Page 10 of Midnight Prince
Hazel
Ihad been driving for a few hours. The high school which this Galen guy worked at told me he was currently taking time off. Everyone was because of spring break. But the office lady told me I could find him at his home in Kiba. She wouldn’t give me the address, so all I had was a first name and a town. I felt so horrible leaving Ben alone.
The lump in my throat formed again. He was so sick, and we had spent most of the night talking. Not so much about him being a vampire – I decided to avoid those questions – but everything else. It was magical and made me realize how unfair this was. He was everything I was looking for. He was funny and sweet and kept smiling even though I knew he was in pain. I sniffled and wiped a stray tear.
No, this Galen might have an idea. If not, he could come see his friend. I thought he must have been a vampire because Ben had wanted him to come see him so badly, but he worked as a teacher in a high school. So I guessed he was just human like me, or a wolf shifter. I learned a lot more about them last night.
When I passed the sign that saidWelcome to KibaI knew I was in the right place. Now to find a general store or a person.
There was an elderly man walking down the sidewalk. I opened my window and slowed to a stop.
“Excuse me, I am looking for a man called Galen? He is a teacher at the high school.” He froze at the name, then shook his head. No? “It is very important it is regarding a friend of his.” He mumbled something, then pointed.
“Kiba Court.” Then turned his back on me and continued walking.
Okay, Kiba Court. I typed it into my phone’s GPS and drove there.
* * *
Galen was doing well for himself. Maybe that was why the old guy wasn’t impressed by me. I drove to the first house and pressed on the intercom outside their huge wrought iron gate. The scratchy voice on the other end asked me what I wanted.
“I am looking for Galen. Does he live here?”
The intercom crackled and the voice returned. “He lives at the end. Big white house.”
I thanked them and drove past the most amazing properties and houses. They made my new house look like a shack. As I approached the end of the court, this beautiful double-story mansion came into view. It looked magnificent with the forest behind it. I slowed my car and crawled up to where a young guy was standing shirtless, his dark skin was taut over his abs… wow. He held his hand out for me to stop as he cocked his head at me, his brow raised.
“How can I help you?” Wow, up close he was built… like really built. I shook my head and focused on what was important.
“I am here on behalf of a friend, Ben. He has been trying to get in contact with his friend Galen. It is very important I find Galen.” I didn’t even get to hear an answer before I saw a flash of something and beside the built guy was another young man, maybe no older than twenty with dark curls. I pressed my hand to my chest to keep my heart from leaping out.
“Holy shit.” Where did he come from? That was fast!
“What is wrong with Benedict?”
Oh… oh this must be Galen? Dang, he was much younger than I expected. Maybe he wouldn’t know what to do. But then I didn’t want to make assumptions. I guess finding out the guy you have been crushing on was a vampire wasn’t what I was expected either.
“He got bit by a wolf. And now he is very sick. He says he is going to die. I don’t know how to help him. He looks bad. Like, really bad.”
I could see his face fall as he ran his hand through his dark curls and looked back to the house. “Fuck,” he hissed. And that was when I realized that Galen wasn’t human. Ben – Benedict – I had heard him hiss like that before. It must be a vampire thing. I sat back in my car seat. How was this one walking in the daylight?
Shit, how many vampires walked around and were high school teachers? What…
“Has he fed from you since?” I shook my head. I wish he would, I was scared how bad he was, I didn’t think he would make it through the night.
“When did this happen? I want to come see him, but I can’t leave here. It is too dangerous right now.” He started pacing as I explained everything that happened as fast as I could. I was worried now that Galen wasn’t coming back with me, that Ben would be disappointed that his friend couldn’t be there. Whatever it was that was keeping him here, it looked bad from the way he was troubled.
I needed to rush back. I shouldn’t have come here. I need to be with Ben in his last moments.
“This breaks me. Ben is the best guy I know. And now he has found someone to share his life with… fuck.”
Oh my god, he thought I was Ben’s girlfriend. I wasn’t going to correct him because I would be his girlfriend. If he asked me, I would say yes. That warmed me inside. I started to put my car into reverse when his hand landed on my open window.
“No. Wait. I will give you something that might work. I will call him tonight. I am so sorry…?”
“Hazel, my name is Hazel.” In a flash he was gone and when he returned, he gave me a plastic vial… of blood? I wrapped my fingers around it. What was different about this blood?
“Hazel.” I looked up and Galen’s eyes went dark. “Go, give it to him as soon as you get back. Don’t tell anyone but Benedict where you got it from and then feed him.”
I nodded, but my head felt fuzzy. I had to go now, what am I still doing here? I needed to get to Ben, to feed him.
Without a word of goodbye, I left.
