Children of the Fallen: In Cold Blood (BOOK #2)

Chapter 26: It's My Middle Name

Grayson Spencer

I wasn't going to follow her. I know how much she dislikes her birthday and based on her hidden sighs and scowls throughout the night, I figured that much of her still remained. But something in her eyes during that short conversation between us compelled me to follow. Although considering she said she hates me maybe I shouldn't have- she might attack me. I harped on this despondency and this- more than usual- anger that flickered in those hazel eyes of hers. Her tone was sharper than normal, like she's trying to overcompensate and not for her very apparent intoxication.

So I trailed her from a far. I'd know her scent anywhere so I didn't have to be remotely in earshot of her. After turning into a small patch of woods she eventually stopped to sit- more like fall on the grass of a sizeable hill that overlooked this house below.

The large window to the kitchen facing where she's sitting isn't covered allowing anyone to look in. I look through the window catching a glimpse of a handful of people walking around. I listened in to dishes being washed, footsteps, chewing, various conversations then a voice catches my attention. It's familiar.

I remember her mothers voice- Laura's voice from the night in that warehouse with Mercer. This is her families home. Her home.

Morgan unscrews her half drunken handle of vodka and drinks deep just sitting there watching them. I take a single step closer.

"Why are you here?" She asks not looking back at me and without a distinguishable tone.

"Here I was thinking I was being sneaky." The leaves crunching beneath my shoes made sure I wasn't. Although I was hoping the breeze blowing them around would cover that up.

"Why are you here?" She repeats.

"I was just curious as to where you were off to so early in the night." I sit down next to her reflecting her position, leaning my forearms on my knees. "So what are we doing?"

"We, are not doing anything."

"Alright, what are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"Sitting outside your old home, staring at your family while you drink doesn't seem like nothing."

"Do you not have anywhere else to be? Don't you have to go turn into a dog soon?" She finally turns to me, her cold eyes look especially dark tonight. They also show how trashed she is. Glassy and bloodshot and rimmed with red.

"I turn into a dog tomorrow night," I say, "and no I don't have anywhere else to be. So what's the deal here?"

"I thought-." She runs a hand through her hair. "I thought I told you to leave me alone."

"You did. I'm ignoring you."

She lets out an exhausted sighs and takes a huge swig of her handle continuing to watch them, disregarding me but also not fighting my presence. I sit in silence with her not saying a word for quite a while just listening in to their various conversations and lulls of watching tv. I look over at her a few times to find her still and completely fixated on that window. Her only movement being her head swaying a bit, bringing that handle to her lips, or rubbing the back of her neck.

"Every year they gather and have a cake for me." She finally speaks, slurring a bit. I turn my head quickly to her but am careful not to look too interested out of fear she might stop. She swallows still staring through the window, "Now they really only come together because of Laura. She's the only one still holding on to the idea that her daughter might still be out there. She's said that she believes her daughter's living somewhere in a nice house with a nice job. Maybe married and with kids- she never did believe that I never wanted any or the doctors that said I literally couldn't." She shakes her head with an empty chuckle. "She believes that she's safe and happy, she just can't come home for whatever reason. The rest of them think she's delusional but they won't ever say anything." She brings the handle up again.