Page 108 of A Bond with the Dark

“Dominic,” he says, his voice hard and unemotional.

“Father,” Dom says, shaking his hand. “This is Sayah. Sayah, this is my dad, Everett.”

“How do you do, dear?” he asks.

Both he and Adaline have British accents which is weird because I thought they were from Italy.

As we walk to the car, Dom holds my hand and squeezes it.

“Why are they British?” I ask in a whisper, knowing they can probably hear me anyway.

“We moved around a lot. We lived in England for a long time. My mom liked the way they talked, and I think it probably grew on them after a while.”

I nod.

Out of all the things that I’d learned these last few months, misplaced accents are the least of my worries.

As the dark scenery of the highway blazes by in city lights and traffic—although it’s around midnight—New York is still buzzing with life at this hour. I let my mind drift to the landscape of tall buildings and businesses, lights twinkling all colors, fading into dark country roads with a copse of trees here and there to a full-blown forest of Uncas-Trees. My mother and aunt Janet had dubbed them Uncas-Trees back when I was a kid driving to Lake George, which are forests of Aspen trees jumbled together so much that they could see Uncas from Last of the Mohicans running through them. The old Adirondacks appear ahead like guardians of the upstate part of New York from the busy and bedraggled concrete monsters of the city.

I look through the windshield of the Lincoln Everett is driving and see him take his hand off the wheel and gently put it on Adaline’s lap and lovingly they twist their fingers.

It's nice to see monsters embrace each other.

It’s close to two in the morning when we arrive at our cabin on the lake, which is all but dark along with the rest of the sleeping neighborhood, save for a few old-fashioned lantern street lamps that line the thin road. The lake is big and beautiful from what I can see though; old, rounded mountains surrounding the still water that reflects all the slumbering cabin lights.

The cabin we pull up to is gigantic.

As we enter the massive entryway, even this room has paintings on the walls. I slip out of my shoes and enter a high-ceilinged kitchen with beams and stainless-steel appliances, black marble, oak furniture, and glass windows from ceiling to floor. Beautiful wainscotting travels all along the edges, giving the mansion a rustic cabin-in-the-woods feel with a hint of opulence and money.

“How are there so many windows in here?” I ask myself, but try to project it to Dom.

“Tapered windows. UV lights can’t get in,” responds a voice that’s not my own.

I realize we now have a shared secret. I can let him into my head when I allow him to.

The kitchen empties into the living room which is furnished with large and plush brown couches, a giant stone fireplace, and the same floor-to-ceiling windows.

“I’ll show you two to your room,” Adaline says, walking to the far wall where a spiral staircase sits.

I follow her up the stairs and down a long hall to a bedroom at the end.

Another large room, same windows but the ceilings aren’t as high here. The bed is a California king four-poster bed, and off to one side, I can see a large bathroom. It’s dark, but I can also make out a balcony beyond the two French doors.

“I’m sure you two want to get some sleep,” Adaline says. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Mom,” Dom says, and kisses her cheek.

She smirks at me and leaves, shutting the door behind her.

“Well, even if I hadn’t figured out that you were a vampire by now, I would have known something was up by your parents.”

“Why’s that?” Dom asks, hoisting his suitcase up to the bed and unzipping it.

“Because they’re all murder-y,” I reply, getting to my suitcase as well.

He chuckles a bit and pulls out his shower bag.

I take my jeans off and slide out of my panties, slipping on my silk pajama top. I don’t wear bras anymore so there isn’t one to worry about taking off. As I dress for bed, I can’t help but notice him staring at me.

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