“I think youshouldgo get that tan.”
“I’m not letting you out of my sight,” she countered. “I’m fond of my life.”
She threw the car in park in a covered parking area. “This is where she is. Let’s go see how mommy dearest is doing.”
Once I checked in, Val was irate that she wasn’t allowed to join me. Just as she started to do her vampy mind tricks on the lady at reception, I put my hand on her arm to stop her, my eyes pleading with her to give me my time with my mother. After a reluctant few seconds, she caved and told me she’d wait for me by the car.
I walked down the hall to the room they had assigned her, but it was empty.
“Do you know where Mrs. Simms is?” I asked the lady coming out of the room across the way.
“She should be in her room,” she said as she peeked in over my head, “That’s odd.”
She walked over to the bed sitting at the far side of the room, picking up a letter lying at the end of the bed. “What’s odd?” I asked, feeling a little off suddenly.
“This letter is addressed to an Elle Simms,” she looked back at me, “and her bed looks like it hasn’t been touched.”
“What the hell?” I said under my breath, “I’m Elle, and I’ll take the letter.”
The woman looked at me mysteriously, “Let me go check and see if she’s out in the garden area or eating lounge.”
“Thanks,” I said, feeling the woman walk past me as I stared at the envelope.
Did my mom seriously bail out of this place after she sobered up? What a joke! I risk it all to see her, and she’s already checked out? I don’t know why I was surprised, it was a classic mom move.
I flipped the envelope open and pulled out the letter, automatically noticing that something wasn’t right. Mom’s handwriting was rushed. It was weird all the way around.
Ellie,
I have to make this quick, and you have to leave NOW! I’m sorry you’re learning this way, but I may never be able to tell you why I lived the life I did after this is over. I think ‘they’ may have found me after all these years, and if you’re reading this? It means they haven’t truly discovered you … yet.
For your protection, I leave you this letter of instruction.
First of all, the supernatural exists. All of it. Werewolves, trolls, fairies, vampires…yes, vampires. This must sound crazy, but I promise you, this is very serious.
I’m telling you this because you need to protect yourself. I will mail this to you as soon as I know that they aren’t watching me.
Your protection is vital because you are what I am, a Life Blood. A very rare human who carries special blood that can cure, heal, and strengthen vampires or any other supernatural creature.
I’ve known this for years, but I didn’t know how to tell you. I’d done so well keeping us hidden by hiding the scent of my blood.
Before you came into my life, I lived with a coven of vampires for a time, but I left them long ago. I wish I had more time to explain, but I don’t.
There are bad people, vampires, down here now, hunting and searching everywhere for you. If you get anything from this place, DO NOT come here. They are searching for the child they knew I carried, but managed to hide you from them. I will do everything I can to continue to hide you from them. They will have to kill me before I admit you are alive and well. So, you must hide. Never let them find you. For all they know, I’m the last of the Life Bloods and I never had the child I was rumored to carry.
The only way I can help you is to beg you to drink alcohol and cover up the scent of your blood until I can send help for you.
If by some horrible reason you are here reading this in this rehab center, you are in trouble. You must act normal and leave discretely. Some are acting as staff and some are normal. You’ll never know the difference until it’s too late.
Leave now. I’ll be in contact.
-Mom
I was frozen where I stood. Not because of what I’d just read, but literally, something had me paralyzed where I stood. I felt cold, icy breath on the back of my neck as someone brushed my hair aside, over my shoulder.
“Mmmm,” the trilling voice mused, “So delicious. This one is even more potent. Enzo is going to flip when we bring her to him. To know that she did have a child that was a Life Blood too.”
“We’ll worry about that later. Quit messing around with her, we need to go! There’s a vamp out there who’s connected to the Banners!”
