Page 97 of Twisted
“I won’t let them turn you,” I promise.“I can talk to Xavier when the time comes.We can figure something out.Honestly, as long as he gets what he wants, I think he’ll be reasonable.”The thing he wants is another biological relative to maybe then turn into a vampire if deemed worthy.What’s waiting another quarter century to a seven-hundred year old vampire?
He puts his hand on mine.“Thank you, Wren.It won’t be easy.”
“Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”I flip my hand over and lace our fingers together.“But we’ll figure it out.”
“I think I already have.”
“Really?”
His head bobs up and down.“I bought two plane tickets to Europe.We can run away.”
“Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack.”He raises his eyebrows.“Which might not be the best thing to say when I’m talking about wanting to live.But yes, Wren.We could run away together.”
My mouth opens but no words come out.For years, I was dying to hear those words from Ryder.Run away together.As long as we had each other we’d have enough.But those words never came and he never had any intention of doing anything to be with me.
“I…I don’t know,” I stutter.
“What’s holding you back?”
I can’t say it.I can’t tell Devon that the monster I’m married to isn’t a monster at all.Or, more accurately, maybe I’m finally letting myself see that there’s darkness inside of me too and instead of wanting to snuff it out, I want to embrace it.For my whole life I’ve been told the magic that flows through my veins is bad in some way.It makes me different, and that’s to be feared.I’ve had to be kept in line because I would easily snap like a rabid dog.
Xavier isn’t scared of me.He sees the dark corners of my heart and embraces them.
“It’s him, isn’t it?”Devon’s face crumples and he shakes his head.“You don’t want to leave him?”He doesn’t have to say Xavier’s name for me to know that’s who he’s talking about.All I can do is shake my head.
“It’s not that easy,” I say, desperate to say something, even if it’s a lie, just to ease the tension.“I have to find out if my parents are alive.I dreamed about them last night, and I think they are.”
Devon looks at me for a minute and then goes with it.I don’t know if he buys this or just wants to make things better like I do.“Then find them.”
I pick up my fork and start cutting my toast into little pieces.“I plan to.If they’re out east, I’ll find them.”
“What do you need?”
“More maps so I can narrow in the spell.”
“Can we just print one?”
“Yeah.It doesn’t have to be a store-bought map.”
“Finish eating,” he starts, “and I’ll be back in a few.”
“Thanks,” I say, watching him get up.There’s still an awkwardness hanging in the air, feeling almost like I pushed him back into the friendzone after he asked me out on a date.Could I just run away?I thought about it when I got here.
Yes, Ican.But even then, I knew how impossible it would be to carry out.I’d be looking over my shoulder the rest of my life.Between the Malus family and the Order, someone would be searching for me.I would be on the run, not able to settle down and live out my post-hunter life fantasy.But on the other hand, what kind of life will I have with Xavier?Yeah, he’s my husband now, but what’s going to happen in twenty years when I’m aging and slowing down and he’s not?
Will he keep me around for appearances in some sort of political move?Will I get banished to a nursing home while the new, youngerMrs.Malustakes my place?Is it even worth it to worry like this?Two years from now is a stretch to consider, let alone being elderly.
“I printed several maps,” Devon says, returning several minutes later.“And I think this is what you had last time.I got the book from your room too, hope you don’t mind.”He sets down my bag of spell supplies on the table.I take a final bite, finish my juice, and move onto the ground.I start with a map of the Upper East Coast.It takes me a few minutes to clear my mind to concentrate.
I burn the herbs and prick my finger, just like before.Though this time, I see the faces of my parents that I saw in my dream.It’s them.I just know it.
“Sanguis sanguinis mei, ad te clamo.Te ipsum revela et mihi videam,” I whisper.“Sanguis sanguinis mei, ad te clamo.Te ipsum revela et mihi videam.”Just like last time, a circle forms.
“Connecticut,” Devon replies and shuffles through the papers.He has a map of each state as well.I repeat the spell and my heart practically jumps out of my chest because I’m staring at the city where my parents live.
“Hamden,” I breathe.“My parents are alive and live in Hamden, Connecticut.”
