Bloodlust (The Blood Series #1)

Chapter 28

  "Are you okay?" Nathan asks me worriedly as the door slams shut after Bianca's quick departure.

"No, I'm not. Nathan, what's Blue Fire?" I demand.

Nathan shushes me and looks around as if we're being eavesdropped on. "Not here", he mumbles, takes my hand and drags me to the stairs. When he goes straight out of the door I start to protest but he ignores it. I figure that he has a good reason so I stop my pointless struggling and allow him to lead me. We run across the yard to a greenhouse located in the far end of the Blood property. I'm shivering from the cold and try to figure out why on Earth we had to run here to talk. To be honest I feel kind of irritated and hope that I could just go home to sleep in my soft comfy bed.

"Okay, now can you please explain this Blue Fire nonsense to me because every time you dodge my questions I get more nervous", I say crossing my arms on my chest.

Nathan sighs. "You gotta remember that it's not certain you can do this", he reminds me sternly. "Bianca could have easily misinterpret what she saw."

"She seemed pretty sure."

"Well, people were once convinced that the Earth was flat so..."

"Nathan, just tell me", I say and he nods reluctantly.

"Okay, so we've established that there is magic in this world, right?" he says looking at me. I roll my eyes at him. My ex is a vampire, my crush is a demon and I'm hunted by a fallen angel. Yes, I think we have established that there is magic in the world.

"There has been whispers about Seers who were able to protect themselves, fight off power seekers. They could literally lit their skin on fire that made it impossible for anyone to touch them. The Untouchables, that's what they are called in myths and folklore. The Seers probably started the myth themselves to shield against enemies. However, they failed to understand that being untouchable didn't mean invincible. Those after them simply changed their tactic and resorted to far off attacks. For a couple of decades after that frenzy Seers were practically extinct but after The Great War in the beginning of the 20th century they started to appear again. But they no longer possessed the gift of Blue Fire, it was thought to have died with most of the Seers."

"When you say The Great War, do you mean World War I or World War II?" I ask confused. I know I'm grasping onto silly things but what I'm hearing is just too bizarre for me to comprehend at the moment. Therefore I'll distract myself with other questions and worry about this new piece of information brought to my attention later.

"Um, let's just say that while humans were battling against communism, our world had its own problems to deal with", Nathan says mysteriously.

"Look at our Natie, boring hot chicks to death with his never ending lectures", a voice joins in our conversation. Startled, both Nathan and I glance behind us. There is two boys who are so ridiculously identical that I have to blink to make sure that there really is two of them. But no, there's two sets of dark curly hair and blue eyes.

"Shut up, Lukas", Nathan groans but he's smiling anyway. "Haley, these are my brothers Klaus and Lukas. Don't worry if you aren't able to tell one from the other, no one else knows which is which either."

"I'm the more handsome one, of course", the twin called Lukas brags as he turns his attention on me. "My oh my, is this the famous Haley they are all raving about?" he asks and reaches for my hand to kiss it.

"More like raging about", his identical twin scoffs.

"I guess you're right about that, Klaus. Daddy dearest is pretty pissed at you. Both of you, I mean", Lukas says then, letting go of my hand.

My pulse quickens. "What? Why?" I'm able to squeak. I just met the man and I have already managed to piss him off? What could I possibly have done wrong during our short exchange? I merely said hello and goodbye. But then I'm reminded of the way Nathan's parents reacted to my name and how Mr Blood asked me about my mother. So maybe their problem doesn't lie with me but with my mother? But what has my mom, a kindergarten teacher, could have done to upset the Bloods?

Much to my surprise Klaus is the one to answer my question. "We don't like outsiders. Especially when someone blabs Blood business to one", he adds and casts a sour look in Nathan's direction. Nathan looks back with an impenetrable expression on his face. Seriously these people and their stupid gang rules! Who cares that I know that Callum the Crazy wants to be a Blood? Is it really that big of a deal?

"I should probably go", I mutter after an uncomfortable silence has set between the four of us.

"Probably yeah unless you want to leave in a body bag", Klaus shrugs and without meaning to I gasp at his cruel words.

Nathan glares at Klaus. "No one is putting her in a body bag so shut the fuck up. Second, there is no need for you to be here. You can just get up and walk away if the company present does not please you", he snaps.

I know he feels like he has to defend me and it's great that he does but after his outburst I feel even worse. I'm making Nathan's family argue and that's the last thing I wanted to do. I should have never come here. I already know that no matter how much I care about Nathan we will never work out and that feeling has only gotten stronger while in here. Nathan has a life, a destiny that does not include me and my small simple dreams.

"Is that an order, o fearless leader?" Klaus mocks him.

"Okay, okay, Klaus, my man, let's lighten up a little, yeah?" Lukas tries to diffuse the suddenly charged situation. He puts an arm around his twin's neck and starts to talk to him in a soothing tone. "No need to rip anyone's throat open just yet. We've talked about this. You can't just blurt things out to girls. They'll think you're rude. Well, you are rude but they don't have to know that."

Klaus rolls his eyes at Lukas and shoves him off of him but stops giving me the death glare which is absolutely an improvement.

"I was just thinking that I'd love to get some junk food in mi tummy, is anyone whose name starts with an H and ends 'aley' interested in joining me in my travels?" Lukas asks with an adorably hopeful smile plastered on his face. I can't help but smile back but before answering I glance up at Nathan. I don't want to ask his permission but it is his family and I've apparently already messed enough of things up for them.

"It's your call", he says meeting my gaze.

"Well, I'm kinda hungry..." I admit and don't get the chance to say anything more.

Lukas links his arm with mine and starts to walk me with him. "It's decided then! We shall go to the best restaurant known to man and eat our weight in French fries!"

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I'm surprised to find that I actually have fun. At first it's a bit awkward of course. Lukas babbles on and on about the randomest topics and all I can think of is that Lukas and Drea would either love or hate one another with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns if they ever got acquainted with each other. They have a lot in common, including the amazing ability to ignore a volatile atmosphere around them. Nathan and Klaus haven't spoken a word to each other after the blow up in the greenhouse. I'm really surprised that Klaus decided to come with us but I guess he felt like it was his duty to save his brothers from my corrupting influence.

We drive around for a long time while Lukas tries desperately read the map and Nathan tries desperately to not snap at him for making him change the direction just about 60 times in a minute. I'm seated in the back with Klaus who deliberately ignores me. That's fine by me though, I don't want to fight with him and I'd rather take silence than insults.

"This is it, I swear, you guys!" Lukas exclaims as Nathan pulls up to the parking lot of a diner I've never seen before. There are maybe three cars in the parking lot and the place seems a little deserted but Lukas is so enthusiastic about this place that nobody questions him.

Nathan turns to look at Klaus who is leaning against Nathan's car and shaking his head at his twin brother. "You take the left route?" he says but it sounds like a question.

Klaus nods. "And you'll go right", he says like they have done this a thousand times before. Nathan flashes him a smile and it's obvious than somewhere between the sulking and this conversation they reconciled. I'm not complaining though, I like it better when there isn't a war raging around me.

Nathan turns to me and says: "Go with Lukas, we'll check out the place."

"Um, okay..." I tentatively agree and run to catch up with Lukas who's nearly skipping with joy. He must really love the food here. We go inside to a small diner that is decorated like an old tavern. Lukas sure has a weird taste in restaurants.

"So what's the deal with them? Why are they out there?" I ask once we are seated in a booth that meets Lukas' expectations.

"Well, you know what we are. You know who we are. There are people who know those things too and don't like them one bit. Sometimes when we go out during the night they think they can whack us. Especially if we are in an isolated place like this", Lukas explains casually.

My jaw drops. "If this is so dangerous, why did we come here?"

Lukas shrugs. "Because life without a little risk isn't worth living. Because we want to live, not just survive. And because they have the best burgers in town. Sheila, honey, how you doin'?" he asks flirtatiously as about 60-year-old woman dawdles to our table. Her steps may be heavy but as soon as she sees Lukas she grins like a child on Christmas morning.

"Lukas, my boy!" she exclaims and starts to gabble in a language that I don't recognize. Lukas nods at her words and smiles a lot, only every once in awhile he puts a word in between but otherwise he lets Sheila tell her stories and I can tell that it means the world to her.

I'm brought back from my thoughts when I hear my name being called. I look up just to notice that both Lukas and Sheila are staring at me expectantly. I'm spared from a possibly awkward situation when Nathan and Klaus return. They both hug Sheila and exchange few sentences with her in that language I'm unable to identify. I'm starting to wonder if it's some kind of magical language that only people with supernatural powers can understand. But I reject that idea when I realize with a shudder that if that was the case, I'd be able to understand it.

Sheila takes our orders and Nathan acts as a translator for me. I'm starving but don't know what I should take so I just copy Lukas' order of cheese burger and fries but ask for a smaller portion when Lukas starts to brag that the dish is as big as his ego.

"So were there any boogeymen outside?" I ask once Sheila has left.

"Nah, boogeymen don't really come around here. They like cold and dark places like Antarctica", Klaus says and it takes me awhile to realize that he's joking. He has been acting so cold towards me that I wasn't sure if he knew what jokes were. Well, if you are stuck with Lukas as your twin it's inevitable to develop a wicked sense of humor to survive. I wonder what Nathan said to Klaus while they were outside to enable this sudden transition.

"And Finland", Lukas teases and Klaus swats his head before they both chuckle like it's the joke of the century.

"Their mother was originally from Finland so they like to kid around about it", Nathan explains when he notices my confusion. But his explanation only opens more questions.

I raise my brows at him. "Their mother?" I question.

"Yeah, we have a different mother but the same father. End of story", Klaus snaps and I make a mental note to not ask questions about their family tree again with him around.

As the atmosphere is about to get awkward again, Lukas decides to take matters into his hands. "So Haley, has Nathan asked you to the Halloween Fest yet?"

I blush and Nathan groans. "For the love of gods", he whines and I note the way he says the word in plural. I'm going to ask him about that later but not now. It's like every question I ask, even the simple ones like what time it is, put Klaus back on the edge. I don't know what he's afraid I'll find out but from what I've learned about the Bloods so far I know that I don't wan to know his secret. It's always going to be worse than I could ever imagine so it's better to not dig too deep.

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Much to my surprise Klaus and I end up bonding a little over hockey. I'm not really a fan but Mom forces me to go to a match with my dad every year on Father's Day so I know quite a bit about it. Nathan seems happy and relaxed around the twins and I see a new playful side of him that I wish would come out more often. But even the most fun nights have to end at some point and this is no exception. After we are done eating and talking we drop off Lukas and Klaus at the Manor a little after midnight. I texted my mom a while back that I'd be come home late but haven't heard back from her yet. She's probably out herself with her mystery suitor. Ugh. My mom has a suitor.

We get out of the car to say proper goodbyes to the twins. Lukas surprises me by hugging me like an old friend. I'm really happy that I agreed to hang out with him tonight. It's nice to know that at least one member of Nathan's family likes me. Klaus stands further away from us and rolls his eyes when Lukas tells me to come around again for the third time but before Klaus leaves he gives me a small nod. His little gesture makes me really happy like I've just won over the Queen of England.

I have an awesome idea when we're about to get back into the car. "Let me drive", I beg.

Nathan shakes his head. "No way", he says and leans on the car as if to protect it from me. I don't think he remembers that I've only driven it once before although it was only a short trip from the library to my house. Determined to get my way I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my cheek on the small of his back.

"Pretty please, let me drive. I promise I'll be super careful", I coo in his ear. Well, I would coo in his ear if I could reach that high. It takes a lot more persuasion but eventually Nathan gives me the keys and sits on the shotgun seat with a horrified face. But he relaxes after a few miles have gone by without any problems. Just because I don't have a car doesn't mean that I'm not a good driver. I am, sometimes I even have to be Drea's assistant driver because she is so focused on everything but driving. I swear, I don't know what kind of sorcery that girl used to get her licence but it must have been pretty darn strong.

We laugh and talk about everything while we drive through the night. We argue about what radio station should play in the background, whether or not pizza is the greatest food ever created and whether Gandalf would win Dumbledore in a duel. In my opinion, Dumbledore would wipe the floor with Gandalf (muahahah, like Saruman did!) I mean, have you ever really seen Gandalf do that much magic? I love the man but let's be honest, mostly he just smokes Longbottom Leaf and goes around blaming other people or putting words to riddles.

"Gandalf is one of the strongest wizards ever, he's even member of the Istari order, as well as the leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West", Nathan argues.

I giggle. I, Haley Roberts, have officially become a giggler. What.

"Oh my sweet boy. If we are going to start listing off attributes, we'll be here until morning. Get a load of this: Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was the Transfiguration Professor, Deputy Head and later Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin, First Class; Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Grand Sorcerer. Even as a student Dumbledore won every prize possible. He can cast excellent nonverbal spells, is credited with discovering the twelve uses of dragon's blood and he is also famous along Nicolas Flamel as the only known makers of the Philosopher's Stone. Dumbledore freaking beat the second most dangerous dark wizard in the history even though that wizard had the most powerful weapon of wizarding world, Elder Wand. And what did Gandalf do again? Walk to Mordor? No, wait, he didn't even finish that little escapade!" I rant.

"I love it when you go full-on nerd on me", Nathan teases and I blush, quickly looking away. He leans over and pecks me on the lips. Just then a cop car appears behind us with blue lights flashing and all I can think of is the expression on my mother's face if I come home in the back of a cop car.