Old Habits

Conor: child in charge

Conor

I woke up against Tish with Stefa in my arms. It was a strange place to be. The vehicle had stopped in front of a small wooden cable with a fire pit out front. The porch had two rocking chairs that were swaying slightly in the breeze. I couldn't imagine Stefa actually living somewhere like this. Was this the place we had planned to retire to?

"We're here," Jackson said.

Stefa looked up and let out another shuddering breath. I didn't know what I could do to convince her she was safe. I wasn't sure she would ever feel safe.

Tish was the first to hop out of the car, grabbing our bags and the bags of clothes from the back. Mike didn't move until Jackson ordered him to, but then it was just Stefa and myself in the car.

"Come on," I said, reaching across her to get the door. She wrapped her arm around me tightly and I picked her up, walking her along the path to the porch. Her feet were covered in dried blood, though I wasn't sure if it was hers.

Mike was slumped on the couch when we entered. Tish came out of the bedroom.

"There's a bathtub," she said. "So let me have Stefa, and we'll be back in a bit."

"No," Stefa whispered, refusing to let me go.

Tish took Stefa into her arms and I gently peeled myself out of her grasp, kissing her forehead.

"You will be safe," I said.

Jackson emerged from the back door in new clothes, dripping water from his hair onto the floor. He let out a sigh and also sat on the couch.

"So," I asked. "What are we doing now?"

"We need to stay here a couple days," he said. "Stefa's in no condition to do anything, and we need to know something about Helen's plan before we go anywhere. Is Helen headed for my clan next? Your pack? Was she coming back to finish the job with Stefa? I just don't know."

"Does it matter?" Mike grumbled.

"Um, yes. Not all of us in this cabin are suicidal, Mike."

"Jackson, you're what? Seventy? Eighty? You're a child who some imbecile handed a clan because you have decent persuasion and a charming smile. Pat and I had been together longer than you've been alive. And we had managed to stay out of trouble, live our lives and enjoy our time until you and Stefa come along, looking to shake things up, upset the council, and get hunted down like vermin for nothing. We've changed nothing. Stefa was trussed up and given to the hunters like a damn present and it was for nothing. You sold her out and you have the balls to come crawling back like she's going to forgive you? The only reason any of us survived today is Conor and Tish. You didn't do anything."

Mike's irises were red, but he didn't seem threatening, only immensely sad. Jackson scooted down the couch, putting his head in his hands. I took the opportunity to go back out to the car and clean up the wrappers and bags from the Tish and my lunch. We would need to eat again soon, I thought. I wished I felt more comfortable driving; I would have liked a moment to myself.

But I went back into the house, wadding up the wrappers and stuffing them into the trashcan. The vampires hadn't moved. I could hear Tish in the bathroom talking softly and smiled. Tish's softer side was always amusing; she was quite bossy when taking care of someone.

"If we're staying a few days then we'll need food for Tish and me," I told Jackson. "And not just fast food, Jackson, like actual groceries."

"I haven't eaten anything in decades, I don't know what it tastes like anymore," Jackson grumbled.