Page 53 of This Blood that Bonds Us

I stilled, contemplating my decision. “Um. Yeah. This is Presley.”

“Why did you hang up on me and not answer?”

“Uh, I don’t know. You’re kinda scary.” I mean, why not be honest?

“Nobody has told you anything?”

“Nope.”A common occurrence.

“Well, I was given this phone a while back and told to have it on me at all times until a Presley called me. I have some stuff for you. We need to meet up.”

“That seems sketchy.”Really extra sketch.

“He said you’d say that.”

“Well, I’m not really in a place I can travel.”

“I’ll come to you. What’s your nearest town?”

“Why would I tell you that?”

“Because you need what I have? He said to tell you‘All roads lead here.’”

Of course, more cryptic vampire shit. These people needed to be stopped. It was actually ridiculous.

“Can’t you just tell me what it is first?”

“No. I don’t make the rules. I just follow ’em. And you should too. We can grab a drink.”

“Fine.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “But it might take me a bit to arrange.”

“Just tell me where and when.”

“Fairbanks, Alaska. I’ll let you know a good time.”

An hour away. Far enough away to keep my family out of it.I hope.

“Okay, I’ll make arrangements. You just make sure you answer my phone calls.”

“Maybe just text me next time.”

I was asking a mystery man to text me and was going to go meet him in another city. My older brothers would murder me.

Twenty-One

Aaron

The sun disappeared behind the snow-covered trees by the time we made it to Kilian’s cabin. A strange sense of déjà vu fell over me. It was just another cabin in a different place, but this time, it was without my brothers.

Only, it wasn’t a cabin but a house with large glass windows. It was surrounded by trees drowning in snow. One big colorlessrectangle with a modern staircase leading to a porch and a second floor.

I texted Presley our address. That way he’d at least know where to look if things went bad, but I was hopeful about the whole thing.

Ireland. They were in Ireland. I could find them, even if I had to search that whole country on foot. Technically, I could. That fact alone, even if impractical, helped ease the tension in my chest.

I was able to differentiate when the pain was mine and when it wasn’t. With one hand, I pat my chest, hoping it reached my brothers. Whichever one needed it. They just needed to hold on. We were coming.

I was the first to get out of the car. One reason was to open Kimberly’s door, but the other was to scan the area. With a sharp inhale, I let the cold air fill my senses. Snow muffled everything. It made sounds and smells murky and watered down. Everything in Blackheart was loud and sharp. The smells of pine and dirt were constant, and I’d learned to tune them out. Instead, I’d just smell Kim’s perfume and anticipate her proximity. That was more fun.