Secret Worlds (394 page)

“Why? ‘Cause I’m asking you to go out?”

“Not working?” she asks.

“Nope, got other things on my mind.” He keeps his look fixed on Lizzie.

“Sure, why not?”

“Cool. Right, I’m going for a shower.”

Alek leaves.

Without one damn word to me.

“That was a bit rude,” she observes.

“Yeah.”

“He could’ve asked if you wanted to come along.” She sips from her mug of coffee.

Her voicing my thought causes a sinking feeling inside. “Maybe he wants to be alone with you.”

Lizzie chokes and wipes her mouth. “Definitely not my type.”

“Or mine.” My phone vibrates and I fumble in my pocket for my phone. Another text from Finn. “Excuse me.”

I straighten my shoulders and leave the kitchen. How dare Alek tell me a load of crap like last night then ignore me. I should’ve gone straight back to Finn last night. I dial Finn’s number.

“Rose! Are you okay?” I’m touched by the genuine panic in his voice. “What happened last night? What was Alek doing there? I’m worried about you, there’s something strange about him.”

“I’m fine. It’s complicated. Sorry about disappearing.” What do I say to him? I can’t give him answers when I’m as confused as he sounds.

I tread slowly upstairs.

There’s silence; I can hear background traffic, but not Finn. “I need to talk to you,” he says finally. “I mean, to see if you’re okay.”

My foot hovers over the worn carpet of the step in front of me. I’m almost at the top of the first flight of stairs. Close to Alek’s room.

“Maybe another day. I’m fine, I just don’t feel too well.” The truth is I’m worried what Alek might do in his current mental state.

“ I should come over.”

“Finn, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

The bathroom door clicks. “What’s not a good idea?”

I don’t turn when I hear Alek’s voice. “Nothing.” I continue onto the stairs to my part of the house.

“Rose? Who are you talking to?” asks Alek.

“I’m coming over.” The phone goes dead as Finn hangs up.

I curl my hand around it and stare.
Crap.

“Rose!”

You know why I don’t want to turn and look at Alek? Because he just got out of the shower, and my mind is imagining every scenario of how much or little he might have on. Plus, I’m pretty pissed off at him for blanking me five minutes ago. Drawing a deep breath, I turn.

Alek has a towel over his arm but is fully-dressed.

“What?” I snap.

“Was that Finn?”

“Why?”

“Is he coming here?”

I consider my answer then decide not to give one and continue my walk upstairs instead.

“Rose!”

“Okay, you’ve finally learnt to call me by my real name, but that doesn’t mean you need to keep repeating it. Go and get your shower.” Heart pounding, I jump upstairs two steps at a time and run into my tiny room.

***

After a few minutes of confusion and fuming in my bedroom, I decide to wait downstairs for when Finn arrives and field the inevitable something that will happen when Alek sees him. The events of the night before are greying into the weird fog which follows me so much these days.
Did I dream some of this?
I touch my mouth, remembering Alek’s lips on mine. I’m certain I didn’t dream that, or the crazy way my body reacted.

Outside my room, Alek sits on the top step of the stairs, waiting. “Excuse me,” I say icily.

He leans his head on the wall and looks up at me. I never noticed in the kitchen, but Alek looks like crap; deep, dark circles rim his eyes and his mouth is pale.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah. I’ll be fine. But don’t see Finn and definitely don’t go with him.”

“Why?”

Alek huffs out a breath. “I told you we needed to talk about him. Have you taken in everything I told you last night?”

I fix him with a ‘you have to be kidding’ stare. “Why did you blank me in the kitchen?”

“Because I don’t want Lizzie to know.”

He’s still delusional. I have to humour him. “Is she one? A Between, like you?”

“She’s a witch,” he says quietly.

I laugh, a choked sound, which doesn’t sound like me; then I remember my words when I came to look around the house. “Right. And what’s Grace? A vampire?”

His eyebrows pull together. “No, I’m the vampire.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” I try and step over him. “You’re really not funny.”

“Don’t make me grab you again, please. This time I can’t control what I’ll do because I don’t feel well.” His voice is low but not threatening, and I shiver remembering his touch last night.

Turning, I prop myself against the wall one step below him. “A vampire?”

“I guess.”

“Well, you either suck people’s blood or you don’t. Which is it?”

Alek’s dull eyes brighten and he smirks at me. “I knew as soon as I saw you, things would be different. There’s not only one kind of vampire, you know.”

“Yeah, I know; some sparkle apparently. You glowed a bit last night.”

“I live off other people’s energy when I can’t find Shades. That’s what I mean when I say I’m a vampire. I prey on humans for their life force instead of their blood. Sanguine vampires get energy from blood, but I don’t need to do that. All I have to do is be around humans, or if I need some urgently, I can touch them.”

Involuntarily, I shudder and take another step away from him. He said we were the same. I voice my thoughts even though I know how crazy this sounds. “So, what am I? Ghost? Zombie? Vampire?”

“You’re like me.”

“So, I’m a vampire, too?”

Alek studies for my reaction. I think my stunned look tells him everything he needs to know. “Between.”

“Yeah, I guess ‘Between’ has a nicer ring to it than vampire.”

“I didn’t mean to have this conversation with you here and now. I only came to ask you to keep away from Finn.”

“Why? What’s he? A werewolf?”

Alek doesn’t laugh. “No.”

Below, someone hammers on the door and I glance at Alek. “Let Lizzie answer it,” he says.

“And what? He thinks you’ve done something to me. I doubt he’ll leave.”

“That’s pretty ironic, considering he wants to kill you.”

My backside bumps to the step. “He
what
?”

“Listen, I’ll talk to you about all this, explain and let you make your own decisions. Please, don’t go downstairs to him, and definitely don’t leave with him.”

“When will you tell me?”

“In the kitchen, I wasn’t ignoring you.” He raises an eyebrow, acknowledging how annoyed I was with him. “I arranged the thing with Lizzie to get her out of the house so I can speak to you about all this. She doesn’t want me to say anything to you yet; she doesn’t think you’re ready to hear it. I have some stuff at work I promised I’d do, and then I’ll be back.”

We’re too high up in the house to be able to hear anything downstairs apart from the continuing banging on the door. Alek pushes past and I squeeze into the wall so he doesn’t touch me. He calls downstairs, asks Lizzie to get Finn to leave then stomps down in his usual fashion.

I decide it’s time to go and pack. I can’t stay with these crazy people any longer.

***

I retreat to my room and stare at the walls, blinking at the Bo Peeps and trying to figure out what weird world I’ve been dragged into.
Is Alek mentally ill? Or am I losing it because I half-believe him?
A thought occurs: did Finn spike my drink? Did I hallucinate then Alek helped me through the weird trip he sent me on? The ghost... the girl in the alley. The kiss. What the hell was that? I’ve kissed guys before, plenty of guys, and never experienced anything like I did when Alek’s mouth was on mine. Sure, I normally get heart-thumping arousal, but this was something else. Usually, I’m not desperate to rip my clothes off and have sex with arrogant guys who I’ve kissed once. My body coursed with sexual energy in a way I’ve never experienced, energy I think came from Alek. I shake the thoughts away.

Unable to hear what’s happening downstairs from my room, I’ve no idea whether it was Finn at the door or if the visitor left. I send Finn a text, telling him I’ll see him at work later. Then I pull out my rucksack and pack my bag with enough to stay at a hotel until I can find somewhere else to live. Easier said than done, but if I stay here, I’ll go as crazy as the other residents.

Now, several hours later, the house has quietened and I creep downstairs with my backpack. I hold my breath, attempting to hear any voices or movement. I watched Alek leave, and then Lizzie. Alek in his car, and then Lizzie half an hour later on the bus. Obviously, the movie date didn’t happen, so what was all that about? I grab some fruit and a bottle of water from the fridge. My handbag is on the sofa where Alek dumped it last night. Peeking inside, I see my purse so I’m set to go.

How can such a mundane house hold so many weird secrets? And how much of it’s true? Can I really see ghosts? Am
I
a ghost?
Get a grip, Rose
. Why the hell am I hesitating when I should be getting out? I shrug my bag onto my shoulder and leave.

Or I try to leave. Sure, I can open the door, but the view from the doorway glimmers like a mirage. Only this mirage is a solid barrier. The first time I try to get out the door, I whack my head on this invisible obstacle. Panic fuelling my body, I try again with my shoulder. This isn’t real. For a few minutes, I stand stupefied, watching cars drive down the street. Then I shout at the students passing on the opposite side of the road but no one hears me. I pull my phone from my pocket and dial Finn’s number. Okay, Alek told me Finn wanted to kill me; but as I doubt Alek’s mental state, Finn seems the best option in the current situation.

“Rose? Is everything okay? I came to find you, but Alek said you were asleep. Then he threatened me again…”

“I’m stuck, Finn! I can’t get out!” I attempt to keep my voice even but panic tinges my words.

“What? Have they locked you in and taken your key?”

I don’t stop to consider what a strange thing that is for Finn to say. “No! I can’t get out, like there’s something stopping me.” Silence. “Finn?”

“I’m coming over. You don’t need to panic,” he says slowly, “you can get out; you just think you can’t.”

“Don’t talk to me as if I’m mad! I can leave a house if I want to!”

“Just stay there.” He hangs up and I stare at the phone. Didn’t he listen? I’m trapped. Where does he think I’m going to go?

The world continues its business as I sit on the carpet inside the doorway and watch the cars go by for the next half hour. Nobody looks. Autumn rain drizzles from the sky; the dark clouds roll in. I call hello to a young woman pushing a stroller, bags hanging from the handles. She’s hunched over, brown hair hanging across her face, walking at a determined pace to escape the weather. She doesn’t see me. The young boy in the stroller gazes at me with surprised eyes. I wave. Doesn’t anyone care the door is wide open? Suddenly, Alek’s words hold more reality than they did.

Finn approaches, striding along the pavement and breaking into a run as he sees me in the doorway. He’s red-cheeked and his face is full of confusion, hair glistening with rain.

“Why are you just standing in the doorway?” he asks.

“I can’t get out!”

He cocks his head. “I want to help you, Rose. I don’t think you’re well.”

“I’m fine! I’m just stuck in this fucking house with a bunch of ghosts, a vampire, and a witch!”

Finn’s brow creases so deeply his eyes begin to disappear. “Okay, let’s get you out of there. Just step through the door.”

He’s cajoling me, as if I’m a child. Or a lunatic. Oh, my God, he thinks I’m mad. I lunge forward at the invisible barrier to prove I’m not and trip out of the doorway toward him.

Steadying myself on the door frame, I spin around and look at the door. “I don’t get it…” I cover my mouth with my hand and look at Finn. “Please, take me somewhere safe.”

Finn nods, a shadow of sadness briefly crossing his features. “I’ll keep you safe.”

I hear Alek saying the same words in my mind. The doctor was right. I need to speak to someone because I’m the one going insane.

I don’t want to be alone with any of them. Mad tales of vampires, witches, and ghosts fill my mind; tears of frustration and embarrassment push from my eyes. The rain falls harder and Finn hovers next to me.

“Now what?”

I shrug one shoulder, my mind turning over my options.

He indicates my rucksack on the carpet inside. “Were you leaving? Where are you going?” he asks. “Home to your parents?”

I shake my head vigorously. “No! I need my life back on track, not to run home. I’m old enough to look after myself.”

“Maybe, you aren’t ready yet? Your health isn’t great, I mean.”

“You think I’m mentally unstable, don’t you?”

Finn wrinkles his nose, looks at me with his concerned blue eyes. “No.”

“Liar.”

The heavens open and rain pours, sudden and heavy. I snort at the weather reflecting my mood. Finn looks upwards, the water trickling down his face.

He shakes the rain from his hair. “Getting soaked here. Can we go inside while we decide what to do?”

Every cell of my body screams at me not to go back inside the house, but if Finn is with me, I’ll be okay. Surely.

“Only until the rain stops, and then I’ll help you leave. If you want to stay at mine...” He pauses at my shocked expression. “Okay, wrong thing to suggest. Have you any friends you can go to?”

I bite inside my cheek. No friends. Not anymore.

We step into the house and walk into the kitchen. Finn takes his grey hoodie off and hangs it over the chair. I throw him a tea towel and he looks at me with a crooked smile. “Gee, thanks. That’ll dry about one inch of my body.”

His tattoo catches my eye as usual. I have an attraction to men’s arms, always have. The strength I can see in his toned muscles contrasts with his gentle role in life. Finn’s arms are more protective than dangerous. I blink.
Why would I think that?
When I shift to look at him, he’s watching me curiously, aware I’m checking him out. I’m not, am I?

I hastily turn away to retrieve mugs from a cupboard. “Coffee?”