Chapter 8

Part 2: Zach

“Damn it!” I came into the apartment that Jenna and I have been staying at slamming the door shut. Jenna and I got an apartment that was up for lease about a month ago when I first left with her. We split rent even though we could compel the land lord to not make us pay rent. I just didn’t expect Katie to follow me. Thank God that Jenna is out hunting because if she heard that Katie was here, she wouldn’t hesitate to find her and kill her. Katie thinks that my humanity is gone and it’s the worst feeling in the world to lie to her.

 

Truth is, I never really turned off my humanity and I’ve been trying to stop Jenna from killing Katie. I thought of the plan in the last minute when Jenna had Mark’s blood in front of me. I thought that I would actually turn it off but I didn’t. I knew that I couldn’t do that to Katie. I couldn’t hurt her that much. It’s killing me not to tell her the truth. I’m not the one who is killing all these people. Jenna is. I’ve been taking the blame so Katie would be too scared of me to come and find me. I should have known though that she would never give up on me just like I would never give up on her.

 

I was washing the blood off my hands and Jenna walked in. “How was the cleanup?” She asked as she saw me washing my hands.

 

I nodded. “Good. The police still think that I’m the only one behind everything.”

 

“That’s good. You do know why I’m having you take the blame right?” I nodded as I was drying my hands. She gave me a confused look. “Is everything alright? You seem kind of out of it.”

 

I shook my head. “I’m fine. There was just a lot of people and they almost saw me finishing the job.”

 

“Yea, sorry about that. I’m not used to hiding my hunting.” I nodded.

 

“I need to get some air.” I started walking toward the door.

 

“Just be careful. If the police find you…”

 

“I know Jenna. You don’t have to keep reminding me.” I walked out the door after that. London was the perfect place for a vampire. It always rained. I had my hoodie on so no one could see that it was really me. I started walking back to the hotel that I saw Katie at. I had to see her again. I had to make sure that she wasn’t alone. She shouldn’t be alone. If Jenna found out she was here, I don’t know if I could convince her not to kill her. I wanted to make sure that if it came down to it, someone was here to protect Katie if I couldn’t. I went to the hotel and stood outside for a while.

 

As I stayed outside, I saw the little boy whose father Jenna killed. He was crying over his father’s last resting place. He reminded me of myself when I thought that my father had died. I was a wreck and I was not much older than he was. I sighed. I had to put an end to this. I just didn’t know how. The little boy looked up at me. He looked just like I did when I lost my father when I was about his age. He looked so helpless.

 

I went down to comfort him. It was raining and he wasn’t wearing a jacket so I wanted to make sure that he got home alright. “Hey, what’s your name?”

 

Through the tears he started to answer me. “Matthew.”

 

“Matthew. You’re the little boy who lost his dad today right?” He nodded. “Matthew, I want you to know that your father wouldn’t want you getting sick because you were outside in the cold rain with no coat on. Do you want me to walk you to your home?”

 

“I don’t have a home anymore sir. My father was my last living family member.” I sighed.  Jenna took this boy’s last living family member and she didn’t even care.

 

“Okay Matthew, how ‘bout this, we go into the hotel lobby and I pay for a room and whatever you need until someone comes for you alright. But you have to promise me that you will call someone to come get you and take you to a safer place.”

 

He nodded and I took his hand and walked into the hotel with him. After I checked Matthew into his room and got him settled I went back down to the lobby. I stopped dead in my tracks. Katie and Trent were walking toward me talking. I hid behind one of the pillars to try to hear what they were saying.

 

“Katie, we have to go back and let Zach come home on his own time. He’s not the Zach that we know and love. He’s someone who will kill without thinking.” The sad thing is that Trent knew how I was without my humanity.

 

“Trent, I’m not going to give up on him. He wouldn’t give up on me. I saw something in his face this afternoon. Something showed how much seeing me hurt him. That’s a sign that not all of his humanity is gone.”  They went up the stairs and I assumed that they were going to Katie’s room.

 

They walked right into the room next to the room that I checked Matthew into. Matthew came out into the hall and knocked on their door. What are you doing Matthew?  I thought to myself.

 

Katie answered the door. Even being wet from the rain she still looked so beautiful. “You’re the little boy from this afternoon. What are you doing here?”

 

“I wanted to tell you that you were right. The man that everyone thinks killed my father couldn’t have done it.” I was confused. How would he know that I couldn’t have killed his father? How did he even know that it was me?

 

“Why do you say that?” By this time Trent joined Katie in the doorway.

 

“Because he made sure that I was safe and checked me into the room next door to yours.” He smiled and walked back into his room.

 

When Katie looked up she saw me. “Zach?” Trent looked up and saw me also.

 

“What are you doing here Zach?” Trent asked.

 

“Trent I don’t blame you if you want to drive a stake through my heart right now. In fact, I kind of want to do it to myself. But, I had to see that someone was here with Katie.”

 

“Dude, I would never want to drive a stake through your heart. But, I thought your humanity was gone.”

 

I shrugged. “I’m faking it. I was hoping that if Katie thought that I was behind these murders than she would stay as far away as she could.”

 

Katie walked up to me. “Why would you think that?” She reached up to put her hand on my cheek. I grabbed her hand. This was the best moment I’ve had in two months.

 

“Jenna still wants you dead. I’ve been able to stall her from coming over to you and carrying out her plan but if she finds out you’re here than she won’t hesitate. If she finds out that I’ve been lying to her she’ll make me be the one who delivers you to her.”

 

“So you’ve never turned off your humanity?” Trent asked.

 

“No. It was all an act to try to get Jenna away from Katie.” I hugged Katie. I love having her in my arms, even though I know that it’s short lived.

 

“You know you could have told us about your plan.” Trent said as he punched me in the arm. I nodded and laughed. I missed my older brother punching me around.

 

“I have to go. Jenna’s going to wonder where I’m at.” I kissed Katie. “Trent make sure you keep her safe. No matter what Jenna makes me do.” He nodded. I gave him a hug and kissed Katie one more time before I headed back downstairs on out the hotel doors.