In Plain Sight (A Hunted Rose)

Chapter Thirteen

I tried to walk to my house and get my computer by myself, but the guys followed me anyway.  As we were walking down the sidewalk I asked them, “Have you thought about going as vampire hunters, or slayers, or something like that?”

“Well,” Cameron started to say.  “It wouldn’t be much fun to dress up as something we already are.  How would people know we’re vampire hunters?  Do we carry around stakes?  Plus, our dad’s have a monopoly on dressing up as vampire hunters.  They claimed it years ago.”

“They still dress up?” I said with a smile tugging at my lips.

“Everyone does.  Here, it’s not just for little kids.  It’s a community thing.  If you don’t want to dress up, you stay home and hand out candy.  Even then, most people still dress up,” Ryder replied.

“That sounds nice,” I mumbled.  I unlocked the front door to my house and walked inside.  I knew they would follow me so I didn’t bother closing the door behind me.  I grabbed my laptop from the kitchen counter and held it up like a trophy.

“Got it,” I said.  We all filed out the door and meandered back toward Ryder and River’s house. 

“You know,” I said, “you guys didn’t have to come with me.  All I did was take a computer off the counter.”

“We wanted to,” Seth said simply.

I sighed and replied, “You guys are very unusual.  Even for vampire hunters.”

“How would you know?” Ryder asked.  “You’ve never met any other vampire hunters.”

“That you know of…” I said teasingly.  Ryder opened the door for us when we got to his house.  As we entered I could smell freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.  I let myself remember what they tasted like when I actually ate human food.

“Mom, we’re home!” River called out as we walked in.

“Oh!  Good!  I just pulled the cookies out of the oven.  Are Seth, Cameron and Jason with you too?” A voice asked from the kitchen.

“Yeah, Mom,” Ryder spoke this time.  “And we brought someone else, too.”

“Is it that new girl from down the street?”

“How did you know, Mrs. A?” Cameron immediately headed through a doorway that must have led to the kitchen, most likely to grab some of the cookies.  Sure enough, a few seconds later we heard a smacking sound and a “Don’t touch them!  They’re hot!”

“Well, don’t just leave her standing in the doorway, bring her in here!” The voice once again came from the kitchen.  River snatched my wrist yet again and led me into the kitchen. 

When we entered I saw Cameron sitting on a bar stool at an island in the center of an amazing kitchen.  There were stainless steel appliances all over the place, and black granite countertops with white cabinets.  There was a huge bay window in the attached dining room.  Standing next to a rack of cooling cookies was a woman who seemed to barely reach five feet in height.  She had dark brown hair with a few gray strands mixed in.  She also had kind gray eyes and she smiled at me with warmth. 

“Well hello there,” she said as she walked toward me.  I thought she was going to shake my hand, but instead she pulled me into a big hug.  “I’m Isabelle, Ryder and River’s mom- although, you already knew that part.  You can call me Isabelle, or Mrs. Anderson or Mrs. A, whichever you prefer.”

She seemed really nice, so I smiled and gently wrapped my arms around her to return the hug.  It felt weird, considering I didn’t really know her, but she was nice to me.  “Thank you Mrs. Anderson.”  I tried not to squeeze her too much, sometimes I couldn’t gauge how much strength I used.