Page 10 of The Vampire's Soul
“I can’t leave my parents,” she’d replied.
“Bring them with you. Pack some bags and I’ll arrange a house for you to stay in.”
Ella had gone quiet.
“Please Ella,” Mack had rasped, much more serious than he usually was.
She also knew her parents wouldn’t leave. Her father was the most inflexible man in the entire universe. For days, he’d been ranting about what he’d do ifthose damn humans even tried to come near my family.
He wasn’t a large vampire like Mack, but he was still able to protect her. The thing is, Ella didn’t live with them. She had her own apartment.
“Dad won’t leave, you know that.” She heard him growl through the phone and smiled, glancing down at the floor. It made her body shiver excitedly when he did that.
“I still want you here,” Mack had said, and her head had snapped up. There was a possessiveness in his tone she’d never heard before.
Oh, how she wanted to believe it meant something before she packed up her life and moved across the country. Because she knew she would.
Mack had asked, and she could never say no to him.
But she had to know why he wanted her to be in Maine. After years of hoping, years of wishing, years of telling herself she was just dreaming, Ella had to know.
“Why?” she whispered.
Mack had cleared his throat. “Your father can’t protect you. I can. You’re like family to me. Push him, Ella. If not, you’ll have to make a choice for yourself as a grown vampire.”
Her lips pressed together in resignation. Of course, it wasn’t because Mack loved her. Yet again, she’d jumped to the wrong conclusion.
“I’ll think about it.” She sighed and hung up.
After a huge argument with her parents the next night on the topic, Ella wasn’t sure what to do. As predicted, her father had refused to leave while her mother was on the fence.
“Mack is a personal trainer, not one of the king’s warriors. I can protect you just as well as he can,” her dad yelled. “You need to stay with your family.”
Ella and her mom had shared a painful look.
He wasn’t wrong, although she wasn’t going to go into details about biceps size.
Mack won.
“Move back home if you’re worried. These humans can rant and rave on social media all they like, but we are far more powerful, Ella. Even you could defend yourself against the average sized male.”
“We sent you to self-defense lessons with Rowan when you were younger.” Her mom shook her head, referring to the vampire who taught many of them how to fight.
It wasn’t like they could join Brownies or Girl Scouts with humans.
“I know, but that was decades ago.” Ella sighed.
“It’s like riding a bike. If someone tries to attack you, instinct will kick in,” her dad replied. “If we suddenly pack up and move, it will look suspicious. Just because they know vampires exist, doesn’t mean they can identify who we are.”
Also, true.
But not completely.
“So, if someone invites you to the beach or out for lunch to test you? Then what?”
“I hate the beach.” He rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows that. Goddamn sand.”
Her mom had let out a little laugh.
