can’t. Wait!’
My smile was huge as the light illuminating the way turned an appealing shade of green. I couldn’t wait either.