Chapter Fourteen
Secret’s Out
J
ules lay motionless on Gabriel’s guest room bed. She could hear them arguing in hushed tones through closed bedroom doors. Gabriel had, yet again, brought up the idea that they should leave Aboit for good. Jules had, once again, refused and then excused herself from the situation by claiming a need to sleep and recover. Which was, of course true, but she also needed time to think. Luca hadn’t betrayed her. He’d called her phone, trying to warn her of the attack. She supposed this meant that he’d set the library on fire in a drastic attempt to save her life. He’d protected her when they were discovered by Kyle.
“You can’t make this decision for her!” Eileen shouted a little louder now.
Jules was grateful that Eileen appeared to be taking her side on this. Jules knew that Gabriel was just being protective. He wasn’t wrong. It was dangerous to stay, now more than ever before. However, if the Alpha was determined to see her dead, she doubted that leaving town would stop him. She did agree to consider leaving, and she would consider it, but not until she talked with Luca and Monica. This thing with Luca was so very new, she hated the idea of walking away before anything could really get started. Also, time with Monica was precious and so limited. A human’s life was very short. And it’s not like Monica would leave town, even if Luca would agree to go with her. Their lives, Monica’s family, Luca’s pack, were here. She couldn’t ask them to give all of that up just for her.
Jules stood from the bed, walked to the window, and peeled back the heavy drapes. A dripping, gray sky greeted her. It had to be close to mid-day by now. She needed to check in with Monica and Luca both. She needed to thank them for collectively thinking fast and saving her. However, once again, her phone had not made the trip.
All was quiet behind Gabriel and Eileen’s bedroom door now. So Jules crept from the guest room, walked to the kitchen, and scribbled a note. It read: I need to stretch my legs. I’m going home for a bit. And yes, I will be careful. -Juliana.
As soundlessly as she could, Jules walked to the front door, pulled an extra pair of dark sunglasses from a basket in the entryway, and slipped through the door.
Jules’s body was protected by a sweatshirt of Gabriel’s she’d borrowed and a pair of Eileen’s pants. Which bunched around her feet and hung on the ground, making her trip when she walked. She pulled the hood up over her hair as an extra protection and began the trek home. To her relief, the sun was completely obscured by rain clouds. Her skin only stung slightly where the burns were still healing on her face.
Jules walked straight through the center of town. She didn’t figure that the werewolves would attack in the middle of the street. However, she wouldn’t have guessed that they wanted her badly enough to burn down the high school either. That level of hatred was unfathomable to her. There were days, not so long ago, that both species resided together in harmony. That they’d come this far in just three-hundred years was devastating. And it all started with him.
Jules kept her eyes peeled for signs that she was being tracked, but never saw any. When she reached her home, she walked over and pulled the spare key from under a piece of siding beside the front window. All was dark inside. Jules walked to her room and stopped in the doorway. Her duvet was missing. All signs of last night’s traumatic experience were wiped clean. Her phone was off and plugged in by the wall. It’s seemed that Monica had thought of everything.
Jules turned on her phone. Then she went to her closet and swapped out the borrowed clothes for her own. Her phone beeped. She flinched when she pulled a shirt over the few cuts on her back that were still healing. The shirt sat just under the burn on her chest, so at least that pain could be avoided.
Her phone beeped again several times, obviously receiving the messages she had waiting for her. The first was from Monica. It said simply, “call me when you can.” The others were from Luca. The first read, “I need to know that you’re going to be okay.” The second, “I love you.” This went on, for several more messages, with the last one saying, “please let me know you are okay.”
Jules replied to Luca first. She typed, “I’m okay,” added a sparkly heart emoji, and hit send. Then she hit the picture of the phone under Monica’s name and the ringing began in her ear. Monica picked up after three rings. “Jules!” she cried.
“Hi, Monica.” Jules walked to her small living room and sat on the couch.
“You’re better already? I’m kind of surprised, to be honest. You were in really bad shape last night. Those animals! What were they thinking?”
Jules’s phone vibrated in her ear. She pulled it away to read the message. “Where are you?” Luca had asked.
“Home,” she replied and then placed the phone back to her ear.
“…But you’re really doing better?” Monica asked.
“I am. I should be completely healed soon. Wait...” Jules heard the noise of a mixer in the background. “Where are you?”
“I’m at work,” Monica told her. “Do you need me to leave? I can come over.”
“No. I’m fine.” Jules’s phone vibrated again. “Hang on.”
Jules looked at Luca’s reply. “I’m on my way.”
She put the phone back to her ear. “It looks like Luca is coming over actually.”
“Speaking of Luca. That secret you were keeping for him. Not a secret now,” Monica said.
“Oh,” Jules said, surprised. “How did you…?”
“I guessed, and he didn’t deny it. Now I expect the whole story. Promise?”
“Yes. If he knows that you know that part, then I can tell you everything.”
“Good. I’ll call you after I get off. I’m really and truly glad that you’re okay but I’ve got to go. I’m pretty sure I’m about to get fired.”
“We’ll talk later,” Jules told her and then Monica hung up the phone. Monica was so, very human.
Too sore to feel like moving anymore, Jules decided to try television while she waited for Luca to arrive. She flipped straight to the news channel. What the reporter was saying caught her attention. “Reports are that, despite this act of arson, Aboit High will open again on Monday. Sorry, Kids,” the newscaster said over a video of fire trucks surrounding the school. “More on the Fort Miles Phantom, after this.”
Jules’s doorbell rang. She hit the power button on the remote and walked out to get the door. “Jules…” Luca’s voice trailed off as he took in her appearance.
“Did you expect someone else?” she asked, making light of the situation.
Without speaking, Luca took two steps into the house. One of his hands went into her hair, his thumb tracing the edge of the burn on her face.
“You didn’t do this,” she said, taking a guess by his expression that he was blaming himself.
“Forgive me?” he said, guiding her very gently toward him. She accepted the hug but cringed when his fingers brushed an open cut on her back. He released her instantly.
“Luca, there is nothing to forgive.” She ran a hand down his arm, noticing several faded cuts there as well. Jules suspected that the glass in her back had not left him unscathed as he carried her. Luca cupped her face softly with his hand and closed most of the height difference between them by bending farther over than normal. Jules kissed him, grateful that he’d come down to her, rather than having to stand on her toes to meet him halfway. In this moment, it felt as if the attack hadn’t happened. With Luca, Jules felt like no threat could harm her.
In the back of her mind, in a faraway place, Jules heard her front door open. Luca and Jules jumped apart, both turning toward the doorway. In it stood a very shocked Eileen, her mouth agape.
Eileen dropped the cooler bag she was holding, bent into a defensive stance, and hissed, staring only at Luca.
“I can explain,” Jules said, stepping between Luca and the undoubtedly confused and terrified vampire. “Please Eileen. Let me explain.”
“Gabriel was right. You’ve been keeping things from us,” Eileen said angrily, not taking her eyes off of Luca.
“I didn’t know how to tell you,” Jules said honestly. “I know you don’t have a reason to trust him but...”
“You’re right, I don’t,” Eileen said, pulling her glare from Luca to Jules. “You do remember I was murdered by werewolves, right?”
“Yes. Of course. But Luca didn’t do that.”
“No. You’re right. He nearly murdered you instead,” Eileen snapped.
“Eileen, please believe me. It wasn’t him.” Jules closed the gap between herself and her friend. “He won’t hurt me, or you.” She put her hands on the taller woman’s arms.
“So, I suppose that it was just his pack that nearly killed you and he had nothing to do with it,” Eileen jerked, trying to pull her arms free but Jules’s grip only tightened.
She had to explain. She had to make her understand. “He’s the one who rescued me,” Jules said. “He brought me home.”
“And that kiss was just your way of saying thank you, was it?” Eileen pointed between them.
Without turning to look at him, Jules spoke to Luca, who remained silent and still behind her. “Luca, could you…”
“I’ll be outside.” Luca opened the sliding door and stepped out on the back patio, closing the door behind him.
Eileen watched him go but visibly relaxed a little once there was a wall of glass between them.
“Jules, what exactly is going on? Is this why you won’t leave town?”
“In part,” Jules said honestly. “But it hasn’t been a motivator for very long.” Jules walked over, picked up the bag Eileen had dropped, and closed the front door.
“How long?”
Jules sighed. “Since that double date with Monica.”
“A week! You’ve known him a week, and you trust him?” Eileen was yelling now, but she did walk over to sit on one of Jules’s kitchen stools.
“I can’t really explain it but yes, I do,” Jules put the bag in the refrigerator and then joined her in sitting at her island counter.
“I feel like there is more you are not saying,” Eileen commented.
Jules bit her lip, considering. “There is. You see, I’m in love with him.”
Eileen was watching her closely as she spoke. “Like Romantically?” Eileen asked skeptically.
“I love him. I don’t understand it, but we just fit together.”
“I thought you’d never…” Eileen’s comment faded to silence.
“I didn’t plan too,” Jules said. “Can you forgive me for keeping it from you?” She risked the physical contact and put a hand on Eileen’s arm.
Eileen sat and stared at the point of contact for a long minute. “Well.” She began slowly. “I guess I can’t hate the whole spices. I hate the ones who murdered me of course, and I’m not too keen on this Alpha that obviously has a problem with you, but,” Eileen shrugged, “love makes people do strange things. So, yes, I can forgive you.”
Filled with relief, Jules jumped off her stool and hugged her.
“But, you have to tell Gabriel,” Eileen said abruptly, pulling back. “I’m not doing that.”
LUCA
Luca sat on Jules’s lounge chair on the back patio. He would have gone out to the beach, if not for the torrential downpour coming from the sky. He normally preferred sunny weather. However, he suspected that he’d grow to enjoy it less, considering that sharing sun-filled moments with Jules was out of the question.
He leaned back and listened to the sound of the stormy waves hitting the shore, the rhythm relaxing him into a tranquil state. The life Jules had carved out for herself here was very peaceful. The glass door slid open and Luca looked up. “It keeps going off.” Jules was holding his phone out toward him. He didn’t even remember bringing it into Jules’s house, but he supposed he had.
“Thanks.” He sat up and took the phone from her.
“Can you give me a few more minutes.”
“Take your time,” he replied. “I’m in no rush.”
“Good.” Jules smiled down at him.
His phone beeped. “At least, I don’t think I am,” he said, not looking at the phone in his hand but watching as Jules walked back into the house and shut the door.
Once she was back inside, he looked down at the electronic device. He’d been expecting it to be Carson barking more orders at him, but it was actually Kyle.
“Really?” he asked aloud. He had nine text messages. The top one in the line asked how his vampire was. The next seven were just a combination of the word ‘hey’ and his name. The last read, “Jeeze, you get a girlfriend and blow off all your friends.”
Luca chuckled and tapped call contact. Kyle answered after two rings. “Dude come on, I’m with my girl right now,” Luca said in a mocking tone. “Just kidding. What’s up?”
“How is…?” Kyle began, but paused, obviously not remembering Jules by name.
“Jules,” Luca clarified.
“Yeah.”
“She’s going to be okay. Someone from her coven is here though, which could be bad.”
“The guy? Because he seems unreasonably grumpy.”
“You have no idea,” Luca said. “But no, it’s his wife. I’m waiting on the porch. You know, in case she decides to try and kill me.”
“So, you’ve been put outside, are being a good dog?” Kyle asked playfully.
“Very,” Luca replied.
“Now that the secret’s out, do Hayley and I get to meet this mystery temptress?”
“Let me talk to Jules about it,” Luca said as he saw the back door opening again. “I’ll call you later.”
“Wait, no…”
Luca hung up the phone as Jules walked out to him. “Carson?” she asked, sliding onto the long chair beside him.
“Kyle,” Luca replied. He put an arm around her, pulling her into his side. “Is your friend okay?”
“Eileen?” she asked.
He nodded.
“She will be.” Jules leaned her head on his shoulder, seemingly content to stay where they were.
“What did she mean when she said werewolves killed her?” he asked.
“Gabriel only made her a vampire because she was attacked on a full moon. She was dying.”
“Is that the reason for the scars on her face?” he asked, rubbing her arm with his fingers.
Jules nodded. “Turning her into a vampire saved her, but she’ll carry those scars for the rest of her immortal life.”
“I can see why the two of them hate us then.”
“So can I,” Jules said with a sad kind of smile as she turned her face toward him. “But I don’t.”
He kissed her on the forehead.
“She’s right though.” Jules laid her head back down. “I do have to tell Gabriel at some point. I can’t keep this from him much longer, and it’s not fair of me to ask Eileen too either.”
“Speaking of telling our friends…” Luca paused to take a breath. “Kyle and his wife want to meet you.”
“We trust them?” Jules asked.
“We do,” Luca replied.
“Give me some time to think about it,” she said.
He nodded but said nothing.
They sat for several moments until Jules stood and walked to the edge of her covered patio. “Come on.” She waved him over.
“Come on where? It’s pouring,” he asked, still seated.
She smiled mischievously at him and then pulled her shirt over her head, exposing the nearly healed cuts. But all he saw was beautiful, alabaster skin next to a bright purple bra.
“It’s the perfect time for a swim,” she said, taking off running toward the sea. He watched her for a moment, completely mesmerized as the rain-drenched her hair and skin. She spun, smiling at him and called to him again. She was more beautiful, more intoxicating than he’d ever thought possible. She was everything he’d ever wanted, and so much more.
GABRIEL
Gabriel was just about to call Jules again when Eileen walked through the front door. “Where were you?” He stopped pacing and stared at her, expressing the worry he felt on his face. It wasn’t safe for Eileen to be anywhere on her own in this town anymore.
“I was at Jules’s,” Eileen said, but there was a tentative note in her voice.
“With Jules?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“But she didn’t come back with you?” He looked passed his wife, but she’d shut the door behind her.
Eileen shook her head.
“I’m going over there.” Gabriel walked across the room as he spoke.
“Gabriel don’t.” Eileen grabbed his arm, anchoring him halfway to the front door.
“It’s not safe,” he said. “I’ll drag her back if I have to.”
“No, you won’t.” Eileen looked him straight in the eyes. “She’s fine. She just needs some time to herself, that’s all.”
“But what if…” Gabriel began but stopped himself. Eileen didn’t deal in ifs. If you leave your house you could get hit by a bus. If you stayed home, you could get hit by an asteroid. Yes, the second was less likely but both were possible if ‘if’ was how one looked at the world.
“Gabriel, she’s fine,” Eileen said, squeezing his arm softly.
Gabriel stared at her a moment longer. “You know something, don’t you?” he asked accusatorily. “You know what she’s hiding?”
Eileen squared her shoulders. “I do.”
“Tell me,” he said, as he dropped onto the couch. How bad can it be?
“I won’t do that,” Eileen replied. “But I can tell you that I believe she’s going to be just fine.”
Gabriel opened his mouth to refute this, but she cut him off again. “Just give her time. She’ll come around.”
“Are you sure she’s alright?” Gabriel asked as she sat down beside him.
She picked up his hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.
“Yes, she’s okay.”
Gabriel reached over and pulled Eileen closer to him. He was still angry with Jules for shutting him out, but he couldn’t fault Eileen for being loyal to her. He’d chosen to be loyal to his mentor, his friend, his sister, over almost anyone else. Since Eileen was choosing to do the same, he would try to respect that.
CARSON
Carson followed the smell of bacon down the stairs and into the kitchen. There he found Demetria cooking breakfast. She was standing in front of the stove, her back turned toward him. “Thank you for breakfast,” Kip was saying as he set an empty plate in the sink. It clanked as it hit another plate in the dishwater.
“Anytime,” Demetria said, smiling up at the charming wolf. Kip put a hand on her back as he moved passed her.
Crossing his arms, Carson cleared his throat. Both Kip and Demetria turned in his direction. Demetria looked at him guiltily, while Kip bowed under the pressure of his Alpha’s displeasure.
“I didn’t see you there,” Demetria said, breaking through the tension.
“Apparently,” Carson growled in reply.
“Excuse me Carson.” Kip sild past him and left through the front door as quickly as he could.
Carson nodded his approval of Kip’s departure and walked into the kitchen. He placed large hands on Demetria’s shoulders, giving them a squeeze. He bent and kissed her on the neck.
“Carson.” She said his name quietly.
He wished she’d remain silent as he kissed her jaw, his hand reaching underneath her shirt.
“Carson we’re not alone,” she said, pushing against him. It was then that he noticed her son sitting at the small, round table in the corner. One hand suspended over his breakfast.
“Sorry kid,” Carson said, not sorry at all.
The boy just scoffed as he walked over to the sink and put down his dirty plate.
“What are your plans today Ricky?” his mother asked as Carson placed his hands on Demetria’s hips.
“Like you care,” Ricky replied.
“Of course, I care,” Demetria said at the same moment that Carson spoke.
“Don’t talk to your mother that way,” Carson threatened as he wrapped his arms around her.
Ricky ignored him but glared at his mother.
“Ricky, your Alpha is speaking to you?”
“So?”
Carson took in the boy. He looked so much like Micha. It almost hurt to look at the ghost of his, at one time but now dead, best friend. Carson was almost wistful until he noticed the tee-shirt Ricky wore. It read: Fang-tastic.
Carson scowled. “Take that offensive thing off,” he said.
Ricky looked at him defiantly but didn’t respond. “Mom? Do you…” he turned and addressed her instead.
“Carson’s right sweetie,” she cut him off. “That shirt is offensive to this pack. Take it off.”
He scowled. “Yeah, right.”
Carson sneered. He would have moved forward to order the boy to do so if Demetria hadn’t touched the top of his jeans. He could take out his frustrations on the lad or he could take the boy’s mother back to bed once more.
Ricky threw one more defiant glance toward them both and then disappeared out the front door. Carson’s mouth came down on Demetria’s hard.
JULIANA
After kissing in the ocean and kissing on the sand, Jules and Luca had retreated to her home. Being with Luca was more than she could have ever imagined. Everything about him only made her love him more.
Through much discussion, Jules and Luca came to the conclusion that this evening was a fine time to let Kyle, Hayley, and Monica in on the secret. After hours of rain, the sky cleared and the sand dried, but the sun stayed safely tucked behind the clouds. As late afternoon arrived, Jules prepared for a house full of guests.
Luca went on a food run and Jules took the opportunity to drain a couple bags of blood that Eileen had brought over. She was finally starting to feel the injuries fade fully. However, she’d have to back off on her blood intake soon, or it’d be much harder to stop consuming such amounts. She cleaned her mouth with the back of her hand, blood smearing up her wrist. She’d just washed it off and pulled on a shirt that covered what remained of her injuries, save for the one on her face, when her doorbell rang.
Jules walked through the house to answer it, suspecting that Luca had returned with the food he’d run off to purchase. However, it wasn’t Luca.
“I’m so glad you’re okay!” Monica stepped inside and threw her arms around Jules. She spun Jules and lifted the back of her shirt. “Oh wow, I was not expecting those to heal that fast. You look really good compared to last night.”
“Thank you,” Jules said, stepping farther inside the house and pulling her shirt back down.
“What are friends for?” Monica asked, following Jules inside.
“By the way, why did you ring the doorbell?” Jules asked, knowing that Monica didn’t usually bother with such menial things like alerting Jules she’d arrived before walking into the house.
“Oh, you know,” Monica replied. “Luca was here and…” Monica stopped midsentence and moved her eyebrows up and down suggestively.
“Good call,” Jules said, winking at Monica.
“No way!” Monica was just about to pounce when the front door opened, and Luca walked through it.
“You’re back.” Jules walked over, put her hands on his abdomen, stood on her toes, and kissed his lips. All while taking one hand full of the grocery bags from him.
“And that’s why I rang the bell,” Monica said cheerfully.
Luca chuckled. “Hello Monica,” he said while both he and Jules walked into the kitchen, setting the bags down.
“Hi Luca,” she said, watching him. “So, tell me about this whole werewolf thing,” she instructed.
“Well…” But before Luca could say more, a riotous stream of notes rang through Jules’s house.
“It seems my doorbell is throwing a temper tantrum,” Jules commented while pulling items out of the bags and putting them in the refrigerator.
Luca rolled his eyes and went to answer the door.
“Who’s that?” Monica asked.
“Some of Luca’s friends. You met them at the carnival I think,” Jules said.
“The carnival, right,” Monica said, drawing out the last word. “That seems like years ago to be honest.”
“To you and me both,” Jules admitted.
Moments later, Luca returned to the kitchen with the werewolf couple behind him. “Jules.” He walked over and reached out a hand toward her. She took it. “These are my friends Hayley and Kyle.”
“Hayley?” Monica asked.
Hayley turned toward the human, her eyes growing rather wide. “Monica, what are you doing here?”
“Jules is my best friend,” Monica answered with a shrug.
“Oh, that makes sense then,” Hayley said with a wide smile. “Well, it’s good to see you.”
“Sorry to interrupt this impromptu high school reunion, but Hayles, meet Jules,” Kyle said elbowing her and pointing at Jules.
“You have a lovely home,” Hayley said, turning her attention to Jules, but she didn’t step farther into the kitchen.
Kyle, on the other hand, said, “we met very briefly,” and stuck out his hand for Jules to shake.
She did so, tentatively.
“Sorry about the whole attacking you and burning your library down thing,” Kyle said and then Hayley smacked him and nodded toward Monica standing on the other side of the counter. “Oops.”
“It’s alright, she knows,” Jules told them.
As if on cue, Monica walked around the counter and placed an elbow on Jules’s shoulder. “I know everything.”
Kyle and Hayley looked at Jules, seemingly for confirmation. Jules nodded as she looked at Monica fondly.
An expression came over Monica’s face while she studied the werewolf couple. She looked like she’d just put two and two together and made eighteen. “Hayley Reynolds, you’re a werewolf!” she exclaimed. “I mean that’s totally cool or whatever, but I went to school with you. We were on the cheer squad together! I’ve known you practically all my life and I didn’t figure it out. I discovered that Jules was a vampire in a matter of months, so that kind of surprises me actually.”
“You know about vampires?” Hayley asked, “and us?”
“Yup. When I said I know everything, I meant everything, everything. Except...” Monica clapped her hands together and turned to face Jules and Luca. “It’s about time you two told me about this whole forbidden romance situation.”
RICKY
Ricky had been skateboarding around the seaside town all morning. School was canceled thanks to the psychos who burnt it down. So, the streets were teaming with kids from Aboit high, if this crap place could ever be described as ‘teaming’. He saw Amy and Landon Reynolds at the mall with very few stores in it. He dodged them. He was in no mood to talk to any pack members. He saw an early movie and then grabbed lunch at some small soda shop on the coast. The whole town was quaint, which to Ricky meant boring.
He missed the city, the overcrowding, the bustle, making people split on the sidewalk as he zoomed by them on his board. He was just about to surrender to his boredom and go back to the Den when Tasha finally answered his text.
He made it to the picturesque little subdivision and stopped in front of a one-story, brick house that was dwarfed by the white one next door. He checked his text messages again. He’d arrived at the address Tasha had given him. He picked up his board and trotted up to the front door. Before he could knock, however, Tasha had it opened and was smiling at him.
“Hey!” she said h