Chapter Nine

A week went by, and Xana still hadn’t gotten any more messages. She was beginning to think maybe she and everyone else had been seriously overacting.

            Lately, though, Xana was a little distracted from that because Larry, Lucy, and Eden started to be more involved with their lives. They had all always been friends, but at a slight distance because of Roxy’s paranoia about Larry. Now they all hung out before first period and during lunch. It was fun having them around. It really felt like they were part of a social group, and not just a few loners. And the other three were so normal, it was a nice change of pace. The only annoying thing was Roxy and Larry getting lost in each other’s eyes so often. 

            That Friday, Xana and Roxy spent the night at Charlie’s house. Xana had to do a lot of fighting to be able to drive herself there and back. She hadn’t driven her poor car in so long.

            “So, I imagine Larry, Lucy, and Eden are going to be around for a while,” Charlie said to her friends in her room. Casey was blasting her music, and her mom was working late, so they could talk freely.

            “Since the barrier was broken, yeah,” Xana said.

            “But the barrier was there because of your…otherness. Are you guys gonna tell them?” Charlie wondered.

            Roxy groaned. “Don’t make me think about it.”

            “Well, you’ll have to,” Xana told her, “if you’re gonna spend the rest of your life with Larry.”

            “I have a slight plan,” Roxy said. “Let Larry fall in love with me, so when I tell him, he won’t care.”

            “That’s a s**t plan,” Xana told her.

            “Maybe ask your dad when it might be a good time?” Charlie suggested.

            “My dad doesn’t even know Larry’s my Mate.”

            “Your dad’s not dumb,” Xana said. “He’ll figure it out if he hasn’t already. I mean, you showed no interest in anyone then started dating Larry suddenly. It’s very telling.”

            Roxy sighed. “Well, maybe during the summer before I start college?”

            “Isn’t Larry going to college?” Charlie asked.

            “He’s gonna take a year or two off to work and figure out what to do. Isn’t that what you’re doing, Charlie?”

            Charlie shrugged. “I don’t see the point in it while I’m still living in limbo. I can’t really travel with Marco still on the prowl. Even if I go to school in state it’s still a risk. Not being home schooled is a risk. I just didn’t want to be stuck with my mom and Casey so much. I needed an escape. And your parents helped.”

            “So you’ll just work?” Roxy asked.

            “Yeah.”

            “My parents are making me take a year off to work,” Xana said. “Since I’m not sure what I want to do, and I need to know what it’s like to work. They don’t want me more spoiled than I already am, I guess.”

            “You’re not gonna take over the hotels?” Charlie wanted to know.

            “Maybe? I’ll still be involved no matter what, but if I don’t want full reign, Max will take over.”

            “If your dad dies?”

            Xana shook her head at Charlie. “When he dies. He doesn’t want to live long after my mom, and doesn’t want to watch me grow older than him and die. He feels he’s lived long enough. He’ll just walk into the sun one last time. And burn to a crisp, but I guess it’s poetic.” Xana did prefer to think of her dad ending his own life rather than being killed by an enemy or a Rogue Hunter.

            Charlie found Xana’s casual tone about it kind of sad. She never really had to think about her own parents’ deaths until Marco. It must’ve been on Xana’s mind a lot. And Roxy actually experienced a parental loss because of her Supernatural-ness. Charlie figured she was lucky in that respect.

            “Can we please focus on my current joy, and not worry about the future?” Roxy asked.

            “Let’s watch teen Vampire romance movies and make fun of them instead,” Xana suggested.

 

 

            Xana woke up to Roxy’s big toe poking her cheek. “Charlie’s family is gone. She’s making us breakfast. Want me to heat up your morning blood while you pee and brush your teeth?”

            Xana pushed the foot away. “We know way too much about each other. Maybe it’s really good you landed a man,” She got up. “And, yeah, heat up the blood.”

            Xana did her morning routine, smelling pancakes. She wondered what else Charlie was making, and asked when she got to the kitchen.

            “Sausage,” Charlie answered. “Sugar free syrup with the pancakes because of my dad’s diabetes.”

            Roxy presented Xana with her travel mug half full of blood--she didn’t feel comfortable using other people’s glasses for blood.

            “Thanks.”

            “Where do you get the blood anyway?” Charlie asked. She had waited a while to inquire because she feared the question might’ve been rude. She was finally comfortable enough to do so. “Because Marco and them just drank straight from Humans.”

            Xana took a gulp from her mug. “My dad usually drinks from my mom. There are blood banks that cater to Vampires, and only give them blood of willing donors. All donors know where the blood is going, and some get cash for it. A lot of Shifters and Weres donate. A few Humans in the know too. A Vampire can get a six-month supply. My mom will go to the one in Wilmington to get some taken for me.”

            “And how does the blood thing work with Halfies?” Charlie put pancakes on her friends’ plates.

            “It’s a Vampire’s main source of nutrients even though they can eat and drink a bit. But that’s mostly for flavor, nostalgia, or to blend. Anyway, blood keeps them strong, fast, unable to catch disease, and heal. If I drink a bit of blood regularly--a small-ish amount with each meal and a few for snacking--I won’t get sick at all, I’m slightly stronger and faster than a Human, and heal more quickly. If I don’t have blood, I’ll very likely get sick, and wounds won’t heal really. It’s horribly inconvenient.”

            Charlie set down the sausage and sat at the little kitchen table. “How did your parents figure that out?”

            “They did a lot of research when they found out my mom was pregnant. Milo helped.” Xana looked at Roxy. “What are you and Larry gonna do today?”

            Roxy brightened up more. “We’re going to Longwood Gardens. He’s gonna take pictures and make me do paintings or whatever of something pretty. He wants to have some of my artwork.”

            Xana chuckled and rolled her eyes. “You guys are already mushy.”

            Charlie nibbled at her sausage. “What are you gonna do about his super religious mom?”

            “Since she’s a freak, we’re keeping it from her,” Roxy said. “Not from my dad, obviously. We’ll have dinner with him eventually.”

            “And what color are the bridesmaid dresses gonna be?” Xana teased.

            Roxy smirked. “Some kind of blue.”

            That just made Xana and Charlie laugh.

            After breakfast, Xana got dressed and packed her things. She had promised her mom she’d be home before too late in the afternoon. Roxy was going to keep Charlie company until she had to meet Larry.

            Charlie and Roxy gave Xana hugs before she headed out.

            On the road, Xana was hit again with the feeling of being watched. But she always got that when she was alone. She figured she’d keep getting that feeling until James and his friends were caught.

            Needing caffeine, Xana decided to stop at Wawa to get an iced coffee. She had to start a paper for history when she got home. And she had to write up a lab report for physics. She hated homework, but liked to not be able to do anything on Sundays.

            Xana found a parking spot that didn’t have cars in the spots on either side of it. She loved when that happened. She turned off the music playing on her phone, and then left it in the cup holder. She grabbed her wallet out of her bag, forgetting to retrieve her phone before getting out of the car. It was a thing her parents always yelled at her for doing. They said leaving her phone in plain sight made it more likely that someone would break into her car. But she wasn’t thinking about that, just her caffeine fix.

            Xana got her coffee and left the store. She paused when she spotted the black SUV parked in the spot next to the driver’s side of her car. All the windows were tinted. She got a very uneasy feeling looking at the car, and felt eyes on her. She tried to hear if anything was going on in it, but she could only hear breathing. She thought that maybe she should call Milo, but then remembered where she left her phone.

            “F**k.” She couldn’t move at her quickest speed. It would catch Human attention since she didn’t look the type to be a fast runner. But she had to get to the safety of her car as soon as possible. So she chose a speed walk, unlocking the car as she moved.

            She reached her car when the door of the SUV started to open, and she caught the scent of a Were.

            A hand clamped over her mouth, and an arm wrapped around her waist. She dropped her wallet, keys, and coffee. She bit at the hand over her mouth with her fangs, and got a few drops of blood from the Were, hoping to get the surge of strength Were blood could give. All she was able to do, though, was kick her car and leave a dent on the back passenger door.

            She really wished she had taken some self-defense lessons.

            Once she was pulled into the car, she heard the doors lock. Loud music came on as the car started.

            “The silver!” the Were holding her called.

            While Xana struggled, another pair of strong hands forced her arms behind her back. She felt the slight and annoying sting silver did to her as the second pair of hands"another Were"wrapped what she assumed was a long chain around her wrists. Then it felt like a zip tie was added.

            She was manhandled by the first Were so the second one could get her feet. Xana managed to kick the guy in the face. She was rewarded with her head being slammed against the window.

            Silver went around her ankles, and she heard handcuffs click around them.

            The hand came away from her mouth, and she let out a scream before duct tape took the hand’s place.

            Both Weres held her still as she continued to try and wiggle free.

 

 

            Roxy was on Charlie’s couch texting Larry about their plans when Xana’s mom called her. “Hello?”

            “Tell Xana to stop socializing and come home,” Maggie said. “And tell her to charge her phone once in a while.”

            Roxy got a sinking feeling in her stomach. “Mrs. Chambers, Xana left, like, forty-five minutes ago.” It would not have taken Xana so long to get home, and she hated worrying her mom no matter how much she whined about her mom’s fears.

            There was heavy breathing on the other side of the line for a minute. “I’m calling Milo,” Maggie said before hanging up.

            “What’s happening?” Charlie asked. Roxy was pale, and what she heard made her unnerved herself. Xana wasn’t home yet? Something had to be wrong.

            “We’re going to the Chambers’ house,” Roxy said.