𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 {𝐀 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜} [1] ✔️

9. TROUBLEMAKER

"WHERE COULD HE BE?" GABRIEL ASKED, HIS VOICE LACED WITH CONCERN.

Simon chimed in, "He's got to be around here somewhere."

Joseph's eyes darted towards the crates, his gaze settling on one in particular. "Hey, Alana," he called out to the red-haired woman. "You told Ethan to put away the crates, right?"

"Aye," Alana replied.

"I think I know where he is," Joseph whispered to me, his voice barely audible. "Violet, you have invisibility. Why not go to the crate at the front there and knock it?"

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I wanted to use my gift. But Joseph's conviction was contagious, and I found myself walking towards the crate. As I knocked on the wooden surface, a childish chuckle echoed in my ears.

"Open it," Joseph mouthed, and I lifted the lid to reveal a young man inside. He was no more than a teenager, with short brown hair and golden eyes that sparkled mischievously. He wore a navy blue top that hugged his slim frame, and his face was clean and youthful.

Alana's eyes blazed with anger as she glared at the boy. "Ethan," she scolded, her arms folded tightly across her chest. "Stop trying to frighten us."

Ethan pouted, his voice taking on a childlike tone. "Oh, mum," he whined. "It was going to be funny."

"No, it wasn't," Alana retorted, shaking her head.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Ethan replied with a sigh. His eyes scanned the group, searching for the culprit. "Say, which one of you opened the crate?"

Joseph spoke up, his tone laced with annoyance. "No one did, you know. I wish you'd get your head smacked."

"Oi, don't," Alana chided, her voice stern.

I could tell Joseph was trying to send me a message, so I stepped closer to Ethan and gave him a light tap on the head. He yelped in surprise, rubbing the spot where I had hit him. "Who did that?" he demanded, looking around in confusion.

I couldn't help but smile at the boy's antics. Despite his immaturity, there was something charming about him. Then, Ethan jumped out of the crate. Alana placed her hand on her forehead and silently said why do I even bother. Simon folded his arm in front of his chest. Joseph quietly chuckled to himself and Rhona gently yet harshly hit him on his left arm. Gabriel sighed and sauntered to the crate.

"Ethan," said Gabriel, trying to defuse the situation. The boyish vampire turned his head, glaring straight at him. "It's not you. We've got a new member."

"She got invisibility," added Joseph to the conversation. "I thought it was a good idea to prank you."

"Come to think of it," spoke Simon. "With all the pranks you did, this is the best revenge yet."

"That's cold," replied Ethan. "Clever, but cold."

I briefly smiled to myself.

"Where's she at? I can't see her."

I groaned quietly, clearly annoyed with that comment. "Joseph said that I have invisibility. What part of that don't you understand?"

His golden eyes widened at the sound of my voice. It was clear that he liked my voice. I found that odd to think about. When I speak, I sound weird. Well, weird to the people living in Forks. I inherited the British accent from my parents, so it was already weird. Thomas was moving his head, looking for me.

"Who said that?" Ethan asked and looked at Helena. "Aunt Lena, I know you kept saying to the wanderers that this mansion is haunted but this is to a whole new level."

"I have nothing to do with this," Helena replied.

"No need to be shy or sassy. Come out."

Those comments pushed me over the edge. I switched off my invisibility and slapped him in the face with my open right hand. For me, it was the hardest slap I'd given to anyone. I never slapped a person in my life. I would imagine slapping anyone, like Mike Newton for simply being annoying or Gavin for being a deadbeat father. Ethan flinched. His face or body reacted to the pain. It was the same reaction he gave when I smacked his head. He turned his head around and his golden eyes met my own eyes. We stared for a few seconds and he smirked at me.

"Hello there," he greeted me with a charming smile that made my heart skip a beat. I couldn't resist smiling back at him, feeling a sudden warmth in my chest. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting before. My name is Ethan, by the way."

As he extended his hand, I couldn't help but notice the strength in his grip, yet there was a gentle touch that made me feel at ease. I shook his hand, feeling a connection that I couldn't quite explain.

"I'm Violet," I introduced myself, feeling a sense of comfort in his presence.

"He's a bit of a troublemaker," Alana whispered to me, causing me to raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"I heard that, Mum," Ethan said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Wait, you're actually his mother?" I asked, surprised by the revelation.

"Aye," Alana confirmed. "I gave birth to him when I was still human."

"And Simon?" I inquired, curious about the family dynamic.

"He's my stepdad," Ethan clarified. "Joseph sensed her when we were walking through town. She was already pregnant then."

I couldn't help but wonder about Ethan's father, but before I could even finish my sentence, Alana's demeanour changed. She lunged at me, grabbing my throat and pinning me against the wall with a fierce grip.

"We don't speak of him," she snarled, her eyes filled with anger and pain.

Simon rushed to her side, gently coaxing her to release me. His touch seemed to calm her down, and she apologised for her outburst.

"It's okay," I reassured her, feeling a sense of empathy for her pain. "I've been through worse."

Suddenly, I felt two arms wrap around me from behind, and I turned to see Ethan embracing me.

"Welcome to the family," he declared, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging that I never thought was possible. Family. It was a word that held a new meaning for me now.