Due to RL I really don’t want to go into because it’s getting unhealthy to rant about it…
Well due to reasons ch24 is going to be late, but here’s a little unedited sneak peek to tide you over until I can actually post it. Although I can assure you 24 & 25 will go up together and 26 will follow shortly after because that’s actually finished, it just needs tweaking for the few things that have changed between conception and actually writing the thing. Anyways, enough rambling from me, ch24 is hosted by Leda…
“Is it true Papa? Is Addie home?” I asked excitedly on the phone.
“Yes Leda, he is home.”
“Then I can return, right? You know I won’t run off to Aunt Jane’s. Lilly need no longer be my jailor.”
“That is true.” Papa conceded. “Very well, return when you see fit, but let me know when you set out. I’ll meet you half way.”
“I’ll set out immediately and stay in line with the road.”
“Keep your phone on you at all times so that we can co-ordinate our route.”
“Yes Papa.” I replied, there was no sense in pointing out that I was unlikely to com to harm so deep within vegetarian country, especially land protected by several great families, but he was my father, of course he worried, especially after I had, for want of a better phrase, run away. “I will give Lilly my love and then I will leave.”
“Perhaps you should give your phone to Lilly and then I may confirm that you can return.”
“That would be a good idea.” I said with a laugh as I went into the front room where Lilly was sat flicking through a magazine bored out of her mind with nothing to do. “Papa has something to tell you.” I stated.
“You may return home.” She guessed correctly.
I grinned widely as I nodded while handing the phone to her.
“Father?” She said, before nodding as she said yes several times, then gave the phone back to me.
“Leda?” He called and I put the phone to my ear. “Yes Papa?”
“I will leave immediately. I’ll phone you in half an hour to ascertain your whereabouts.”
“I will speak to you in short time. Bye bye Papa.”
“Goodbye Elfleda.”
I hung up the phone and took up my backpack which had remained packed for the entire three weeks I had been here.
“Thank you for being a sympathetic jailor.” I said to Lilly before kissing her cheek. “Give Bob my thanks too.”
“I will.” Lilly said with a smile. “Be safe little sister, and as soon as you speak to Addie, I want all the details. You owe me.” She winked.
“I shan’t forget your kindness.” I replied, hugging Lilly. “As soon as I make any headway with Addie you will be the first to know. Now I must go. The sooner I leave the sooner I will see Addie.”
“Of course.” She replied.
I left the house with Lilly watching me into the woods. As soon as I was within the trees I began running. I thrilled at the speed as I pushed myself once more, of course the excitement was different than the last time I had ran at this speed. Three weeks ago, after an excruciating week of waiting for news of Addie and he still had not been found I had begged Papa to let me return to the Ranch, there had to be something I could do to help. Papa had not allowed it, I packed my bags and that night I had ran away, my hope had been to run all the way to the Ranch, but my absence had been discovered not long after my departure.
My heart had been in my throat at the thought of my own nerve, but it would have been unbearable to sit around in Forks while my Addie was out there lost somewhere. I was certain that if I got to the Ranch there would be something I could do. I had known that I ran the risk of interception should I go near Olympic Pines, but I really had no other choice if I wished to ghost and avoid the sight of humans.
Of course if some members of my family did happen to try and stop me could I bring myself to use my gift on them? I would only have to incapacitate them long enough for me to get away, they would be in no danger. I had resolved myself to do so, I could beg forgiveness once Addie was found safe and well. However I was not counting on Murphy.
Murphy is one of my brother’s current foster children, fully grown but one of those dhampir who hold on as long as possible to their childhood, but given the fact that his childhood had been spent inside a farm I didn’t blame him for wanting to prolong it now he had a chance to be a child. That night however, he had been there to apprehend me and suddenly I found my powers rendered useless. Murphy was a rare one indeed, one with the ability to suppress the powers of others, the only way I could get past the two of the only three siblings who treated me like a person would be to fight them, and I had no will to hurt my family. I had no choice but to submit to them and Murphy did not leave my side until Papa had my solemn vow that I would remain with Lilly until he saw fit for me to return home. I had promised him and I never broke a promise, everyone knew that of me, and so I was stuck.
Not that my time with Lilly had been entirely dire. I had covered several hours in the store for Bob and that had taken my mind off my worries for a while, and of course there were a number of dhampir I could visit with in Northern Heights. There were babies that needed taking care of, and I liked children. My family had seen fit to fill my time with many activities so that it was only at night I would have time to think of Addie, lying awake as I worried where he might be laying his head at night. If he even had that opportunity.
I did not sleep for the entire two weeks he was missing. I was only able to lay down my head and sleep soundly when I had confirmation from Seren that Addie had been found safe and well. I knew she would not lie to me, Seren might be good at sugar coating bad news, but regardless she would deliver it to you. Zoë on the other hand for all her rough, tough demeanour and tactlessness when it came to superficial things, tended to shy away from hard truths. I had been on tenterhooks the week since waiting for Addie’s return home.
He was home, finally, and soon I would be home. I was determined to go down and meet him as soon as possible and we would go for a walk somewhere we could talk alone. No gimmicks or setting of the scene, merely Addie and I alone where I could tell him how I felt about him. It was the only way I could be sure.
Papa met me a lot further beyond the halfway point than I had anticipated, but then again he is a full vampire and I half, they are much faster than us. I will admit that I did feel a lot safer with my fearsome, former Volturi Papa running at my side. As safe as Washington State might be, it didn’t hurt having a little extra protection in case of the unexpected.
It was near dark by the time we arrived home and even Kitty-Kat agreed with Papa that it was too late for me to go down to the Res. It was far better for me to eat a good meal, have a nice bath and settle into bed early. I would awaken refreshed and able to face Addie with a rational mind as opposed to being overly emotional due to tiredness. I had to concede that they had a point, so I ate supper, bathed and settled to sleep, dreaming of the perfect scenario to come out of my talk with Addie on the morrow.
I awoke early the next day and was showered and dressed by seven o’clock.
“I am going down to the Res now.” I informed Papa and Kitty-Kat who were sitting in the kitchen while the latter ate her breakfast.
“Not yet.” Papa said. “It is much too early to show up unannounced. Wait until eight o’clock and then ring Liza before you go down.”
“But…”
“Leda, it’s for the best.” Kitty-Kat stated. “I doubt Addie will be awake yet. You know how teenage boys are.”
“Addie is already up. He is always up by seven.” I stated.
“Still, wait until eight o’clock. It’s only polite.” Papa said and I scowled slightly, but made my way out to the back garden and lay on the picnic table looking up at the cloudy sky as the light rain fell on my face, waiting out the hour.
At eight I returned to the house and phoned Auntie Liza.
“Leda, it’s so nice to hear from you.”
“As it is to phone you Auntie Liza. May I come down for the day to hang out with Addie?”
“Of course. You’re always welcome Leda. There’s no need to phone ahead.”
“I know that usually, but since it has been a while since my last visit I thought it best not to turn up unannounced. Especially at such an early hour.”
“You’re very considerate.” Auntie Liza replied. “I’ll expect you within the next half hour.”
“See you soon.”
I hung up the phone, said goodbye to Papa and Kitty-Kat before I climbed into my car and drove down to the Res. I parked in the visitors car park near First Beach since there was very little residential parking, especially around the main square where Auntie Liza and Uncle Mal lived. As I moved along the sea front toward their house a young man passed me, tall and curly haired, I found myself looking after him in contemplation, he had seemed familiar, he moved on however and didn’t glance back. I shrugged and continued on to Auntie Liza’s house.
I knocked the door and entered without prompting, it was the way I had with Auntie Liza, her house was as good as mine, I could entered as I pleased. I was expecting to find Addie waiting for me, but there was only Seren and Auntie Liza present. Seren was helping Auntie Liza tidy up in the kitchen.
“Hi Leda.” Seren said with a smile, I suppose she was trying to reassure me that she held me no ill will over what happened with Addie. After all, it wasn’t my fault Auntie Jane had decided that Addie would make a good spy.
“Good morning.” I said cheerfully.
“I’m afraid you just missed Addie.” Auntie Liza informed me as she turned from her sink full of dishes. “He declared that he had business to attend to, although he wouldn’t divulge what said business happens to be.”
“Oh.” I said, feeling suddenly devastated, I had been so looking forward to meeting with Addie, and now he was out. “Did he say when he would be back?”
“No.” Auntie Liza replied.
“But you know what the wolves are like when they first phase, out running around on all fours whenever they get the chance.” Seren replied.
“Of course he would want to explore every facet of his new form.” I conceded. “Very well, I will call on Loki instead, I suppose we should practice a little, it has been well over a month since I last picked up my drum sticks, I have no idea if he has been practicing.”
“We’ll send Addie over when he comes back.” Auntie Liza promised me.
“Thank you.” I replied. “Although you are more than welcome to join us Seren.”
“Nah, it’s ok. I got some things to sort out for when I return to school. Time is running out on me since we spent so long down on the Ranch.”
“Well, if you need a break.”
“Yes.” Seren said with a nod.
I left Auntie Liza’s house and made my way across the Res on foot toward Loki’s house. He emerged as I approached the door and ran up to greet me.
“Leda, long time, no see.” He said, taking me into a big bear hug.
I hugged him in return, feeling the warmth of friendship toward him.
“Sorry.” I replied.
“Hey. No need to apologise.” He said as he stepped out of the hug but put his arm around my shoulder as we began walking around his house to the little hut he had built with his father, which we used for practice. “So I heard you did a runner, but I didn’t believe that. You’re too much of a goody two shoes.”
“Well I guess you don’t know me as well as you think.” I teased.
“So you really ran away?” He asked.
I waited a moment until we entered the hut and had sat on the sofa before I answered.
“Yes. Although I had a noble cause.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.” I assured him. “I intended to run to Wyoming and help as best I could in the search for Addie.”
“Why run there?”
“My father is a vampire and my stepmother a dhampir, do you honestly think I could leave in my car in the middle of the night without them hearing? It was better to sneak out on foot and put as much distance as I could between me and home before I was discovered gone.”
“Ah see, that’s why you goody two shoes shouldn’t try underhand things without the help of the god of trickery.” He said, indicating himself.
“You have a better suggestion?”
“Yeah.” He said with a shrug as if to ask why I would doubt him. “What you should have done is come see me. We could have hatched a plan. I would have drove out to the highway and picked you up along the way, that way we could have drove all the way to Wyoming and it would have been harder to intercept us if we’re in a car.”
“That is a point, however I didn’t put much thought into it. I needed to go and help find Addie and I had to go there and then.”
“Where have you been?”
“At the Stables.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Why not?”
“That’s my ancestral home and you got to stay there before me.” He said with a playful pout.
I rolled my eyes as I shook my head while laughing.
“That’s it. Next time you decide to run away you got to take me with you.”
“Or you could ask Lilly if you can stay over the night when you’re staying at Tregarran.”
“That wouldn’t be right when I’m visiting Gran and Gramps.”
“I suppose not.” I conceded. “Very well, next time I decide to run away I will call you first.”
“Great.” Loki said with a grin, much similar to Addie’s grin, it seemed to run in the family. “Of course…” You could just call out to me with your mind.
“Would you hear me over that distance?” I asked.
“It’s worth a try. I mean, shout my name in your head, it’s bound to snag somewhere since we spend a lot of time together. I’ve noticed that the people I’m round the most I can sense them further away.”
“That is something I will bear in mind.” I replied.
“How come you didn’t come back?”
“I was being held prisoner. Papa decided that Lilly could hold me better than him. Especially with Murphy nearby.”
“Wow, he can stop powers?”
“Yes. And I wish he were here right now to stop you prying in my mind.”
“Oh come on Leda, ain’t nothing there I haven’t read before. Is there really anything new, I mean like embarrassing new?”
“No.” I agreed grudgingly.
“Then there’s no problem if I read your mind.”
I shook my head before standing.
“Where are you going?” Loki asked in alarm.
“You’re the mind reader.” I said over my shoulder before I walked over to my drum kit. “I thought perhaps we should practice?”
“Well that be a good idea since we haven’t practiced all summer.”
“You haven’t been practicing?” I asked as I tested my drums with light taps.
“Well I’ve been practicing, no one else has.” Loki said with admonishing tones as he played a complicated tune on his keyboard.
“Well, when you’re as talented as I you need very little practice indeed.” I quipped with a grin as I began beating the drums to count the tune he was playing.
“No arguments here.” Loki replied as he started playing at random and soon we were jamming.
It was fun I must admit and I did not realise the four hours that flew by. I believe Loki and I would have carried on playing in this manner all day if it hadn’t been for Lydia who burst in on us and laughed out loud when we both gave a start.
“Gee, anyone would swear you two were up to no good the way you jumped.” She teased.
“With such perception one would swear you were a child.” I said flatly, I know not why but Lydia and to some extent Astrid, had a manner which rubbed me the wrong way. Perhaps it was how they often fell into teasing that had a malicious edge, whether they intended it or not.
“What do you want?” Loki said flatly, angered as always by his sister’s presence.
“Mom asked if you two are hungry. Grubs up.” Lydia said with a shrug before disappearing.
“You hungry?” Loki asked.
I realised that I was, although the hunger had crept up on me.
“Yes.” I replied.
“Then let’s go grab some grub and we can bash out some more tunes.”
“That would be nice.” I said with a smile.
Well TBH that’s all I’ve wrote so far, but I hope it’s enough for the time being. I hope to upload by Wednesday at least, RL permitting…
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