Happily Never After Could Happen to Us

Leo

I had followed my mother’s instructions carefully while taking care of Cassie. She seemed too strong willed when it came to speaking, but it would be alright. At least she didn’t know anything about my family, as far as I knew.

I was sitting in a lawn chair waiting for any sign that it was time for dad to come out from under the tarp. I heard moaning, but when I checked my phone I found that he still had almost an hour left under the horrid green tarp. I still couldn’t believe that dad had tried to become human. He knew it would destroy the vampire nation, but he was willing to do it to be with her. That, in my opinion, was definitely the ultimate sacrifice. In return mom had decided to become what she feared and loved. She would become a vampire for her family’s sake, for my dad’s sake.

He started thrashing around underneath the tarp, and I couldn’t help the curiosity that flowed throughout my body. I made my way from my chair onto the ground next to the tarp. I slowly slipped a finger underneath the edge of the rough, ugly fabric and pushed upward just enough for me to catch a peek at what was going on.

I saw fierce glowing red eyes, skin that looked as if it had been through hell and back more than once, and a ball of black hair. There were bones that the skin hadn’t grown over yet, and he was letting out torturous screams. I quickly backed away from the tarp as the contents of my stomach heaved its way out. I coughed a few times before wiping my mouth and running towards the house. I knew I couldn’t leave him for long but I desperately needed water.

I barely noticed mom sitting with Cassie. She was talking to her, but Cassie being Cassie didn’t say a word. Mom didn’t seem to have a problem with that as she fiddled with the blue and purple bottles. “Mom, you can’t talk yourself out of it,” I shouted through the house. I had already gotten my water and was standing on the porch when she realized I had said a word. I heard her mumble an ‘I guess your right,’ before she started back talking to Cassie. I rolled my eyes as I checked my phone. Half an hour more and Dad would need blood, a lot of blood.

I took the liberty of storing some of my blood in the basement while I was setting up mom’s blood bank in her room. I couldn’t believe how much my parents needed me, and yet they hadn’t wondered once about Rosie. Rosie; I wondered how she was doing, and if Michael was okay. I knew there was no way to find out any of those things since she was the one with the future eyes. I hated having to look back to the past, but as the saying goes, the past is where your future lies. My past has been full of lies; I just hope that’s not where my future ends up.

I sighed as I watched the tarp thrash about the ground. I knew he was putting himself back together, and the skin growing process had to be painful. He would think that the pain was worth it to be with his family again, I just knew it. I checked my phone once again and I had ten more minutes of waiting. I shook my head as my fingers began pressing buttons as if they had a mind of their own.

I realized what I had done when Rosie’s name appeared on my screen. I was really worried about her, and the only thing I could do was call. So, I pressed the send button on my cell phone and waited.

“Hello,” her voice asked in a forced polite tone.

“You didn’t look at the caller ID did you,” I laughed. She sighed just as a horrific scream belted out from under the tarp.

“What in the hell is going on,” she half yelled at me.

“Dad almost killed himself over mom, but some chick named Zora came by and gave him a magical potion and now he’s regrouping himself. Mom is going to become a vampire, and you were right about me all along,” I summed up for her. She laughed under her breath.

“Have you talked to your new friend then,” she asked in an ‘I told you so’ tone. I rolled my eyes.

“No, I’ve been busy taking care of dad, but mom has been talking her ears off.”

“Has she spoken yet,” Rosie asked in a knowing way.

“I think you know the answer to that,” I answered bitterly.

“So how’s Sophia taking her loss then,” she asked in a more apologetic tone.

“She hates me, as usual. Oh you’re going to miss meeting our aunt, mom’s sister. Turns out Uncle Regan has a huge crush on her and he’s got to get rid of Sophie,” I explained. Rosie laughed.

“Can I tell you a secret,” she asked in a whispered tone.

“What is it?”

“I killed Michael’s brother on our way to where we are,” she answered in a frightened tone.

“You did what,” I questioned skeptically.

“I shot him with the gun Alex gave me. Oh and your sword is under your bed. Rider put it there,” she repeated.

“Wait, Michael had a brother? Rosie, you have too much drama going on,” I laughed.

“Oh it’s nothing compared to T.J’s,” Rosie trailed off.

“To T.J’s what?”

“I can’t tell you or they’ll get hurt.”

“Rosie?”

“Well, T.J and Lydia finally got together, but they are just like Michael and me. We can’t be together while the vampires and werewolves know about it. They’ll kill us, Leo. You know the rules,” she almost screamed.

“Oh,” was all I could manage to say before silence fell over our conversation.

“Look, I have to go, but don’t let dad find out.”

“Bye, Rosie. It was nice having a sister while it lasted.”

“It was awesome having a brother. I’ll see you around, maybe,” she sighed before hanging up the phone.

Dad’s tarp flew off when he managed to stand up fully. His black hair was dirty from the muddy ground he’d be lying on, and his eyes were blacker than the midnight sky. He wasn’t nearly as human as he usually was, but he was more like an animal as his instincts took over his senses.

“Kegan, right this way,” I shouted as I held open the cellar door while waving the white cup of blood into the wind. He held his nose up to the air and his eyes somehow darkened as he rushed for the door. I locked it quickly behind him. He would be trapped in there for a few days now, and then he would be my father again.