In the Dark by Lila Rose (12 page)

Gone were the days I felt ashamed to have caused such a reaction from a person. Instead, I met his stare with confidence.

"Darik, manners," Isaac scolded. Darik rolled his eyes and shrugged.

I didn't know the connection or relationship he had with Isaac, apart from the obvious; Darik was also a vampire. His suffocating power showed me that.
Stupid dickhead wants to intimidate me by thrusting his power out, instead of hiding it like the others have.
On the other hand, was he unable to keep it under control like Isaac and the others did? Premature vamp power, no control on what he thrust out?

Snorting to myself, I shook my head so I wouldn't burst out laughing.

"Evening, Leila. I've heard you had an eventful day. I'm sorry I missed it."

As I looked to Isaac, my breath caught from the way he was dressed. He'd changed since that morning into a pair of tight, black leather pants and a black silk shirt.

"Yeah, wish you had stayed. We had a blast—" I would have continued if Darik didn't scoff at me. I turned to glare at him and felt the others around the table stiffen. Jezanna, who was on my other side, made a small sound of annoyance in the back of her throat.

"Listen here, buddy. I don't know who you are, and really, I don't give a flying shit, but you really need to quit the effing attitude, right now. I've just gotten past the problem with moody Jeremiah. I
do not
need another person here thinking time with me is not worth it." I shook my head and smirked. "No, scratch that, I couldn't care less if you like me or not. Whatever problem you have, take it somewhere else. I don't want to see it under my roof. Got it?"

"He gets it, don't you, Darik," Jeremiah stated.

"Yeah, whatever." He rolled his eyes.

Isaac slid his hand toward me on the table, stopping a few inches away. "I'm sorry for his rudeness, Leila. He's not usually like this. I've known Darik for some time now, and I trust him to guard me with his life while Adan and Xavier tend to Jezanna, our father and yourself."

"Then why is he being like that with me?"

"I'm right here, ask me." Darik glared.

Sighing loudly, I rested my chin in my hand and tapped my cheek. "Darik darling, why do you hate me so?"

"I don't think our kind should waste our time and associate with scum like you. You're nothing but a stupid shifter." With that, he spat in my face.

The table erupted in noise. Believe me, I was impressed he managed to get his spit across the table, but I wouldn't stand for that type of treatment.

I felt, more than saw, Isaac move. He raised his hand with lightning speed ready to strike Darik. To my surprise and his, I was quick enough to stand and grab his hand before it reached his friend. Slipping my two fingers between my lips, I let out a loud whistle to gain everyone's attention.

"Stop," I said calmly and took the napkin laying on the table to use it to wipe my face.

"Isaac, I know you and Darik go back a long way, but I don't believe he should stay," said Gregory, who sat peacefully at the other end of the table.

"No, no." I chuckled without humour. "It's all right." I smiled down at Darik. He still sat across from me with a smirk on his lips. "
Everything
is fine." I nodded. "Because I'm going to kill him."

Before anyone could do anything, I jumped the table and forced Darik to the floor. Straddling his waist, I pulled back and pounded into him with my fists. Someone grabbed me around the waist and lifted me off the dick, who had his arms over his face, blocking the rest of my attempts at hurting him. I got a few good hits in.

Idiot arse-muncher.
An urge to shift and rip his head off crossed my mind.

"Leila, please calm down." I didn't think I could've if it was anyone but Isaac holding me back. However, his nearness distracted me, especially when his breath fanned down along my neck as if it were caressing me. Isaac cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Leila. He will be punished for it."

From out the corner of my eye, the look on Isaac's face had me turning my gaze down to Darik. He lay on the floor smiling up at the both of us. Darik then burst out laughing.

"You told me she was easy to get going." He took a deep breath. "I didn't think it would be that easy."

No way. No effing way.
It was a test?

"You… you, dick. You little effing bitch, you were playing me?" My eyes sprung open in shock and yet my hands clenched tight, because I was still pissed.

Darik got to his feet, dusting off his clothes. "I had to test you in some way, see if you're good enough for my sire. He doesn't take on many friends, so when he does, they're forever. I had to see if you were strong enough to have his back, which you are," he said, rubbing at his jaw.

"But you spat in my face." I gagged.

"So? I heard you've been licking everyone today. What, you can't handle a little payback?"

"Seriously?" I turned to Isaac who'd only just let go of me and stepped back,
unfortunately
. "You." I pointed at him and glared. "Dear God, you brought someone here worse than Jeremiah."

"No fair." Darik laughed. "I'm way better than him. But you have to admit, it was pretty funny."

I looked back to Darik. "Just you wait, when you least expect it, I'll bring hell upon you. You won't know when, but be scared, be
very
scared. Now enough of this stuff, let's eat and be nice to one another."

Darik let out another laugh, and so did everyone else, except Isaac, who shook his head at Darik. Walking back around the table, I picked up my chair and sat down.

Darik, maybe not knowing I had good hearing, whispered to Isaac, "You have a good one there, Sire."

Only I didn't get to hear Isaac's response, because Caelen bellowed out a loud burp. "You see, love, we vampires can belch as well. We're the bomb." Rolling my eyes, I shook my head and smiled. He always seemed to be the one who acted so young, like a fifteen-year-old.

While we ate dinner, conversation flew around the table. However, all I could think about was what Isaac's reply would have been to Darik.

I knew I probably should have been annoyed by what Darik had done. In a way, I understood his revolting test. I would have done the same, yet perhaps without the spit, if I were in his position.

In the end, did it really matter what Isaac's answer would have been? It shouldn't, but I couldn't help hoping he wanted more from me.

While Jeremiah had said Isaac didn't see me as a sister, that could just mean that he saw me as his friend, and that alone.

Goddamn, all this crap is confusing, and I swear my brain just farted from all the thoughts.

What I needed to do was be happy with what I had. I'd had no one for so long, and since had a heap of wonderful people who sat with me at my table, sharing a meal, joking and laughing together.

It was something I'd always wished for with my uncle and me.

Yes. What I had should've been enough. I needed to stop my emotions from getting in the way.

Though—
sigh—
I was worried what I felt for Isaac was because he was the first person, in so long, to pay attention to me. Who wanted to be around me just the way I was. Perhaps I felt strongly for him, because he came to me when my life had been dark and he'd shown me my life could be filled with light.

I'd been without anyone's attention for so long, which could have caused my emotions to jump to the wrong conclusions. What would happen if something did occur between Isaac and myself?

Will anyone care if I just start banging my head against the wall?
It was what I felt like doing to stop my mind from overthinking bloody everything.

"I'll help you clean the table, Father," Jezanna offered, standing. I glanced around at everyone's cleared plates and down at mine. I'd hardly touched it. Getting up, I took it to the sink, got out the cling wrap, covered my plate with it and stored it in the fridge. I was sure I'd be hungry later; if not, I'd have it at breakfast tomorrow.

"Are you all right, Leila?" Gregory asked. He'd come to stand beside me as I watched the others move from the table into the living room.

"Yeah, all good. Thank you for cooking tonight."

He smirked. "Isaac suggested it. He said you hadn't eaten properly for a long time."

God, why did he have to tell me that? My heart just melted at the thought of Isaac even thinking of doing something like that.
No, stop those mushy thoughts.

"Yeah? Well, I've taken care of myself for a long time and I haven't starved."

Gregory looked at me, puzzled. He glanced to Jezanna who started the dishes. Only she stopped and left the room after Gregory gave her a slight nod.

"What has caused this sadness in your eyes? Is it because Isaac cares?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Sighing, my gaze went to the floor. "No, ah, maybe. Only trouble comes when people care. I'm not used to any of this, and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed to have my house full of people. Tell me, Mr Grey—"

"Call me, Greg," he said.

"Greg." I smiled. "What happens when Hamish and Seraphine come back saying they couldn't catch Freckles?"

"Isaac will probably want to leave."

"That's what I thought. So how can I become too attached when there could be the possibility you'll all leave? I know what you're going to say, I can come with you, but I won't. Like I've said, it's not in my nature to run from trouble. I've never ran. People run from me."

"Ahh, now we're getting somewhere. I think the true problem is that you're worried about the more time you spend with us, the more you will care. Then you think we eventually won't like what we see in you and
we'll
leave
you
." He paused. "Like your parents." Tears ran down my cheeks as Greg placed his arm gently around my shoulders and continued, "Leila, I could never come up with a reason why your parents did that to you, but you have to know we're not like them. Isaac saw something in you right from the start. He knew you were to be a part of this family. He saw it. Jezanna saw it. I have seen it, and Jeremiah
eventually
saw it. As you've said to us before, you're now stuck with us."

No words came to mind, so I nodded. Scared I'd break down and show how true I thought his words were.

"Leila, what's wrong?"

Great, just what I needed.

Wiping at my face, I looked up to meet Isaac's concerned expression. I gave him a half smile; it was all I could manage.

"Nothing, all peachy-keen in here."

"But you…" he started until Gregory shook his head at him. "All right. I was wondering if you would like to go for a run with me?"

I could have, and maybe I should have, used the excuse of being tired from running all day. However, the night air, open woods and sounds of nature were calling to me and maybe it would help me clear my mind.

"Sure, sounds great. Are the others coming?" I pushed away from the bench and Gregory, but not before I gave his hand a squeeze in thanks.

"No. It will only be the two of us."

My stomach dipped and my heart perked up in attention.

"Don't forget me," Darik said, coming to stand beside Isaac. "Only, I'll be busy watching out for your arses." Isaac spun his head to his friend. "Not literally, of course. Sorry, Sire, but you don't do it for me."

Shaking his head, Isaac smiled. "I'm pleased. Gregory, Jezanna and Jeremiah have been given a lift home by Caelen. They asked me to tell you both goodnight."

"Ah, yes. Well, I'll just clean up here and head off myself." Greg nodded.

"Adan will be driving you home." Isaac informed him.

"Thanks, son. Have fun running."

"I'll just go and change." I went to step away until Isaac spoke.

"Leila, I was thinking for tonight you should stay in your human form. I would like to see how fast you are."

Thinking nothing of his request, I teased, "Faster than you, vamp boy." My mood was already stepping up as the adrenalin and anticipation kicked in. I took off out the back door.

I heard Darik's laughter behind me before he said, "She cheats. I like her."

I knew I was fast as a human, maybe not as quick as when I was in feline form, but nearly. Though, it didn't take long for Isaac to catch up. Within seconds, he was beside me and I could tell he was holding back. Instead of pushing, he kept pace with me.

What surrounded me was another reason I couldn't leave my house, the woods. I'd miss it all too much. They were the only stable things in my life.

Arh, there I go again with more deep thoughts.
All thoughts that played with my emotions. Usually, I never overthought things. The only time I did was… Oh, of course, it was nearly that time of the month.

Great, just what I needed.

Oh, God. Could vampires tell when
it
came? Could they smell it? How freaking embarrassing and gross. What about Jezanna? Did she have to deal with the same thing every month? I needed to know, because if she did, at least then she could suggest how I was going to be around vampires for a week while my twat bled.

With my brain on other matters, I wasn't concentrating on where I was going. Next, I was flying through the air, because I was stupid enough to trip on a fallen tree branch laying on the ground. My face would have kissed the dirt floor if it wasn't for two strong arms circling my waist. Isaac turned me in midair to take that fall for me. His back hit the rough ground and I ended up landing on top of him, my hands against his chest, my whole body flush against his. I looked down into his eyes and couldn't stop the gasp escaping. His eyes had bled to all black.

"Sorry," I muttered. I went to get up, only his grip tightened around my waist, pulling me closer.

"Wait, please," he begged. Maybe I scraped myself and he could smell my blood and was finding trouble gaining control.

No. I was wrong.

Isaac's hands let go of my waist. Instead, he placed them upon the sides of my face, drawing my head down to his. A part of my mind was screaming,
Yes. Yes. Yes
. Then another was yelling,
Crap. Crap. Crap
. Because it wouldn't be good. I knew after one more taste of Isaac, I'd be addicted for life.