Hidden Paths: Vampire Revenge

Chapter Seventeen

The sunlight streamed into the room and tickled Raven on the nose. She wiped at it and then dropped her hand onto her bed. Her empty bed. She sat up remembering. She looked at the imprint on the other pillow and on the bed where he had laid. She put her hand to it wishing he was still there. A tear slid down her face and she wiped at it angrily. She wasn't going to cry. Her heart ached for him. She longed to have him in her arms again and her in his. She looked out the window, where he had come in, but there was no sign of him. Not even a footprint on the roof. She got out of bed with a sigh and headed to the bathroom to take her shower.

George lay in bed and thought about the option that his new friend Max had given him. He could leave the house and join Max and Max's cousin. They owned their own business. They were going to be opening a new branch up in Napa sometime soon. George didn't know much about business but Max said that didn't matter he could teach him. He found George already to be very bright and was sure he would pick up the business very quickly. George was surprised that he actually agreed to consider it. To throw school away, to throw his friends away, just because he was upset about losing a girl. On the surface it didn't make sense to him. But deep down it hurt that Ray had betrayed him. Leaving would teach him that you could not do that to a friend without facing the consequences.

Emily sat in her bed with tears streaming down her face. Never before had she had to hold such a heavy secret from anyone. And for it to be Tony really hurt. She knew that she must for his own safety, for Trey's and Isabella's and for everyone that loved them. She put a protection spell to surround Trey before he left but it couldn't last very long away from her. She was strong but not that strong. She wiped the tears away and ordered herself to get herself together. Emily was always together and everyone would know something was wrong if she wasn't.

She longed to call Brian for help. He was so much stronger and he knew much more about the supernatural than she did. But she dared not take that risk. Not only that Max would find out but he would harm him as well. He had already tried once before so he would not hesitate to try again. Emily wouldn't risk that and wouldn't risk bringing harm upon her half-sisters, Hope and Joy or to her stepmother, Megan. They were all beloved to her and she would fight with every breath in her to protect them.

Emily reached for the spell book by her table. She looked up the jealousy spells. She was sure that was what was going on in the house. George with Ray, Jake with Tony, Raven with Isabella, and Tony with Trey. And she was determined to break it.

The doorbell rang and Ray opened it curiously. Who had ventured up witch hill? It was a rare occasion. He thought maybe it was Trey. Instead it was a very shaky delivery guy. He held a long box.

"Raven Morgan?" the young guy squeaked out.

"Not quite. But I'll sign for that."

"Okay," he squeaked out handing over a clip board.

Ray signed on the line and took the box. The delivery guy ran down the stairs and jumped in his truck and pulled away. Ray shook his head. The guy hadn't even waited for a tip.

"Rave, you got something," Ray said setting the box on the table next to her cereal.

The other's eyes drifted over to her and curiously looked at the box. She opened it and smiled. "They're gorgeous!" she exclaimed pulling out a bouquet of long stemmed red roses and baby's breath.

"Who are they from?" George asked curiously through a mouthful of cereal.

Raven pulled out a card from the box, read it and smiled. "Trey," she answered in almost a whisper.

"Trey got you those?" Isabella asked arching her eyebrows.

"Yes. He's so sweet," Raven said bringing the roses over to the other side of the room and began opening cabinets to find a vase. Isabella looked over at Ray questionably but he only shrugged.

"He bought her roses?" Isabella asked Ray when they were alone.

"So?"

"Trey doesn't buy girls anything. Except maybe drinks to get them drunk so he can have his way with them."

"Are you jealous or something?" Ray asked looking away from his computer at her sitting on her bed. They had been searching the internet again on safes but her mind wondered elsewhere.

"Of Trey?" Isabella asked puzzled.

"Of the attention he's giving another girl besides you," Ray said leaning into her. "Or maybe another girl other than your mom."

Isabella sighed. "Ray, my mother died over five hundred years ago," Isabella said getting up and pacing the floor.

"Still hurts though, doesn't it?"

Isabella closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew it was a habit of her father's she'd picked up centuries ago, one she couldn't kick no matter how much she tried. "He can see who he wants. We established that years ago."

"Why can't you say it?"

"Say what?" She asked impatiently.

"That you don't want him to see anyone besides your mother."

"Well, he can't see her, can he?" Isabella said tears threatening. "Damn, that Max. He'll pay for what he did to her. To us," she said hands clenching. Ray got up and held her. "No, I don't want to be comforted. I want to be mad! I want to kill him!" She said her body shaking with anger.

"I know. I know, honey. But he's not worth it. He's not worth risking your life for. You know better than anyone how ugly revenge can be," he said hugging her.

"Hey, beautiful," Trey's voice tickled her ear even through her cell phone. She could almost feel the warmth of it.

"Trey, you're so sweet. The roses...they're just beautiful."

"They pale in comparison to you."

"Trey..." she said blushing. He cleared his throat.

"I wanted to thank you for last night," he said softly.

She smiled and leaned against the headboard of her bed remembering. "Anytime you need to talk, you know where to find me."

Trey smiled. "Sure do," He said. "Look, Raven. I wanted to let you know I'm going to be out of town for awhile and I might not be able to call you."

"Where are you going?" Raven asked.

"Napa Valley. Business thing," he answered.

"That's ok. I understand. It's okay, anyway, we're going to Iowa to visit Jake's family for Thanksgiving."

"Isabella, too?"

"Yeah. We're all going."

"When are you leaving?"

"Wednesday afternoon, after classes."

"I can't see you before then. It'll have to be when we get back. When are you coming back?"

"Saturday morning."

"Can I see you Saturday night then?"

"Definitely," Raven said smiling.

"Call me when you get home, ok?"

"Okay."

"I have to go. So I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. Bye," Raven answered and closed the phone. She missed him already.