Nimbus (Volturi Kings x OC)

Chapter Nine

My mother, Penelope Whitehall, picked me up from the airport and took me straight to her house since that was where I had left my car before my vacation. I cried the whole way. I was scared absolutely shitless.

Once we were home, Mama did everything she could think of for me: holding me, rubbing my back like when I was a little girl, wrapping me in my favorite blanket I always used while I was there... but the tears just wouldn't stop flowing. All I could do was sob and hiccup my heart out while Mama could only stand by and watch. It was so unlike me. Even through my seemingly endless tears I could tell how alarmed she was by it all.

Finally, when the last of my tearstains had been roughly rubbed off my face by my own impatient hands, I sighed deeply. I felt like my body could collapse in on itself at any moment. But I had to tell her everything. We were in danger now and I had already wasted too much time.

"Mama..." I croaked, "you need to suspend any and all disbelief you might have at what I'm about to say. You know me. You know how rational and responsible you raised me to be. Everything, and I mean everything, I'm about to tell you is the complete truth. And no matter what, I need you to believe me."

Placing her right hand comfortingly on top of my left, she nodded her blonde head in understanding. "Of course, baby. I trust you and I'm here for you. Take your time, we can always talk about it later if now is too soon."

"We don't have time anymore. We're in deep shit." At that, her back straightened and her eyes locked with mine, giving me her complete attention. I always used to take comfort seeing my own eyes looking back at me from her sweet face, but there could be no comfort for me then. Not with so much at stake she had no idea about yet.

I spilled my guts like my life depended on it, because I truly believed it did. That both of our lives did. I left out some details about my time with Marcus for obvious reasons, but everything else poured out of me so quickly that there were times Mama had to have me repeat myself more slowly. When I would tear up at different parts, especially toward the end of my explanation, she would squeeze my hand in solidarity but continued to just listen as I had asked her to. Finally, after all was laid bare, silence descended over the house. She looked like she was collecting her thoughts, sorting through every syllable I had uttered as her eyes scanned back and forth unseeingly with her own racing thoughts.

When she broke the silence, Mama said softly, "My poor, brave little darlin'. I truly have no other explanation than them really being a coven of vampires. I believe you, so don't worry about that. We're big horror fans, after all," I smiled weakly at her attempt to lighten the mood. "But if they're as wealthy and powerful as you say, we can't stay here. I don't think they wanted you dead or you would've been. At that time, though, you hadn't told anyone else their secrets. It's likely that they'll come after you now or some point soon, and me by association. We have to assume they already are acting fast since one of them literally read your mind, just to be safe. We don't have a lot of options, but I'll get my contacts at the Pentagon on the horn. They should be able to get us relocated fast enough if we act now. Grab the essentials, call your landlord, and email your boss that you aren't coming back. I want us wheels up in fifteen minutes tops. We're gonna get through this, baby, don't worry about a thing. We have daylight on our side, after all."

With that, the race was on. I balled up my blanket, intending to pack it, and limped as fast as I could down the hall to my old bedroom. Everything that was really important to me, I kept in a go-bag in the back corner of my closet. Apartments in the Anchorage area weren't exactly known for their safety, so I kept anything meaningful to me here when I originally moved out. I stuffed my blanket, my wallet, and my passport into the duffel bag and slung it over my good shoulder, ignoring the searing pain it caused in my sliced palm. My right shoulder and arm were terribly painful too, thanks to my distinct lack of a sling and medications, but adrenaline kept me focused and moving steadily. I could deal with a little pain until we got to a safehouse.