Vampires, Eh?

Chapter 18

 Oz and Cassie were the only ones awake when they returned to the house covered in blood. Oz gave them a silent head nod before bringing himself and Cassie to their bedroom. Rhys and Anna went to their bedroom without saying a word. Anna slept on the edge of the bed and as far away from Rhys as possible.

Anna woke to the sound of little feet pounding down the hall as children were running and giggling. Anna smiled as she sat on the bed. She ran her fingers through her thick hair and looked over at Rhys to see that he was still asleep. She snuck around the room to change her clothes. She tiptoed out of the room and quietly closed the door behind her.

She listened to a murmur of voices as she approached the kitchen. Cassie and Elena were in the kitchen cooking. Accalia and Oclan had colouring books and a collection of broken crayons in front of them. Anna could see through the windows that a thick layer of snow had fallen overnight. Giant snowflakes were falling from the sky.

"Good morning, Anna," Cassie said.

"Morning," Anna said. "It looks beautiful outside."

"That's the start of a Yukon winter."

Accalia was scribbling with the crayon and smiled. Cassie passed Anna a bowl of porridge.

"Mommy, can Anna come with us outside?" Accalia asked.

"Let Anna eat first," Cassie said.

"I'd love to after," Anna said.

Accalia nodded her head before continuing to colour. Anna leaned against the kitchen counter and ate her breakfast. Elena scoffed as she looked over at Anna.

"Did you even bring any winter clothes?" Elena asked.

"Rhys didn't say much when they brought me to my apartment to get my stuff," Anna said. "I really didn't think that I would be up in the Yukon."

"I'd let you borrow my stuff, but I doubt it would fit," Cassie said. "Elena, you're her size. Let her have your jacket and boots."

"You mean I have to share with the bloodsucker?" Elena said.

Anna's spoon stopped halfway to her mouth. Her eyes went wide when she looked at Elena, who smirked and returned to cooking. Cassie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Be nice," Cassie said. "And you will lend her your stuff."

"Fine," Elena said.

Anna finished her porridge in silence. She set the bowl down in the sink and Elena left the kitchen. She came back with a winter jacket and a pair of boots. She set them down on one of the kitchen chairs.

"Here you go," she said.

"Let's go!" Accalia shouted as she jumped up from her seat.

She ran across the house and came back with a toque on her head, a pair of mittens, and a thick jacket lined with fur. She had a pair of boots in her hands. Oclan was close behind her with her winter jacket on.

"Come on, Anna," Accalia said.

Anna giggled and slid on Elena's winter jacket. She noticed that she had also brought down a scarf, toque, and mittens. Anna put on the layers of clothes. She wrapped the scarf around her face before slipping on the boots. Accalia was pulling Anna's jacket as they stepped outside.

The snow crunched under their feet as they walked. The cold wind burned Anna's face. She grabbed the fur-lined hood of the jacket and pulled it up over her head. Accalia and Oclan were running through the snow. They were tossing snowballs at each other as they ran into the forest. Anna trudged through the thick snow and tried to keep up with the girls.