Killing me softly

Chapter 19

We arrived at Ash's house before the boys did. We headed straight for the kitchen, Ash grabbing a Coke out of the fridge and offering me one. I shook my head, to early in the morning for caffeine. She handed me a bottle of water and he headed to the living room. I sat down on the couch, pushing a baby doll to the side. Ash folded her legs under her in the chair. We were silent for a few minutes until Ash's curiosity got to her.

Ash leaned forward, the Coke can resting on her knee. "So, what did she make you see?"

I shrugged. "It was weird, like it wasn't even a dream. It was so realistic." Ash nodded like she expected this. "I was on the front porch of my old house with Tristen and we were going to-" I stopped a blush coming over my cheeks. "Anyways," Ash smiled at me and I had to look away to hide my returning smile. "Victoria opened the front door and she said something." I left out the part of my Dad because I didn't want to see that look in her eyes. Plus I wanted to focus on the one thing.

"What did she say?" Ash asked leaning closer.

Just then a knock came from the door. The boys were here. Ash stood and answered the door. Tristen and Austin trailed behind her. Tristen took the spot next to me. He smiled at me and squeezed my hand. Ash sat on the love seat. Austin hesitated for a second then sat next to her. They looked at each other then away. I looked at Tristen and he smiled shaking his head.

"So, what happened? Why did you guys suddenly decide to skip school?" Austin asked settling back against the cushions.

Ash looked at me. "Anna was visited by someone last night."

Tristen looked at me. "Was this before or after I was there?"

A flush came over me. I couldn't think about what what came with the memory of Tristen coming over last night. "After." I reassured him. "Actually, it was more like visited me in my dreams, kind of thing."

Tristens lips turned down in a frown and I had to look away to get my mind back on track. His eyes narrowed. "Victoria?" He asked. His tone changed, away went easy going Tristen and out came werewolf Tristen. I nodded. "What did she have to say?"

I shrugged. "She gave me a warning of shorts."

Tristen leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. Austin folded his arms across his chest. I wasn't the only one that noticed the difference in the boys, Ash gave Austin a questioning look but didn't say anything.

"And what was this warning she gave you?" Tristen asked.

"Jut that I need to be careful of who I let in. 'Be careful of who you choose into your heart, Annabel Lee, bad things can happen', is her exact words. I can't see her being to concern with my relationships but it still freaked me out." I was squeezing my hands in a tight fist while talking but then I let them loose once I said the words.

Tristen looked at Austin and he nodded in return. I frowned, there was something Tristen wasn't telling me.

"What happened when you woke up?" Tristen asked sitting up straight again.

I shrugged a shoulder. "I had this feeling, it was all to real. So I went to my widow and there they stood. Victoria and he ever loving puppy."

"I don't think Victoria suspects that Annabel knows anything, if she did I would of expected a very different dream." Ash said once the silence stretched to long.

An image of me on the floor, my body pale as a corpse with my blood on the faces of many vampires surrounding me, filled my brain. Even worse, I saw Tristen there in replace of me. I shook my head to get rid of the images but I could feel my hands shaking in my lap. I squeezed them so no one would see.

Tristen nodded and ran a hand on the side of his face. "Yes, that seems more like something she would do." He looked at me and gave me a reassuring smile. "I don't know why Victoria came to you last night but I agree with Ash. I don't think she suspects anything."

I let out a long breath, I know that Ash just said that but coming from Tristen made me feel more safe. "So, were still on for tomorrow?" I asked.

"There's no we, you have no part in this." Tristen told me.

Damn. I was hopping from our conversation last night and our kiss that he would change his mind. If wishes were fishes everyone would have a net, I could still hear my fathers voice resit his favorite quote.

"I figured you would say that." I slumped down in the couch trying not to pout like a two year old. Tristen grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"But since were on that topic now," Austin said leaning forward. When he did his elbow brushed Ash's thigh and she froze. Austin didn't look as if he noticed.

"Right," Tristen said. "Tomorrow I want both of you to come to my house at six. The sun will be setting by then, the guys and I will head out once you get to the house."

"And we'll just sit at home like good little house wives waiting for out husbands to get back from the war, right?" I asked not meeting his eyes.

"Yes." He said. I looked at him, my anger starting to stir up again. "Because you'll be safe. This is how it is, Annabel. The werewolves do the fighting."

"And the humans stay at home." I finished for him. He nodded and we both looked away.

When the silence hit that awkward stage Austin looked at his watch. "Well, we could always head back to school."

"Feel free, I'm staying here." Ash said leaning back. When she did her shoulder grazed Austins. He stiffened.

"It was just a suggestion. I was letting the two, goody-two shoes over here off the hook." He jerked his chin in our direction.

"Hey," I said offended by his comment. "I am not a goody-two shoes, okay?"

Austin smirked and Ash rubbed her hand across her face to hide her smile.

I rolled my eyes at them and Tristen shook his head, his shoulders shaking by silent laughter.

"We could always order pizza and watch movies?" Ash said.

"Now that I would be down for." Austin said leaning back. His and Ash's shoulders were touching and neither of them moved. I bet by the end of the day, they would be cuddling.

"Sounds good to me." I said.

"Me too." Tristen said.

"Great, I'll get the number." Ash said jumping up and leaving the room.

A ball of dread filled my stomach and my mind wouldn't stop running twenty miles an hour a minute. Tomorrow is the day and I don't even get to go with. Half of me was happy that Tristen was worried about me and wanted to protect me. And the words that he said to me before I stormed out of his house, kept replaying in my mind, 'Yes but now you are everything to me so if there is something I can do to keep you out of harms way, I will do it.' 

But the other half, the vengeful Anna, wanted to hit him for acting like it was the fifties. I didn't want to sit at home and wait for news. To see if he would come back or not. I wanted to be there right beside him in the fight. But I know Tristen will take all the precautions in order to keep me in his house and not with him.

Tristen need to get to know me a little better, though. Once I set my mind on something there's no changing it. While we listened to Ash put in our order, I was making my own plan for tomorrow.