Choices, Love, and Magic (Complete)

chapter 15

Chapter 15 Hellos and Goodbyes

I was in a room. A room with white walls,1 door, 1 window, a single simple table with 2 chairs, a door that I could see led to a small bathroom, and a twin-sized bed next to a little dresser. There was also a small kitchenette and another person.

They sat in one of the chairs, back facing to me. But I could see that they were strong, olive-skinned, black-haired, and waiting for something. I guessed that something was me.

"And you would be who?" I asked loudly as I sat up. He didn't even jump when I spoke, and I knew immediately who he was as he turned around, showing me a face that I'd dreaded seeing again for at least 3 years. I wanted more than anything to run as far as possible, and Victor could see it on my face.

He smirked as he stood and walked over to the bed, sitting on it as I scrambled, terrified, as far away from him as possible, seeing as I was tied to the headboard.

"Why do you try to run, little one?" Victor asked in the smooth, lightly accented voice that I hated.

"Because I'm trying to get away from YOU!" I shrieked at him,"You can't be here! It isn't time! You promised me! It isn't time...." I trailed off, whimpering in fear. Of course he wouldn't honor our deal. Victor was never patient with me.

But, for once, he said something I was relieved to hear. "I'm not going to take you away just yet, little one," Victor stated coolly. But my relief turned to terror as he continued,"You aren't ready."

"When will I be ready?" I whispered, terrified to hear the answer.

"Very, very soon," Victor whispered, leaning toward me with hunger in his eyes. I screamed as loud as I could as I felt the vampire grasp my shoulders to hold me still...

I continued to scream, even as Victor shook me to quiet me. Although, I suddenly heard another voice filtering in.

"Katherine!" my mom called,"It's okay! You're okay!"

I cut off my screaming and whimpered,"Mom?" She stopped shaking me, and I opened my eyes to see her nod before I burst into sobs. Shudders of fear ran through me as my mom held me to her. A moment later, Nicole burst in, worry clear on her face. She saw me crying and immediately understood.

This wasn't the first time I'd woken up screaming.

The next morning eventually came, and with it, Antonio. He came alone today, and I heard him downstairs talking to someone. I shifted into a wolf to increase my hearing and listened.

"She's still asleep, after the night she had," my mom admonished,"Let her sleep."

"What do you mean, 'the night she had,' " Antonio inquired,"The run wasn't that tiring."

"I meant her nightmares," mom corrected,"And before you ask, I'm not going to tell you what they're about. I can't. She never tells anyone."

Not wanting to hear any more without being there, I shifted to human and went downstairs. As soon as Antonio and my mom saw me standing in the doorway, I spoke.

"I'll tell you about the nightmares," I said shakily.

Antonio just looked concerned while my mom looked shell-shocked. I hadn't told anyone about these dreams in the three years I'd been having them. But I was tired of hiding.

I let mom get Nicole and my dad while Antonio called everyone else, and then we all went into the living room to wait. When everyone got there, even Tristam, they all found a spot to sit, Cora ending up on Christian's lap. I gave her a weak smile, which she returned, and everyone waited for me to speak. I obliged.

"About three years ago," I began,"I went for a walk in the fields. I didn't know, but someone was waiting for me there. I came upon a stranger in a small copse of trees that I liked to visit, and he asked if he could walk with me. I had a strong urge to say yes, so I did." My dad started to speak, but I cut him off. "We chatted as we walked, and I found out his name was Victor. When I stopped to grab a drink of water, he grabbed me and bit me." Overwhelmed with the memory, I relived it as I said,"What I didn't know was that he was a vampire. When he bit me, I felt everything slip away, and all I felt was the pain of his bite. It was so intense that I couldn't even cry out. I lost conciousness. When I woke up, Victor was using a corner of his shirt to wipe the blood....my blood....from his mouth. I didn't expect to be alive, but I was. And then the monster offered me a deal." I stopped, taking in the look on Tristam's and Rebecca's faces that said they knew what happened next. Shaking it off, I told everyone,"Victor said that I could either go with him immediately and grow up with anything I desired, or I could stay with my family until exactly 3 years from that day. That would be when he came for me. I chose my family, went home, and hid from everything in sleep. When I woke up, there was no wound on my neck, so I wrote it off as a dream. Ever since then, I've had nightmares that he was coming to get me early. He bit me again at the end of every dream. Eventually, the dreams dwindled until they stopped a couple weeks ago. But I had another one last night." I halted, taking in their obvious horror bofore I said,"The dream probably came to remind me that Victor is due to come. Today."

They were all shocked. I could see it. They were also scared. I had been, too. Now I was numb. He was coming. And they weren't going to get hurt for me.

While everyone was still in shock, I looked at each of them, memorizing their faces. I could never forget them. When I was done, they were all still frozen. I turned around with tears streaming down my face and up to my room to get dressed. Then I walked out of the house, away from the people that I cared about most. I shifted to a golden eagle in the yard and flew away to find Victor and face my future.

I saw him standing on top of a hill. He watched me approach and waited as I shifted to a human, wearing simple dark jeans, a red t-shirt, and my leather jacket with black flats. Victor looked at me appraisingly as I did the same to him in his black slacks, dark brown button-up, and simple dress shoes.

"I feel underdressed," I stated after a moment,"But I guess it doesn't really matter."

"No," Victor agreed,"It doesn't. Are you ready to go?" He held his hand out for me to take in a manner that reminded me of Antonio.

Forcing back tears, I spat back,"No. But it doesn't matter, does it?"

"No," Victor stated, grabbing my upper arm and tugging me to a 4-wheeler nearby,"It doesn't matter. It's time."

I put up no resistance as Victor settled me onto the 4-wheeler and climbed on behind me. As we gained speed and I tried to pretend none of this was happening, I heard my name on the wind.

"Katherine!" Antonio called as tears streamed down my face.