All This Darkness Will Surround You

Chapter 2: Fool Me Twice

“Livi!”

The moment her brother swung open the door, Livi jumped to her feet, and was running down the hall and throwing herself against him before she’d consciously decided to. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up so she was on her toes.

“Nick,” she said happily.

“Livi,” Nick repeated, his voice urgent. “Livi, are you okay?”

She nodded, disentangling herself from his embrace and taking a step back to look at him. Nick had been a good-looking guy as long as he’d been alive— his constant stream of girlfriends and admirers had been a testament to that, and the fact that he was the star of his school’s football team certainly didn’t hurt. But now he was all strong arms and broad shoulders, sandy hair falling into bright blue eyes. He looked a lot like his father, Livi realized. She supposed she must look like her father too, but she had no way of knowing because he’d left before she was born and her mother hadn’t any photographs.

“I can’t believe that earthquake,” said Nick, dropping his back onto the tiled floor and taking off his shoes. 

“It was mad,” Livi agreed, trying to avoid lying about what had happened. “I can’t believe… I was so scared.”

Nick spun around. “Were you there?” he asked, laying a hand on her arm.

Livi licked her lips. “Um… yeah?” She hadn’t wanted to draw attention to that; Nick was a worrier, especially when it came to her. 

She’d considered telling him everything that had happened: how Vincent had stalked her, then saved her; how Merris had sensed something supernatural; how the words Claretta, Claretta followed her like a ghoul in the night. But whatever was happening wasn’t human; there would be no point in her brother pitting himself against whatever darkness was surrounding her.

“Shite,” swore Nick. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s not a big deal or anything,” said Livi. “Almost everyone in Bristol was there. And I’m fine.”

“Were you with Merris?” asked Nick.

“Yeah, but she’s fine too,” said Livi. She walked toward the kitchen, Nick following behind. “As far as I can tell no one we know was hurt. We were very lucky.”

Nick was frowning, his eyes glazed over. “The death count is so high.”

“I’m surprised it isn’t higher,” Livi said, before she could stop herself. She bit her lip, but Nick’s stare snapped toward her face, and she had to continue. “It just… the earth literally swallowed cars. It was terrifying. I thought buildings were going to come down.”

“A tree fell on the old Prescott house,” said Nick. 

Livi shook her head. “No one’s lived there for years, though. It hardly counts.” 

Nick exhaled. “Still…” Suddenly, his back straightened, and his jaw tensed. “Where’s Serafina?”

Nick never referred to their mother by anything other than her first name. Livi didn’t either, but she at least called her “Sera.” Serafina Meridell had moved to Bristol when she was twenty-two and had just given birth to Livi. She never mentioned where they lived before that, but Nick would occasionally remember small bits of his early childhood; they had lived in a small borough in Scotland, in a house that was too big. The only thing he had left of it was a few photos of his father, from before he’d died.

Nick pretended he couldn’t remember her father. The only thing Livi knew for certain was that he’d been the reason they’d moved away. 

“She’s in London with her boyfriend,” Livi replied. “Has been for about four days. Not sure when she’s coming back.”